Velazquez has been at Ohio State long enough to know and respect one simple rule around his teammates: Do not say the word "Michigan."

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.

QB Will Howard said Ohio State's "truth-telling" loss to Michigan in November has continued to fuel the Buckeyes throughout the College Football Playoff.

A year after they celebrated a title, Wolverines supporters are left praying for an outcome that makes both teams miserable; ‘a controversial win that we could question forever’

The winner claims the national championship in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and longest college football season ever. Ohio State is trying for its sixth title, and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title, and first since 1988.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman has dropped a bold statement on Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day before the National Championship Game.