Buckeyes QB Will Howard receives strong warning from Notre Dame star ahead of National Championship Game

The National Championship Game is quickly approaching, and many are already anticipating this exciting matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Will Howard, star quarterback for Ryan Day’s team, has been warned by one of his opponents about what’s to come.

Jeremiyah Love is one of the standout players for Marcus Freeman’s team, and he was present in the last game where they were defeated by the Buckeyes. While the word ‘revenge’ isn’t something that’s currently a focus in the Fighting Irish program, Love made it clear that he wants to get back at their rivals next Monday.

“We want to play Ohio State,” Love said, according to On3 Sports. “We lost to them last year in a game we should have won.” The sophomore running back could prove to be one of the key pieces for Riley Leonard in his team’s offense.

The upcoming NCAAF final will feature several players who were part of that mentioned matchup. “I want to play them again,” Love also added to the press. “They were a great team.”

Jeremiyah Love #4 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to the Capital One Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The final matchup in College Football between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes will take place next Monday, January 20, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons.

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Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman reveals plan to defeat the Buckeyes in the National Championship Game

Marcus Freeman preferred caution over a thirst for revenge

Marcus Freeman is the leader of this team on the sideline, the mastermind who led his squad to another final, with the aim of securing a championship—a feat not achieved since 1988. While some of his players are approaching the matchup with a sense of revenge from previous years, the head coach preferred to take a more cautious approach.

“You know what? In these three years of being a head coach, I’ve learned sometimes it’s better to just be quiet and to not give your opinion,” he said to the press. “There’s nothing good about saying what I think… So I’m just going to keep that quiet and I’m looking forward to enjoying this game here.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman in action during the NCAA, College League, USA football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

Ryan Day expresses his confidence in Jermaine Matthews Jr.

Ryan Day is on the brink of the most important game of the season, and standing in front of him is one of the most dangerous offenses in the tournament. The Buckeyes‘ HC is confident that Jermaine Matthews Jr. can provide more solutions to a defense that must perform flawlessly to secure positive results.

“I think everybody feels comfortable putting Jermaine in the game based on the way that he’s played this year, the way that he’s practiced this year,” Ryan Day said.

“I say this all the time; you have an opportunity to earn trust in your coaches and your teammates every day, and when you get to this point in January, this is from the whole off-season, all of preseason and during the season, and we’ve talked about how depth is going to be important in this moment, a ton throughout the season, and Jermaine has done a good job,” he finally concluded.