Ohio State’s national championship football team will visit the White House next month, coach Ryan Day confirmed Monday.
CBS News first reported last week that a visit had been scheduled for April 14, which is two days after the Buckeyes are scheduled to finish spring practice with what they are calling a spring showcase.
“It’s an honor to be invited,” Day said.
The Buckeyes, who won the title in January after navigating the first 12-team College Football Playoff, are to be the sport’s first champion to make the traditional visit since Donald Trump returned to the presidency for a second term.
They last visited the White House and celebrated a playoff championship in 2015 when former President Barack Obama was in office.
“I remember growing up and watching the national championship teams go to the White House, “Day said, “and I always looked at that, like, ‘Man, what an honor that would be.’ It’s part of the celebration of our team.”
Buy Ohio State books, posters, gear from CFP title win
Ohio State will also be major college football’s first national champion to be honored at the White House since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
After COVID-19 restrictions had been in place, scheduling conflicts kept Georgia and Michigan from going to Washington D.C. in the aftermath of their titles in 2023 and 2024.
LSU, which was welcomed in January 2020 just days after it lifted trophy, has remained the last CFP champion to make a visit.
Champions from other leagues are making similar stops this year. The NHL’s Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, visited last month, and the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, who won Super Bowl LIX in February, are also set to visit next month.
This story was updated with new information.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
