Ohio State is hours away from meeting Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff championship game, capping a season that just in the past eight weeks has seesawed between the depths of another loss to Michigan and the potential high of claiming the program first championship since the debut of the four-team format a decade ago.

It all came spilling out in a players-only meeting on the Tuesday after Ohio State's devastating loss to Michigan in the final weekend of the regular season. The Buckeyes, a 21-point home favorite over the Wolverines, imploded in a loss that gave critics even more ammunition to aim at embattled head coach Ryan Day.

QB Will Howard said Ohio State's "truth-telling" loss to Michigan in November has continued to fuel the Buckeyes throughout the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes entered every playoff game looking for one more chance to play together. Now they prepare for their last dance with a national championship in sight.

Ohio State takes on Notre Dame in the National Championship game on Monday and Andrew Caley breaks down the best Jeremiah Smith odds for January 20, 2025.