Watch: Ryan Day's Ohio State lift golden trophy in style after crushing win over Notre Dame 

Ryan Day led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship win after a thrilling 34-23 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the title game. The Buckeyes have rampaged through the college football playoffs to clinch the ultimate college football prize.

An emotional Day, who shares a special relationship with his players, lifted the golden trophy with his team in style as the celebrations kicked in after the game and during his postgame press conference.

“The story gets to get told now, and it’s a great story about a bunch of guys who have just overcome some really tough situations,” Ryan Day said. “There was a lot of people that counted us out and we just kept swinging and kept fighting. It’s the reason why you get into coaching is to see guys overcome things, learn life lessons and then reach their dreams. This is what happened tonight.

“They’re my motivation,” Day added. “My family at home, my wife and kids, and then these guys. That’s why I get up in the morning every day is just to make sure these guys reach their dreams and goals. That’s all it comes down to. Then it also just shows as an example, when things get hard in life, you keep swinging as hard as you can and that’s our culture.”

Ryan Day vindicated after difficult season

After Ohio State fell 13-10 to the Michigan Wolverines in a fourth consecutive loss in "The Game", Buckeyes coach Ryan Day was on the hottest seat in college football with fans and analysts alike calling for him to be fired.

After the win against Notre Dame, ESPN analysts Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit who were on the call for the championship showdown, praised Day for how he handled the adversity of having his job status questioned and even threats to his family from fans.

“How good does that sound man? I'm a friend of his, very objective and I try to be as fair as I can be," Herbstreit said. "I hear the stories behind the curtain, I know what he and his wife and his family go through. It’s really, it’s tough. It’s tough to be a coach at a premium school where you’re expected to win every game. He handled it with such class and he gets on top of the mountain."

Rece Davis added:

"He's gonna join that list of Ohio State national championship coaches: Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer and now, Ryan Day. He's in that club."

Ryan Day has cemented his legend in Columbus after a winding journey that saw his team go from a potential down season to being national champions in buccaneering fashion.