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.

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.