Ohio State vs. ND was a dandy; The Buckeyes earned the title; The Irish’s last win was in 1988

THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON MONDAY

Ohio State’s Paul Keels earned a ton of praise for his heft, description, longevity, tenor and reliability. He has been beloved in Columbus for his sturdy and unmistakably piercing.

An interviewer once asked him whether he got into broadcasting because he knew he had an overpowering voice. Surprisingly, he said that when he first listened to a recording of it, he thought it was high pitched, squeaky and whiny; not sonorous and syrupy, the sound that blankets the state each Saturday.

On Monday night, the Buckeyes won it all, knocking off Notre Dame in Atlanta, capturing the national championship. With the spirit of a taskmaster like Woody Hayes, OSU earned nine titles, (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, 2024).

As head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Woody Hayes led his teams to a 205–61–10 record (.761), including three consensus national championships (1954, 1957, and 1968), two other non-consensus national titles (1961 and 1970). As Paul Keels called it, Hayes smiled in his grave.

Keels comes and goes quietly. You wouldn’t know he’s there until his voice shimmers. Never an unambiguous vocal stamp. He arrived in Columbus in 1998 after he stops in Detroit, Dayton and calling Bengals and Bearcats games in Cincinnati.

Worked for the Cincinnati Bengals as the preseason announcer on from 2000–2010, and worked on the Cincinnati Reds television broadcasts for Fox Sports Ohio in 2010. He is also the author of Tales from the Buckeye Championship Season, which recounts the Buckeyes’ 2002 National Championship run.

An interviewer once asked him whether he got into broadcasting because he knew he had an overpowering voice. Surprised by the question, he responded that when he first listened to a recording of it, he thought it was high pitched, squeaky and whiny; not necessarily sonorous or syrupy, on most Saturday afternoons, Ohio State covers the state and more.