When Ohio State faced Texas in the Cotton Bowl, Jeremiah Smith was expected to shine. After all, he had piled up 290 yards receiving in two postseason wins and was looking like the star to stop for the rest of the College Football Playoff field.

There's only one game remaining in what has been the longest college football season in history, which started way back on August 24, 2024, when Georgia Tech upset then-No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in Ireland.

Today, let’s review the paths Ohio State and Notre Dame took to get to the College Football Playoff national championship, which will be Monday in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET (watch on ESPN or Fubo, which you can try for free ). Plus, we’ll reveal your title predictions.