And it was a massive move for Downs because choosing Ohio State not just gave him a chance to play for a national championship year one, it also gave him a shot to shine on one of

Legendary coach Nick Saban said on "College GameDay" that "nobody's gonna remember" Ohio State lost to Michigan if the Buckeyes win a national title.

Ohio State suffered a brutal defeat to bitter rival Michigan in November but has bounced back to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals and the Cotton Bowl Classic

While there is still one more step to that process, Saban's remarks appear to already ring true for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard celebrates after winning the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

Downs recalled the moments after Saban’s retirement and his thought process about his future. He was coming off a standout season as a true freshman, totaling 107 tackles and two interceptions. He officially entered the transfer portal Jan. 17, one week after Saban announced he was stepping away from the sidelines.

Both teams have performed exceptionally well throughout the season and have been among the favorites to win the national championship trophy for most of the year. According to ESPN BET, Ohio State is a six-point favorite in this matchup. However, Texas has a 50.5% chance of winning, according to ESPN's Matchup Predictor.

Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban has been high on the Ohio State Buckeyes since the College Football Playoff began. Saban, who blasted some Ohio State fans for their fury over the team's 13-10 loss to hated rival Michigan on Nov.

A year after retirement Nick Saban is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame as part of a class of 22 to be enshrined at a ceremony in Las Vegas in December.

Former Alabama football players preparing for the national championship with Notre Dame and Ohio State remembered hearing the news of Nick Saban's retirement.

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin discussed his brief tenure with Alabama, and leaving after Nick Saban retired and Kalen DeBoer took over.

Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan in its regular-season finale stunned much of the college football world and left a frustrated Buckeyes fan base searching for answers to their beloved team ...

Saban doesn't appear to want that responsibility, but that didn't stop Kelly from being the latest to float him for the job. He added three other names as options: former Stanford coach David Shaw, former Washington and Boise State coach Chris Petersen and former Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith.