ATLANTA, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Ohio State weathered a punishing Notre Dame opening drive with smothering defense for the majority of the College Football Playoff finale, but needed to squash a late rally to claim the crown Monday in Atlanta.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have been crowned national champions, as they dominated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 34-23, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night.

Ohio State stars Will Howard, Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon each praised God and Jesus as the Buckeyes won the college football national title.

The usual suspects will line up in 2025 to compete for spots in the second go-round of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

How the Ohio State Buckeyes are the prime example of an NIL-era powerhouse after winning the College Football National Championship behind a $20 million roster.

Those narratives seem silly now, even preposterous. That loss to Michigan at The Horseshoe feels like an eternity ago. 

President Donald Trump had a message for college football fans who tuned into ESPN to watch the national championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame on Monday.

This loss for Notre Dame to Ohio State in the national title game wasn't Alabama 2013 all over again, but there were similarites. The differences were huge, though.

As confetti rained down in Atlanta on Monday night, players, coaches, and fans wearing scarlet red began to celebrate the Ohio State Buckeyes' ninth championship in program history.

Ohio State fans celebrated the Buckeyes' sixth national title by storming the field at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Monday night.

The early betting favorite to win next year’s national championship is Ohio State.

Ryan Day deserved to feel vindication when he won a national championship less than two months after it seemed his Ohio State job was on the line.

ESPN cameras captured the heartfelt moment as Ohio State captured its first national title since 2014.

There was early sharp action on Notre Dame in Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship game. But late bets on Ohio State caused the line to move again.

Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy in 2011 with the Baylor Bears during a simpler time in college football when NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) payments to players were not part of the popular sport's landscape.

Just like we all expected, right? Not exactly.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day made it to the promiseland and delivered the Buckeyes their first national title since 2014, but the journey was far from a fairytale, according to his family.

"Why even attempt a field goal to make a 2-score game a 2-score game?"

The emotions boiled over for Kirk Herbstreit after Ohio State won the national championship on Monday.