CC Sabathia loomed as an imposing figure on the mound throughout his 19-year career in the major leagues. Not just because of his physical size, but because of the way he could take over a game.

Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. was a workhorse in every sense of the word. The 6-6 left-hander rarely missed a start and often pitched deep into the late innings, qualities that soon became in short supply.

The 2001 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up, Sabathia spent his first eight seasons in the majors with Cleveland, earning a reputation for consistency and durability.

He took home the AL Cy Young award in 2007, with 19 wins and a 3.21 ERA in a league-leading 241 innings. Just before the All-Star break the following season, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers – a move that unleashed the most dominant stretch of his career as he almost singlehandedly carried the Brewers to a playoff berth.

In just 17 starts with Milwaukee, Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and led the entire National League with seven complete games and three shutouts. He was so critical to the Brewers making the playoffs that he finished sixth in the NL MVP balloting, despite being with the team for less than half the season.

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That winter, Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million free agent contract with the New York Yankees – the largest contract for a pitcher in baseball history at that time.

It was money well-spent as Sabathia topped the majors with 19 wins in 2009 in leading the Yankees to a World Series title. He pitched 10 more seasons in New York, earning 134 of his 251 career wins while wearing Yankee pinstripes and becoming the 17th pitcher in baseball history to surpass 3,000 strikeouts.

Why Sabathia belongs in the Hall 

A six-time All-Star, Sabathia had both a high peak (especially the seven-year stretch between 2006 and 2012 when he went 122-57 with a 3.14 ERA) and exceptional longevity (251 career wins and 3,093 strikeouts, third-most in history among left-handed pitchers).

He helped lead his teams to 11 playoff appearances over his 19-year career. And he was the MVP of the 2009 American League championship series, allowing just two earned runs over 16 innings (1.13 ERA) in two wins over the Los Angeles Angels and propelling the Yankees to the World Series.

Sabathia finished his career with 62.3 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball-Reference.com. That puts him right behind Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Juan Marichal and ahead of Early Wynn and Jim Bunning.

The case against Sabathia

While Sabathia’s longevity helped him rack up impressive career totals, his 3.74 ERA would be one of the highest for any pitcher in Cooperstown – ahead of only Jack Morris (3.90) and Red Ruffing (3.80) among the 66 enshrined non-Negro League starting pitchers. However, he did play during a time of elevated offensive numbers, so his 116 ERA+ would rank him ahead of 20 others in Cooperstown.

Though he did win a World Series ring and made 23 postseason starts, Sabathia didn’t have many memorable October moments. His career playoff record was just 10-7 with a 4.28 ERA.

X factors

In addition to being one of the most visible and outspoken Black players in the game, Sabathia was a beloved teammate throughout his career, frequently putting team goals ahead of individual ones.

Perhaps the most frequently cited example came as his career was winding down in 2018, when he was ejected from his final start for hitting an opposing batter. He did that in retaliation for the other team’s pitcher throwing a pitch behind the head of a Yankees player, despite it causing him to fall two innings short of a $500,000 bonus in his contract. (The Yankees paid him the bonus anyway.)

Sabathia also had a very public battle with alcohol, and his fight against addiction made him a compelling figure in his recovery.

Voting trends

Sabathia appears to have a very good chance for election in his first year on the BBWAA ballot.

According to Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame Tracker, he has been listed on 93.1% of public votes collected as of Jan. 19.

Realistic outlook

Part of perhaps the last generation of workhorse starters, Sabathia’s career total of 3,577⅓ innings pitched is the most of anyone born after 1966, despite the fact that he wasn’t born until 1980.

The BBWAA has not elected a pitcher to the Hall since the trio of Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina in 2019. Sabathia (and Billy Wagner) should provide a welcome reset this year.

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(Editor’s note: Due to NSFW language, we’ve chosen not to share video of Jackson’s response. For readers who would like to see it, the response can be viewed here.)

It’s Groundhog Day for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, and he’s tired of it.

Year seven ended in familiar fashion for Jackson – with a loss. The Ravens were knocked out of the playoffs on Sunday night with a heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills. Mark Andrews dropped what would’ve been the game-tying two-point conversion, but that was just the final nail in Baltimore’s coffin.

The Ravens lost this game long before Andrews’ drop. They beat themselves all night long and Jackson knows it.

He acknowledged that when meeting with the press after the game, voicing plenty of frustration with another disappointing end to another season.

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‘Turnovers play a factor,’ Jackson said. ‘Penalties play a factor. Tonight the turnovers. Can’t have that (expletive). That’s why we lost the game.’

