Ohio State ended the regular season with many questions about its program under coach Ryan Day after the Buckeyes were upset by rival Michigan 13-10 on Nov. 30. Now, the Buckeyes not only are in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Jan.

Notre Dame and Ohio State entered the College Football Playoff as the No. 7 and No. 8 seeded teams. Neither won a conference; heck, Notre Dame isn't in a conference to win. Ohio State's loss to Michigan on November 30th knocked them out of the Big Ten title game.

Theismann has spent a good bit of time around this team, and Tim Brown — Notre Dame’s last Heisman Trophy winner (1987) — has spent even more. Brown, who was at the Indiana and Penn State playoff games, has gotten to know Freeman and several key players well.