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Yes, Ohio State used an Alabama football play to win national championship
Jeremiah Smith's touchdown catch vs. Notre Dame was copied from a play Alabama used to beat Ohio State in another national title game.
For Alabama football fans, the origin of the play in Monday’s national championship game was instantly obvious. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith ran into the backfield as if he was coming for a reverse, then doubled back the other way, caught a short pass and walked into the end zone against Notre Dame.
It looked just like a play Alabama ran in the 2021 title game. It worked then too
After the game Monday, the man who caught the pass confirmed its origin in Steve Sarkisian’s UA playbook.
“Alabama ran that like two, three years ago with Devonte Smith,” Jeremiah Smith told reporters in the locker room as the Buckeyes celebrated their national title victory. “Something that we just put in this week. Wasn’t ever a play of ours, but it worked today.”
Back in the 2021 championship game, as the Crimson Tide beat Ohio State to cap off the 2020 campaign, Mac Jones found Devonte Smith on the original. He charged into the end zone, similarly free from opposing defenders.
On Monday, Jeremiah Smith finished the game with five catches for 88 yards and the touchdown. His biggest play came late, with Notre Dame threatening a comeback and OSU facing 3rd-and-11 in its own territory.
The Fighting Irish single-covered Smith in order to put more pressure on Ohio State QB Will Howard, who found the freshman wideout deep for a 56-yard gain, leading to the field goal that put the game on ice.
“I just knew I had to beat the man in front of me,” Smith said of that catch. “There was a man, and Will trusted me, put the ball out there and I tried to make a play.”
Ohio State won the game 34-23.
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