Australian punter Joe McGuire made history, becoming a college national champion with Ohio State University after a crucial punt secured their victory over Notre Dame.
In front of an audience of approximately 30 million television viewers and 71,000 enthusiastic fans, including basketball legend LeBron James, Australian punter Joe McGuire etched his name into the annals of college football history as a national champion, achieving this feat with a single punt.
With less than seven minutes remaining in the game, McGuire, the son of former Collingwood president and television personality Eddie McGuire, launched a 51-yard punt for Ohio State University, pinning Notre Dame deep within their own territory. This crucial play contributed significantly to Ohio State's 34-23 victory. McGuire faced off against fellow Australian James Rendell, who punted twice for Notre Dame, totaling 97 yards, as Ohio State battled to maintain their 24-point lead established in the third quarter. Notre Dame staged a valiant comeback, scoring two touchdowns to narrow the gap to 31-23. However, in the final minute, McGuire displayed remarkable composure, catching and holding the ball for Jayden Fielding's game-winning field goal, extending the Buckeyes' lead by two points and ultimately securing the championship. McGuire joins a select group of Australian punters who have tasted national championship glory, including Cameron Johnston, who won Ohio State's last title in 2014, and Brett Thorson, who claimed a championship ring with Georgia in 2022. Before joining Ohio State in 2023, McGuire honed his punting skills in Melbourne through the Prokick program, diligently transitioning his talents from Australian Rules Football over a period of two years. After spending his initial year in Columbus, Ohio, on the sidelines, McGuire earned a starting position as punter ahead of fellow Australian Nick McLarty just before the start of the 2023 season. His former Prokick coach, Nathan Chapman, attributed this success to McGuire's unwavering determination. 'He had confidence in his own ability and coaches could have said, 'no, we're going to use someone else who had a bigger kick' but he wore other people down, he remained consistent and just kept doing a good job and kept knocking the door down,' Chapman explained. 'So that's a credit to his own self-confidence to stick at it and remain determined to be better in his craft. He got the opportunity and he took it.' Ohio State has now accumulated nine national titles, and the 23-year-old McGuire is expected to play for another three seasons of college football before deciding whether to enter the NFL draft. Currently, the punter is not a household name in Ohio; his profile on the university's official website even mentions a 2022 hat trick he scored for Heatherhill Cricket Club. This is sure to change. Chapman believes McGuire's immediate focus should be on securing his starting position at Ohio State and completing his degree. 'He's got plenty of time, and he's got to get educated with his degree, and worry about that in three or four years time,' Chapman said. 'So he's got plenty of stuff to learn, get better at, get more experience, and if the NFL door becomes open, great, but if it doesn't, he's certainly set himself up.'
COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP OHIO STATE AUSTALIAN PUNTERS JOE MCGUIRE NOTRE DAME
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