Big scoring plays for Ohio State have become a near-constant in the recent history of the Buckeyes' games against Notre Dame.
That was one element that made the National Championship against the Fighting Irish somewhat unusual from previous installments of this series — all of Ohio State's touchdowns transpired within 10 yards of the opposing end zone. Conversely, Notre Dame scored two of the only 30+ yard touchdowns the Buckeye defense allowed all season in that game.
However, that didn't stop fans from noting how big plays in general on behalf of the Scarlet and Gray have served as a theme in this matchup going back three decades.
Quinshon Judkins doing his best Eddie George impression #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/oD9wf9Vn19
— The Buckeye Show (@TheBuckGuys) January 22, 2025
Across nearly all the previous installments of OSU's meetings with ND, at least one long scoring play for the Buckeyes has served as one of the most memorable moments in the game. The last showdown between the schools in 2023 featured one of the best runs of TreVeyon Henderson's career when he scored from 61 yards out. The year prior, C.J. Stroud connected with Emeka Egbuka for a 31-yard touchdown pass to create Ohio State's first visit to the end zone that season.
The 2016 Fiesta Bowl saw Ezekiel Elliot score on a 47-yard touchdown run, but it was the previous meeting in Arizona between these teams that cemented the idea that big plays fuel victories over the Fighting Irish. All four Buckeye touchdowns that day took shape from at least 56 yards out of the end zone thanks to Santonio Holmes, Antonio Pittman and a pair of efforts from Ted Ginn Jr.
The lone outlier in this trend proved to be the 1996 game, which Ohio State won in South Bend 29-16 but saw all three offensive touchdowns take shape from within the red zone. But one year earlier, arguably the most thrilling of all these massive scoring plays against Notre Dame took place in a game that required a second-half comeback from the Buckeyes.
The 1995 showdown with the 15th-ranked Fighting Irish got off to a somewhat slow start for an OSU team that entered the afternoon as the 7th overall team in the country. Notre Dame held up the Ohio State offense on a goal line stand early in the game, and the Irish responded by driving nearly the length of the entire field before scoring the first points of the game on a field goal early in the second quarter. Inside the next four minutes, the Irish would force a quick punt on the Buckeyes' next possession before following up with the game's first touchdown on a seven-play drive.
Terry Glenn made his first visit to the end zone that day on the next OSU possession, but the Fighting Irish countered once again with an eight-play scoring drive to reset their lead back to two scores. Thankfully, Ohio State was able to add another touchdown through the air with less than a minute remaining in the half, but the Buckeyes still went into the locker room down 17-14 on the scoreboard.
Notre Dame received the kickoff to begin the third quarter and managed to add a field goal before giving the ball back to Ohio State. The Fighting Irish forced a punt within the next five offensive plays for the Buckeyes, but a crucial muff by ND on the return gave OSU possession inside the red zone with a chance to capture its first lead of the game. Three snaps later, quarterback Bobby Hoying capitalized on the opportunity with his third touchdown pass to a different teammate on the afternoon, and a good extra point made the score 21-20 finally in favor of the Buckeyes.
On the next possession, Notre Dame drove within six yards of the Ohio State red zone before defensive back Shawn Springs caught an interception one play after a large tackle for loss by Luke Fickell. During the change of possession, ABC prepared to interview Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee host and outspoken Notre Dame alum Regis Philbin on the sideline.
As the Buckeyes sought a third-down conversion from within their own red zone to avoid giving Notre Dame the ball back in a narrow game, Philbin joked with the ABC crew, "ever since you guys called me down here, we've taken a turn for the worse!" When the sideline reporter followed up asking why Philbin thought such a shift had taken place, the Fighting Irish superfan responded, "breaks! Big break, you gotta admit that — but we're coming back! You watch, we're gonna bottle them up now... we got a lock on them, we're gonna win!"
Less than three seconds after Philbin offered up those words, Hoying received the snap from under center and completed a strike to Glenn roughly 10 yards up the field outside of the left hash. Glenn cut back inside, split two pairs of Notre Dame defenders, and scored what proved to be the longest receiving touchdown of Ohio State's 1995 season from 82 yards out.
ABC cut back to Philbin — shrugging, mouth agape while wearing a "Rivalry Renewed" t-shirt featuring ND and OSU — as he did all he could to remark at what just happened above the roar of the crowd in Columbus. Shortly before the camera cut away, Philbin managed to yell into the microphone, "we're still gonna win!"
Those in attendance that afternoon have described Glenn's massive score as one of the loudest moments in the history of Ohio Stadium, almost as if everyone in attendance had heard Philbin's proclamation just prior to the momentous play. It ultimately served as the pivotal moment of the game, as Notre Dame fumbled the first snap of its next possession and allowed the Buckeyes to add another touchdown just three plays later.
The Fighting Irish responded with a touchdown of their own shortly afterwards. However, on the first play of the next possession, Eddie George broke off a 61-yard run that stood alone as the longest play on the ground by an OSU running back against ND for nearly three decades. TreVeyon Henderson would match that number in 2023 before Quinshon Judkins put together a 70-yard gain of his own the next season in the National Championship, falling just shy of the goal line as George did.
The eventual Heisman Trophy winner scored three plays later on what became Ohio State's final trip to the end zone that game. Notre Dame did not score another point, and the Buckeyes completed their comeback bid to the tune of a 45-26 final score that would set the tone for the next 30 years of meetings between two of the most storied programs in college football.
Glenn went on to win that year's Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the sport. He became the seventh overall pick in the next NFL Draft, made the Pro Bowl four seasons later, and ultimately won a Super Bowl in 2001 during his final season with the New England Patriots.
In 2017 at the age of 43 years old, Glenn tragically passed away after a one-vehicle DUI traffic accident. His memory persists as one of the greatest receivers in Buckeye football history despite the wealth of success Ohio State has enjoyed among its wideouts since the completion of his college career. Glenn still sits third all-time among school leaders in single-season receiving yards (1,411) and his 253 yards against Pittsburgh that season stood as the most in one game by any OSU receiver until Jaxon Smith-Njigba's historic performance in the 2021 Rose Bowl.
Philbin left Columbus heartbroken for his Fighting Irish, but continued on in his own career to become one of the most recognized and successful show hosts in the history of American television before passing away in 2020 at the age of 88 years old. His funeral and burial were both held on Notre Dame's campus as he remains at rest within the university's Cedar Grove Cemetery.
