Ohio State QB Will Howard sets new CFP title game standard with sizzling start against Notre Dame

There's a new standard in the College Football Playoff era.

Will Howard has set it. The Ohio State quarterback completed his first 13 passes against Notre Dame in Monday's CFP national championship against Notre Dame.

The 13-straight completions are the most at any point in a CFP championship game since college football switched from the BCS to the the CFP in 2014. No quarterback in the 10 previous CFP title games threw 13 consecutive completions, much less started a game 13 of 13.

It added up to a dominant start for the Buckeye, who raced out to a 21-7 halftime lead after allowing an opening-drive touchdown to the Irish. Howard was pinpoint throughout the half as he completed 14 of 15 passes for 144 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers.

Howard's only incompletion of the half required a tremendous effort from All-America Notre Dame safety to break up a pass intended for TreVeyon Henderson in the red zone with 1:12 remaining in the half.

No matter for Howard and the Buckeyes. Howard followed up with an 11-yard run for a first down before finding Quinshon Judkins in the end zone for a six-yard touchdown.

The score capped Ohio State's third touchdown in three first-half drives in a perfect start for the Buckeyes offense. Ohio State's first touchdown saw Howard find standout freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith for a walk-in touchdown from eight yards.

That touchdown marked the fourth time in four playoff games this season that Ohio State scored a touchdown on its opening drive.

The dominance continued in the second half as the Buckeyes' took the opening possession of the third quarter 75 yards on five plays for a touchdown to extend their lead to 28-7. That drive was almost all Judkins, who set up his own 1-yard touchdown run with a 70-yard scamper from the Ohio State 25-yard line.

The touchdown was Judkins' third of the night as he joined Howard as the co-star of Ohio State's sizzling offensive showcase. The score also marked the first time in either the CFP or BCS era that at team scored a touchdown on each of its first four possessions in a national championship game.

Notre Dame threw the first punch Monday night. But Ohio State responded with an overwhelming offensive effort that the Irish had no answer for.