His frustration only continued, especially with his own performance on Sunday.

‘As you can see, we are moving the ball, wonderfully,’ Jackson said. ‘Hold onto the (expletive) ball. Sorry for my language but this (expletive) annoying. I’m tired of this (expletive).’

Jackson was referencing his costly first-half fumble that Von Miller recovered, leading to an eventual Bills’ touchdown.

The Ravens turned the ball over three times, leading to 10 Buffalo points. Two came from Jackson in the first half, while the third was an Andrews fumble in the fourth.

More importantly, Buffalo didn’t commit any unforced errors, only further highlighting the Baltimore miscues.

Jackson said this is a ‘get-right’ offseason for the Ravens, who he believes are close to getting over the hump.

‘We are right there,’ Jackson said. ‘I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch it in. We need to punch in that ticket.’

The Ravens will have plenty of time to figure it out during the long offseason, as the franchise’s Super Bowl XLVII victory in 2012 becomes nothing more than a distant memory.

For now, they’ll have to hope this year’s failure helps produce next year’s triumph.

Sunday’s playoff battle between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills ultimately had no bearing on the bottom line for the NFL MVP debate, with the votes for the award already having been submitted.

But the upshot from the divisional duel that pitted Lamar Jackson against Josh Allen is that the latter is moving on for a shot at a Super Bowl breakthrough, while the former was dealt yet another postseason disappointment.

The Bills capitalized on three Ravens turnovers – including two from Jackson – and hung on after Mark Andrews dropped a would-be game-tying 2-point conversion in the final two minutes as Buffalo secured a 27-25 win and berth in the AFC championship game.

Buffalo will face the two-time defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills handed the Chiefs their first loss of the year in a 30-21 triumph at Highmark Stadium in Week 11, but Kansas City has prevailed in each of the three playoff meetings between the two AFC powers since Patrick Mahomes ascended to the starting quarterback role.

Jackson led the Ravens on an eight-play, 88-yard touchdown drive capped by a 24-yard scoring strike to Isaiah Likely with 1:33 left. But after Jackson rolled right on the two-point conversion attempt and found an open Andrews, the tight end dropped Baltimore’s chance at forcing overtime.

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‘There’s nobody that has more heart and cares more and fights more than Mark,’ Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in defense of his three-time Pro Bowl tight end. ‘We wouldn’t be here without Mark Andrews.’

After the Ravens and Bills each notched touchdown drives to open the game, Jackson airmailed an interception to safety Taylor Rapp on the Ravens’ second series. Though Buffalo would go three-and-out after the takeaway, Jackson fumbled on the next drive. Pass rusher Von Miller’s 39-yard return set the Bills up with a short field, and Allen pushed into the end zone for a 1-yard score and a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

In the fourth quarter, linebacker Terrel Bernard punched out the ball on a reception by Andrews and recovered the fumble. The Bills drained the clock on the ensuing 11-play, 52-yard drive but had to settle for Tyler Bass’ second field goal of the half after Allen was stonewalled from the Baltimore 2-yard line.

‘Hold onto the (expletive) ball,’ Jackson said after the game in venting his frustration with his own turnovers. ‘Sorry for my language. This (expletive) annoying. I’m tired of this (expletive).’

Buffalo advanced past the divisional round for the first time since the 2020 season.

Despite the hype surrounding the matchup, neither Allen nor Jackson found it easy to heat up on a frigid night. Allen ran for two scores but threw for just 127 yards, while Jackson was held to 254 yards through the air, much of it coming on the final drive.

This story has been updated with new information and a new video.

ATLANTA — Kennedy Urlacher remembers sitting in a luxury box inside Soldier Field. RJ Oben remembers visits to LaDanian Tomlinson’s house in San Diego. Jordan Clark remembers “everything.”

They are three of the seven members of Notre Dame’s roster linked by a unique bond: Each player’s father played in the NFL, achieving various degree of success but blazing a path for their sons to follow into Monday night’s College Football Playoff championship game against Ohio State.

Urlacher’s dad, Brian, was a Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Oben’s dad, Roman, was an offensive tackle for four teams over a dozen seasons and now serves as the league’s vice president of football development. Clark’s father, Ryan, was a Super Bowl-winning safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers who has transitioned into an Emmy Award-winning broadcast career as an analyst for ESPN.

In the shadows of their fathers’ football careers, these seven members of the Fighting Irish have started to write their own biographies while heavily motivated by the sights, sounds and memorabilia that defined their shared upbringings.

“Seeing that at a young age, I definitely wanted to do it,” said Urlacher, a freshman safety.

