Four former New Jersey football players were part of Ohio State’s national-championship victory on Monday, including one who played high school ball in Bergen County.
The Buckeyes beat Notre Dame, 34-23, in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday night.
Cody Simon (St. Peter’s Prep) and Davison Igbinosun (Union High School) were part of the Buckeyes’ dominant defensive effort. Simon was in on a team-leading eight tackles and Igbinosun was in on three as Ohio State held Notre Dame to 291 total yards.
Simon was a two-time All-New Jersey first-team selection, in 2018 and 2019, and Igbinosun was a first-team selection in 2021.
Tywone Malone (Bergen Catholic) and Jaylen McClain (Seton Hall Prep) did not see action in Monday’s game, but were part of Ohio State’s championship run this season. So was Jayden Bonsu (St. Peter’s Prep), who transferred to Pittsburgh earlier this month.
Malone, a first-team All-New Jersey and All-North Jersey selection in 2019 who also played baseball for the Crusaders, transferred to Ohio State in 2023 after two years at Mississippi. He was in on eight tackles for the Buckeyes this season.
McClain, a freshman who was a first-team All-New Jersey selection in 2023, was in on 15 tackles this season.
