ITHACA, N.Y. -- Former Cornell head football coach and All-Ivy League player Jim Knowles '87 helped guide Ohio State University to the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday evening as the team's defensive coordinator. The Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame 34-23 in the championship game in Atlanta to lift the eighth-seeded squad to its ninth national title.

Knowles, a semifinalist for the 2024 Broyles Award given annually to the nation's top assistant coach, was an assistant coach on both the 1988 and 1990 Cornell Ivy title teams during a nine-year stint as an assistant coach before returning to his alma mater as head coach in 2004. He helped the Big Red compile a 26-34 overall record. Cornell posted three consecutive .500-or-better seasons for the first time in 14 years under Knowles leadership and his initial team was the first in Ivy League history to go from zero conference wins the season before to a winning conference record the next. His 2005 Big Red squad finished second nationally in rushing defense (88.3 ypg.), fourth in total defense (261.3 ypg.) and 18th in scoring defense (18.0 ppg.). 

En route to a national title, Knowles' defense ranked among the very best in the country. The Buckeyes led the country in scoring defense (12.9) and total defense (254.6). It also was in the top five in a number of other critical categories - second in red zone defense (.605), and third nationally in both fewest passing yards allowed (167.0) and rush defense (87.6) as well as sacks (3.31). The 14-2 Buckeyes posted two shutouts and surrendered 10 or fewer points in seven games. The team's four defensive touchdowns also ranked fifth nationally.

Prior to returning to Cornell, Knowles had stints at Mississippi and Western Michigan. He departed Cornell to become the defensive coordinator at Duke and also spent time at Oklahoma State as coordinator before accepting the Ohio State position in 2022. In his three seasons on the sidelines, Ohio State has posted a 36-6 record (23-4 Big Ten).