It’s no secret that Gwinnett County loves football. With some of the top-producing schools for collegiate and eventually NFL recruits, the Gwinnett region has undoubtedly made their mark on the football world. There’s no better example of this than the 2025 National Championship game featuring The Ohio State versus Notre Dame. With a whopping five players on the Buckeyes team including Mill Creek alumnus Caleb Downs (safety), Buford alumni Eddrick Houston (defensive end) and Seth McLaughlin (center), and North Gwinnett alumni Jordan Hancock (cornerback) and 
Kayden McDonald (defensive tackle), Gwinnett County is proud to gain five more CFP National Champions.
On January 20, 2025, The Ohio State earned its ninth national championship win, not only “cementing five former Gwinnett County high school standouts in college football lore,” but also solidifying the eighth season in a row that at least one Gwinnett alum was a member of a national championship team. Caleb Downs has been accredited with being the most “impactful Gwinnettian” in this specific championship game; not only did he make five solo tackles for the Buckeyes, but he repeated history by exemplifying a leadership mentality that his senior season at Mill Creek prepared him for. After losing to Buford and eliminating the chance of an undefeated season, “Downs helped guide the program to eight straight wins and a Class AAAAAAA championship win over Carrolton.” Downs said, “This was a very similar season to my senior year in high school… We lost 
early in the season, but learned from it, kept growing and then at the end of the day in the playoffs, we made it happen. It’s really about learning from your mistakes, learning throughout the season, and learning from your failures.”
Downs, Hancock, McDonald, Houston, and McLaughlin worked diligently throughout the season, and were ecstatic to see their hard work pay off as the Buckeyes climbed their way to the top. When asked about his experience as a Buckeye, Downs can’t help but mention the team’s overall success. “I would say this is the greatest playoff run there’s ever been, and I don’t know if there will ever be another one like it. This is an unreal feeling and it’s a surreal moment to be here with my teammates and I’m so glad we could get it done.” Another honorable mention is Downs’ former teammate Cole Mullins, a Mill Creek alumnus who played for the opposing team, Notre Dame. Although the Fighting Irish lost, this was the first time in twelve seasons they advanced to the National Championship Game: a
success in its own right. Overall, January 20th not only signified a great day to be a NGHS Bulldog, MCHS Hawk, and BHS Wolf, but a stellar day to be a Buckeye.
