Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
On Monday, members of Ohio State’s football team visited the White House while reaping the benefits of their win over Notre Dame in the national championship game. The trophy they won also took the trip, although it ended up at the center of a fairly awkward moment thanks to what transpired when J.D. Vance went to pick it up.
Ohio State was the first team to win the College Football Playoff when the BCS Era officially came to an end in 2015. They came up short after earning the right to compete for it again during the 2020 campaign, and last season, they became the first squad to survive the 12-team gauntlet and win it all after conquering Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas before beating Notre Dame in the national championship.
Barack Obama was still in office when the Buckeyes won it all in 2015, and they managed to get through their trip to the White House without any major issues. However, the same can’t be said with what transpired after they got the nod from Donald Trump.
By now, most people are probably familiar with the trophy that’s presented to the winner of the College Football Playoff. The 26.5-inch piece of hardware is made of the 24-karat gold, bronze, and stainless steel that contribute to its 50-pound weight, and while it can’t stand up on its own, there is a 30-pound bronze base that’s used to prop it up.
While most players and coaches at Ohio State are probably familiar with the trophy by now, it appears there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to handling it based on what happened when J.D. Vance tried to pick it up when the team stopped by the White House on Monday.
During the ceremony, the vice president spent a few seconds trying to figure out the best way to hoist it while flanked by some Ohio State players who apparently failed to inform him it’s meant to be taken off of the base that clattered to the ground as the two guys standing behind him thankfully saved the actual trophy from befalling the same fate.
The CFP National Championship Trophy falls apart as VP JD Vance tries to hold it aloft at the White House. pic.twitter.com/XYmZRnCsK0
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) April 14, 2025
At least Vance will be prepared when next season’s champion makes it to the White House in 2026.