JACKSONTOWN -- The party began well before kickoff Monday at Crossroads Pub, and it continued well into the night.
A packed restaurant cheered for favorite son Jack Sawyer and the rest of the Ohio State football team as the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 34-23 to win the program's first national championship since 2014. Sawyer's parents Lyle and Michelle have been co-owners with Brian Vierstra since 2021.
"Lyle and Michelle are in here all of the time. They are great people," said customer Janet Springer, who was sitting among a group of about 50 close friends and relatives of the owners.
The sports bar at the corner of U.S. 40 and Ohio 13 in Jacksontown in southern Licking County received national notoriety in the aftermath of Sawyer's sack, forced fumble and clinching TD in the Buckeyes' semifinal victory against Texas.
"He's a legend after that (Texas) game," Springer said. "This place exploded when he did that."
ESPN's Holly Rowe filed a report from the restaurant for SportsCenter last Thursday. Social media blew up from the attention.
"It's been awesome because we love this bar. We have been hearing about the vibe with the Sawyers, and there is a rumor that when Jack makes a big play, there is free beer. I came here to find out if that rumor was true," joked Mark Dowdell, who lives just a few miles down the road.
General manager Jeff Fleeger said business has been booming since its sudden fame. ESPN had a camera set up Monday and showed a live shot during its pregame coverage.
Jack Sawyer is a frequent patron of the restaurant, and despite attending Pickerington North 20 miles to the west, he has become a hometown hero. The restaurant's decor includes a framed Sawyer jersey. Several restaurant-goers had donned replicas of that No. 33 jersey Monday night.
Olivia Downs, her parents, husband and two young sons were decked out in Buckeyes gear, including 8-year-old Levi wearing a homemade Brutus head.
"It's crazy," Downs said. "It's cool to see our hometown, the place that we come to all of the time was on ESPN. We have seen (Sawyer's) parents here a few times, and his dad always talks to Levi and asks him something about sports. We were here when Jack had his birthday party here a couple years ago, so that was fun."
After an early score for Notre Dame, Ohio State dominated, taking a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter. The restaurant erupted with each score.
The game got tense late as the Irish cut the lead to 31-23 in the fourth quarter. A loud exhale, however, was released when Will Howard's long third-down conversion to Jeremiah Smith set up an insurance field goal.
Those who remained let out a big cheer and took photos of the TVs during Sawyer's postgame interview with Rowe on Monday.
"It's a family atmosphere, too," Dowdell said. "You see moms and dads, and there is a table full of kids all cheering for the Buckeyes."