Ohio State quarterback Will Howard showcased his skills in a commanding 41-21 victory over the No. 1 seed Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl, passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the impressive win, the senior QB found himself at the center of an unexpected controversy during the post-game trophy ceremony.
As the Buckeyes took the stage to celebrate their College Football Playoff victory, Howard attempted to join his teammates but was stopped by a stadium security employee. The incident, captured on video, quickly went viral, stirring debate within the college football community.
During a Sunday press conference, Howard lightheartedly addressed the situation. “It was strictly a weight limit thing. I don’t know if it was a poorly executed fat joke or what this guy was trying to do—no, I’m kidding,” Howard explained, as reported by team insider Chase Brown. “He said there was a weight limit, and there were too many people on it. That’s all it was. I ended up going to the other side and jumping on. It was a bunch of us that had to sneak on. You didn’t see it, but Caleb (Downs) and Lathan (Ransom) had to sneak on too. They were trying to be strict about it, but it is what it is. I guess they’re doing their job, so I got nothing.”
The Rose Bowl committee issued a statement earlier, confirming the reasoning behind the incident. “The College Football Playoff regulates that the players of the game, team captains, and head coach are the only team personnel allowed on stage,” the statement read. “While Will was eventually able to get on the stage, this was due to the weight limit of the stage and the safety of everyone involved in the postgame awards ceremony.”
With the Rose Bowl now behind them, Howard and the Buckeyes turn their focus to the Cotton Bowl, where they will face the No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns. The College Football Playoff semifinal is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday night.
