Two days after Thanksgiving, Ohio State’s national championship hopes seemed all but over.
The Buckeyes, ranked second in the nation at the time, were three-touchdown favorites at home against bitter rival Michigan.
Although the Wolverines are the defending national champions, this year’s team wasn’t close to last season’s team. So, this should have been an easy win for OSU.
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Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, left, with the national championship trophy after a game against Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
But they lost, the calls for Ryan Day to be fired grew louder and there were serious doubts about what the Buckeyes could do in the College Football Playoff.
They recovered quickly and dominated every team in their path en route to a national championship earlier this week.
Emeka Egbuka has gone 0-4 against the Wolverines in her career. He admitted in a recent interview with PK Press Club Digital that he “had to think about” trading his new national title for a sweep of the Wolverines, given that those games are “almost as big as” the championship.
If the playoffs remained at four teams, the loss would have ended the Buckeyes’ hopes of a title, and they would have played, in Egbuka’s words, “another meaningless bowl.” But, with expansion to 12 teams, the Buckeyes had a chance for revenge and took it.
“It was really hard to be able to walk into the building the next day and look at my brothers in the face and look at my coaches knowing that we didn’t achieve what we set out to achieve,” Egbuka said.
“But, you know, at that moment being able to finish this the right way. So, we all came together as brothers, and we were like, ‘We’re going to do this thing.'”
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
Anger from the loss lingered after the game, when members of both teams scuffled after Michigan players planted a UM flag at midfield. The pressure was on the day, but Egbuka admitted the short brief came from the players-only meetings, not necessarily anything that made the day.
“It wasn’t too much what Coach Day said. To be honest, we did a lot of player meetings. Just the leadership of our team and our seniority really shone through,” Egbuka said.
“When you look at some of the greatest teams in college football history, they all have great leadership. They all have great seniors, and that’s really who you remember being on the team. We have really took this to heart.
“We knew the team was going to come through us. Coach Day is a phenomenal coach, but he can only make our mindset big throughout the rest of the team because that’s what great leaders do, and that’s what we tried to do at that time.”
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Egbuka was part of the core of Celsius. The energy drink teamed up with Egbuka, Travis Hunter and four other college stars as part of a stacked roster before the start of the season. Egbuka said his record-breaking season, in which he became OSU’s all-time receiving leader, would not have been possible without his daily 200 milligrams of caffeine in the morning.
“Since our partnership, the product has been awesome. It’s energizing and nourishes me all the time. The fuel I get from it and everything and just helping start my days. I mean, this has probably been the most season intense in my life.
“As far as meetings and practice, I wake up early in the morning every day, and I don’t get home until, you know, 9 p.m., that’s hard to do with low energy, so I think Celsius really helped me with that.”
But there’s not much time for celebration. After a parade Sunday, Egbuka will be in NFL Draft mode and must begin training for next month’s combine.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the CFP National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
It’s basically a non-existent offseason for him, but Egbuka is ready for it.
“I am. I’m ready for this next chapter of my life. It’s important to take breaks and take rest. So, I have a few days where I’m going to spend with loved ones that led to the training for the NFL. But this is the life I signed up for.
“So, I can’t complain too much. I’m just grateful to be in this position. A lot of people aren’t able to get here.”
