Who is Jack Sawyer? The Ohio State football senior defensive end became a legend in the Buckeyes' Cotton Bowl win over Texas.

Jack Sawyer was essential to Ohio State Buckeyes reaching the top of the college football world once again, and the star defender is receiving his flowers as the dust settles on the 2024 campaign. He was one of the first players to lift the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship Game,

Ohio State is off to the College Football Playoff National Championship game to face Notre Dame. But it wasn’t easy. Clinging to a seven-point lead, the defense was asked again to make yet another stop. Texas drove down the field fairly quickly and then two pass interference calls put the Longhorns on the one-yard line with a first and goal.

Jack Sawyer finished out his Ohio State Buckeyes career in the most magical way. A native son of Columbus, Ohio, who chose to stay home for his college education despite drawing interest from darn near every team in the nation,

Sawyer undoubtedly had the biggest play of the game when he sealed Ohio State's 28-14 victory over the Texas Longhorns. After stripping the ball away from Texas QB Quinn Ewers during a 4th-and-goal situation with less than three minutes remaining, the star defensive end proceeded to complete the play with an 83-yard fumble return.

Ohio State scores touchdowns on its first four possessions, then holds off a Notre Dame rally in the second half to win the College Football Playoff national title.

From the high-powered, national champion Buckeyes to the individual breakout stars, here are the best players from the first-ever 12-team playoff field.

Ohio State's last win over Michigan was in 2019 when Sawyer was in high school. However, this season's loss to the rival may have hurt the most for the senior defender, as it was on the Buckeyes' senior day. Plus, the game ended in a brawl between both teams after a Michigan flag was planted in the middle of Ohio State's field.

Six Ohio State players hail from a small-ish suburb of Columbus, including defensive stars Ty Hamilton, Jack Sawyer and Sonny Styles.

Watch: Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer destroys a camera after hugging Ryan Day following his fumble returned for a touchdown.

The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Ohio State vs. Notre Dame in the CFP national championship game on Monday. Follow for complete results from the 2025 College Football Playoff finale.