ATLANTA (WISH) — Notre Dame’s second half comeback was not enough, and Ohio State went on to win the National Championship, 34-23. After Notre Dame scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game, Ohio State rattled off 31 unanswered points on their first five drives. “We didn’t execute and we had some self-inflicted wounds that we have to clean up,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said. “You see the next three drives after that, penalties and miscommunications, and all that stuff’s on me,” Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard said. “That first drive we just came out an played Notre Dame football.” Notre Dame started their comeback late in the third quarter and brought it back to a one possession game with 4:15 left in the fourth quarter. “Got nothing else to lose,” Leonard said about the message at halftime, when Notre Dame was down 21-7. “It’s the last game no matter what. Might as well go out there and sling the rock and trust your guys.” The Fighting Irish forced a third down with under three minutes to go, but Ohio State quarterback Will Howard completed a bomb down the sideline to Jeremiah Smith for 57 yards, which all but sealed the game for the Buckeyes. Leonard threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns, which was his season-high for passing yards. Notre Dame finished the season 14-2 and made their first national championship since the 2012 season. They set the record for the most wins in a single season in program history. “The reality is, we all had a little bit of doubt,” Freeman said. “But, we all chose to work and we all chose to trust each other and chose to love each other and be selfless and put the team in front of ourselves.” “I’m just proud of them,” Freeman said. “Proud of what they’ve done and proud of who they are, the way they represent themselves and it’s just an honor to be on this journey with them. There’s going to be a lot of guys, seniors that this was their final game with Notre Dame football, but they’ve left this place a better place.”