Ohio State defeated Notre Dame to win the college football national championship in Atlanta on Monday night. Meanwhile, students back in Columbus stormed through campus and forced entry into the legendary Ohio Stadium to celebrate the conclusion of the first-ever 12-team Playoff.
It was a wild scene that lasted more than an hour into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The party was on as soon as the clock ticked down on the Buckeyes’ 34-23 victory over the Irish. Students flooded out of their dorm rooms and sprinted across campus to the Horseshoe.
They gathered outside of the college football stadium to celebrate with a mosh pit at first.
Decided to drive uber after the game and had a pickup at Ohio Stadium before Ohio State students broke in 😂 pic.twitter.com/m4nrTYpknD
— Joey Dillon (@joeydillon) January 21, 2025
And then someone got an idea. Why don’t we break into the stadium and celebrate on the field?! There was only one problem. The gates were locked and a security team stood on the other side to prevent entry.
Ohio State fans trying to break into the Shoe after the Buckeye victory in the National Championship over Notre Dame.@DispatchAlerts pic.twitter.com/ec5aBKct8F
— Cole Daniel Behrens (@Colebehr_report) January 21, 2025
However, that was not the case with other points of entry. The students forced entry through the Hazelwood Family Tunnel just before midnight and opened the flood gates, literally.
Fans running into the Shoe after the Buckeyes win@DispatchAlerts pic.twitter.com/GYHgQqGPO0
— Cole Daniel Behrens (@Colebehr_report) January 21, 2025
Ohio State police was surprisingly cool with the break-in. They did not force the students to leave or issue an arrest. They instead made sure everyone was safe and kept the situation under control.
— – (@Spicoli_____) January 21, 2025
One shirtless student planted a flag at the 50-yard-line in homage to the incident at the end of the Michigan game.
— – (@Spicoli_____) January 21, 2025
Others poured beer on statues and busts inside the stadium.
— – (@Spicoli_____) January 21, 2025
Meanwhile, the party continued in the streets outside of the bars near campus.
— – (@Spicoli_____) January 21, 2025
Firefighters were at one point called to the scene of a burning couch.
Couches were lit on fire near Ohio State's campus after the Buckeye's 34-23 win over Notre Dame.
— George Shillcock III (@ShillcockGeorge) January 21, 2025
OSU also reports a crowd of over 100 broke into Ohio Stadium. The university reports no injuries or arrests at this time. Have not heard back from Columbus Police yet@wosunews pic.twitter.com/T8AVWx6wtz
Chants of “O-H! I-O!” rang out in Columbus until the wee hours of the morning as Ohio State students partied until sun-up. Professors who have not already cancelled class for Tuesday are going to be sorely disappointed by the turnout. The Buckeyes will not be there.