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.

FanDuel has posted a Penn State regular-season win total of 9.5 for this season, as of Sunday morning. If you bet over 9.5, the Lions are -250. If you think Penn State will win nine games or less, the line is +190. FanDuel also has also listed regular-season win totals for Ohio State and Michigan.

Jack Sawyer remembers exactly where he was the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 3. He’ll never forget it. Neither will Josh Fryar. Emeka Ebuka too. And Jeremiah Smith. In fact, the entire Ohio State football team — more than 100 players — gathered in the team room on that Tuesday for an emotionally charged,

Valentina Martinez: The Buckeyes and Fighting Irish are set to face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship. This game is a tale of two defenses, but Ohio State will take home the glory. Ricardo Sandoval: The championship match is as highly profiled as one can be while also being one that no one expected.

The winner claims the national championship in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and longest college football season ever. Ohio State is trying for its sixth title, and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title, and first since 1988.

Ohio State and Notre Dame bring big brands, with a Midwest mindset, to Monday's national championship game in Atlanta. Not everyone is happy about it.

Ohio State expected to be here. It wasn’t always as smooth as it would’ve liked, but the ultimate goal – the reason for that lavish offseason spending spree – is 60 minutes away.

Lou Holtz became the target of Ohio State coach Ryan Day’s post-game rant after the Buckeyes beat the Irish 17-14 on Sept. 23, 2023.

I simply didn't trust the Buckeyes after the Michigan loss. I had Ohio State as my preseason pick to win the national title before chickening out at the start of the playoff and picking Oregon to beat Notre Dame in this game. I simply didn't trust the ...

Emotionally, this has been a season unlike any other for Ryan Day. Less than two months ago, loud and influential media voices were calling for the firing of the nation's winningest active coach in the wake of Ohio State's fourth straight loss to Michigan.

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.