Out of its lowest moment of the season came clarity for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Raw emotions. Honesty. Hard conversations that were long overdue. It all came spilling out in a players-only meeting on the Tuesday after Ohio State's devastating loss to Michigan in the final weekend of the regular season.

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 and Notre Dame each have a top-two scoring defense and both narrowly pulled away in their respective semifinals thanks to their defense forcing a pivotal turnover. However, the Buckeyes hold the clear offensive edge over the Irish with weapons like Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith and TreVeyon Henderson. Ohio State 35, Notre Dame 17

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.

Ohio State and Notre Dame bring big brands, with a Midwest mindset, to Monday's national championship game in Atlanta. Not everyone is happy about it.