WASHINGTON (WCMH) — Ohio State’s victory tour has made it to the nation’s capital.
Just days after receiving its championship rings during the spring game, Ohio State football paid a visit Monday to the White House as President Donald Trump honored the school’s ninth national title. You can watch the celebration in the player above.
Also a part of the visit was Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio State graduate. And Trump promised players a White House tour that included the Oval Office in a ceremony on the South Lawn. Reading from remarks, Trump recounted the Buckeyes’ run to championship in the first 12-team playoff and singled out standout players, including quarterback Will Howard and defensive end Jack Sawyer of Pickerington.
Watch: White House ceremony
Several high-ranking university and state officials were there, including Ohio State President Ted Carter and Gov. Mike DeWine, although louder cheers came for DeWine’s lieutenant governor, Jim Tressel, who coached the Buckeyes from 2001 to 2010.
Trump drew applause by referring to Ohio State’s rival as That Team Up North in his remarks, but Vance was met by boos when he mentioned Michigan by name. The Buckeyes’ tour of Washington also included a stop earlier in the day at the Lincoln Memorial, as seen in a social media post.
Ohio State defeated Notre Dame 34-23 on Jan. 20 to win the championship, its first national title since 2014. In his remarks, Trump made note that Jan. 20 was also the day he was inaugurated for his second term.
The trip to Washington had been planned for weeks, with coach Ryan Day confirming the visit on March 24.
“I remember growing up and watching the national championship teams go to the White House, and I always looked at that like, ‘Man, what an honor that would be,’” Day said. “It’s part of the celebration of our team.”
The White House visit is the latest in a string of celebrations for the Buckeyes. The school had a special rally at Ohio Stadium less than a week after the championship victory. Shortly after, Day made a number of public appearances, including at “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
Ohio State’s last visit to the White House was in 2015 when then-President Barack Obama extended an invite.