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.

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

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.

Ohio State is playing like every player on the roster bottled up the feeling after losing to Michigan and is uncorking it before each play.

The Ohio State Buckeyes may have been looking to replace head coach Ryan Day not too long ago after losing to Michigan for a fourth-straight time, but the tides have turned. One potential replacement option might've been Ohio State legend Eddie George.