Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith came into the Cotton Bowl as the breakout star of the College Football Playoff. In wins over Tennessee and Oregon, Smith exploded for 290 yards and four touchdowns as the Buckeyes won the matchups by a combined 45 points.

Jack Sawyer and Quinn Ewers came to Ohio State together in 2021. They were roommates. The defensive end and quarterback wound up in the same place on Friday, the Cotton Bowl a CFP semifinal. Only Sawyer was still a Buckeye and Ewers played for Texas,

Coming off a gutsy performance in the semifinal round, Notre Dame is just one game away from what would be its first national championship since the 1988 season