Ohio State Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday night with a 34-23 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as Ryan Day and the Buckeyes captured the ninth national title in school history and the first in the 12-team CFP era.
With the first 12-team playoff season in the books, here is Sports IllustratedThe All-CFP team of.
QB: Will Howard, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
Howard concluded a strong playoff run completing 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 57 yards rushing, to help Ohio State win the national championship.
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RB: Nick Singleton, junior, Penn State Nittany Lions
Singleton had 261 yards and five touchdowns in three College Football Playoff games, including an 84-yard, three-touchdown effort in Penn State’s semifinal loss to Notre Dame.
RB: Cam Skattebo, senior, Arizona State Sun Devils
While he only played one CFP match, Skattebo made his presence felt. In the quarterfinal loss to Texas, Skattebo carried the ball 30 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also had eight catches for 99 yards and threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to help spark a second-half comeback against the Longhorns that ultimately fell short in double overtime.
WR: Jeremiah Smith, freshman, Ohio State Buckeyes
Smith had a muted semifinal in the win over Texas, where he had just one catch for three yards. This performance, however, was an aberration. Here’s what he did in his other three outings:
He is by far the best receiver in college football.
WR: Jaden Greathouse, sophomore, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Greathouse lands on the All-CFP list after posting two huge games in the semifinals and national championship. He should enter the fray next season as Notre Dame’s top pass-catching option after seven receptions for 105 yards and a game-tying touchdown against Penn State, then hauling in six passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns to help the Notre Dame’s failed comeback effort. against Ohio State.
TE: Tyler Warren, senior, Penn State Nittany Lions
Warren has caught 16 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns in his three CFP outings. The Nittany Lions’ loss will be the NFL’s gain.
OT: Kelvin Banks Jr., junior, Texas Longhorns
Banks returned from injury in the CFP to shore up the left side of the Longhorns’ offensive line. He will be a top pick in April’s NFL Draft.
OT: Josh Conerly Jr., junior, Oregon Ducks
Speaking of future first-round picks, Conerly is leaving for the NFL after being named to the All-Big Ten first team.
OG: Donovan Jackson, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
If you like offensive line play, go back and watch the game tape of No. 74 in white from the national championship. Jackson was moving people up front and is a big reason why the Buckeyes are national champions.
OG: Olaivavega Ioane, redshirt sophomore, Penn State Nittany Lions
Ioane has yet to make an NFL Draft decision, but a strong season for the Nittany Lions (which continued in the CFP) has him thinking about a jump to the professional game.
C: Jake Majors, senior, Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns will miss Majors in the middle of the offensive line next season.
FROM: JT Tuimoloau, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
Tuimoloau had 23 total tackles and 6.5 sacks in four CFP games. He’s a national champion.
DT: Alfred Collins, senior, Texas Longhorns
Collins recorded 12 total tackles in the middle of the Texas defensive line as the Longhorns advanced to the CFP semifinals.
FROM: Jack Sawyer, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
Sawyer made one of the most memorable plays of the season, recovering a fumble from Texas QB Quinn Ewers and returning it 83 yards to punch Ohio State’s ticket to the national championship game. Sawyer also had 4.5 sacks and 13 total tackles during the Buckeyes’ title run.
Advantage: Abdul Carter, junior, Penn State Nittany Lions
Carter, a surefire first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, injured his shoulder in the first-round win over SMU. After missing the quarterfinal game against Boise State, Carter returned against Notre Dame in the semifinals and caused plenty of havoc. He had five total tackles against the Irish, including a sack and numerous pressures on quarterback Riley Leonard.
LB: Cody Simon, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
No linebacker played better in the CFP than Simon, who had 38 tackles, two sacks and defended two passes in four games.
LB: Jack Kiser, senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Kiser played 70 games in six seasons in a Notre Dame uniform. He had 26 total tackles and notched one sack in four CFP games.
LB: Anthony Hill Jr., sophomore, Texas Longhorns
Hill has been Mr. Reliable throughout his two seasons with the Longhorns. The sophomore recorded 23 total tackles and half a sack in three playoff games.
CB: Leonard Moore, freshman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Moore held his own in coverage against Ohio State’s Smith during the national championship in a battle between two freshman All-Americans. Moore is just getting started and has a bright future ahead of him in South Bend.
CB: Christian Gray, sophomore, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The sophomore cornerback was beaten on a go route by Ohio State’s Smith in a play that won the Buckeyes the national championship. But he also picked up the win against Penn State thanks to an interception by quarterback Drew Allar. You win some and you lose some. Gray is a very good young player who will be one of the best players in Notre Dame’s secondary heading into next season.
S: Xavier Watts, senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Watts was all over the field in the CFP, anchoring the Irish secondary. He is one of the best safeties in the sport and should be highly sought after in the draft.
S: Caleb Downs, sophomore, Ohio State Buckeyes
The Downs played an eventful national championship game, but had a solid CFP overall. He’s the best safety in college football heading into 2025, which will likely be his final season before turning pro.
K: Mitch Jeter, redshirt senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jeter missed his only kick in the national title game as the Irish attempted a desperate comeback, but he made 7 of 9 field goal attempts in the CFP, including the game-winner against Penn State to help the Irish to qualify for the national title. game.
P: Riley Thompson, junior, Penn State Nittany Lions
Thompson averaged 43 yards per punt on 14 attempts in the CFP as the Nittany Lions leaned on their defense to move within one possession of a national title appearance.
AP: Jayden Harrison, senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Marshall transfer made one of the key plays of the entire postseason for Notre Dame, running back the second half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against Georgia to give the Irish a lead of 17 points in the quarter-final that they would not give up.
Honorable mentions
QB: Riley Leonard, senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
QB: Quinn Ewers, junior, Texas Longhorns
RB: Jeremiah Love, sophomore, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
RB: TreVeyon Henderson, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
RB: Jaydon Blue, junior, Texas Longhorns
RB: Kaytron Allen, junior, Penn State Nittany Lions
WR: Silas Bolden, senior, Texas Longhorns
WR: TJ Moore, freshman, Clemson Tigers
WR: Matthew Golden, junior, Texas Longhorns
TE: Mitchell Evans, senior, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
TE: Matt Lauter, junior, Boise State Broncos
OT: Anthonie Knapp, freshman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish*
DT: Tyleik Williams, senior, Ohio State Buckeyes
kg: Drayk Bowen, sophomore, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
kg: Smael Mondon Jr., senior, Georgia Bulldogs
kg: Ahmad Walker, senior, SMU Mustangs
CB: Adon Shuler, sophomore, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
CB: Jahdae Barron, redshirt senior, Texas Longhorns
S: Zakee Wheatley, junior, Penn State Nittany Lions
*Injured during the College Football Playoff
IF’Pat Forde and Bryan Fischer contributed to this report.