Senior offensive lineman Rocco Spindler was born after his dad, Marc, ended his nine-year NFL career as a defensive lineman, and “was kind of living through memories,” he said.

“At times, it was tough because I wanted to be, you know, in those memories of it,” Spindler added. “But the history and his memories and what he accomplished, how people respected him when he’d come back to his hometown, that was something I kind of wanted to emulate and be a part of.”

Said Clark, a senior safety, “I’ve always wanted to be like my dad. He’s my hero.”

WHO WINS?: Expert picks for Notre Dame-Ohio State title game

LOOKING AHEAD: Five teams that could crash playoff party in 2025

To be born into this tradition comes with intense positives and advantages, providing the equivalent of a touchdown lead before kickoff — supplying a genetic edge, most importantly, as well as a GPS-like roadmap for success at football’s highest levels.

Without any prodding or urging for their sons to follow in their footsteps, these dads have taken a largely hands-off approach while serving as the ultimate inside-the-house resource.

Brian Urlacher was the “coach at the house,” his son said, and “one of the best coaches, obviously.” Clark’s dad helped establish “the foundation of everything,” he said.

Spindler and Oben have been able to tap into their fathers’ flipped experience. As an offensive lineman, Spindler has been informed by his dad’s understanding of the defensive side of the ball. Oben, a senior defensive end, has leaned on his father’s knowledge of different techniques as an offensive tackle.

“It’s safe to say that’s where my love for the game got started,” Spindler said.

This exclusive background has also informed these players’ mindsets, giving them a different point of view on the game’s inherent ups and downs and “more of a focus,” said running backs coach Deland McCullough

“They understand the big picture,” he said. “There’s no sense of entitlement. That’s the great thing. These guys know, ‘I’ve got to come in and work.’ Because they were brought up in a situation where the success of my family was based on hard work.

“There is a difference in the guys with that kind of background and that kind of family lineage and just the general guy who’s a really good player, who’s been kind of coddled all their life and never understood the fact you’ve got to work to really get what you want.”

The negative, if one exists, can be found in intense expectations. Imagine being Urlacher, compared from his first day in pads to one of the best players of his era. Or freshman defensive end Bryce Young, son of the great Notre Dame and NFL defensive tackle Bryant Young. Or senior defensive lineman Howard Cross III, whose dad won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. For this group, forging their own paths in football has come amid sometimes overwhelming comparisons.

“Externally, I think people may tell you, ‘You should be this good, you should be that good,’ because of who your parents are, or whatever,” said Oben. “But internally, I think I’ve tried to maximize myself and get better every day.”

While Clark felt this pressure as he broke into the sport, he remembers his dad hammering home a key message as he evolved into a high-level college prospect.

“He was always so adamant about making sure that I knew that my journey was my journey,” he said. “That I didn’t have to do anything to be worthy of our last name or worthy of his love or his support. Him doing that and being so vocal about that to me kind of allowed me to develop a love for the game and to play it the right way.”

To a point, that Notre Dame has amassed an abnormally large collection of NFL sons is purely coincidental. Another three prospects with NFL bloodlines will join the program as true freshmen next season in Jerome Bettis Jr., son of the Hall of Fame running back; wide receiver Elijah Burress, whose dad, Plaxico, played the same position for 14 seasons; and tight end James Flanigan, whose father and grandfather played in the NFL.

But recruiting is a simple meritocracy: Good players have more opportunities as less-talented ones, regardless of your background. These current and future members of the Fighting Irish were recruited based on their talents, not their connections. Instead, that their fathers have NFL experience is “a plus, like a bonus,” McCullough said.

“The ceiling can be elevated, or is elevated, or potentially is elevated, based on what the background is,” he said. “Wow, this guy can be even that much better.”

Against this backdrop, these seven current players have embraced the attention that comes with their football-famous last names while making one clear distinction: This is my story.

“Yes, because that’s what everyone expects, to be good or to do what he does,” Urlacher said. “But no, because I don’t like putting the pressure on myself. I just do what I do.”

LSU, Alabama were down in 2024, but don’t count out either for next season.
Lane Kiffin whiffed with a loaded Ole Miss roster this season. He’s refueling for a mulligan.
Carson Beck to Miami makes Hurricanes an ACC contender.

Hope you enjoyed the College Football Playoff semifinals and are looking forward to the national championship game, because the four teams involved are great bets to return to the playoff for an encore.

You’re bound to find Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Notre Dame nestled within the top 10 of any “too-early” rankings for next season. Each program possesses the framework and foundational talent to be a playoff regular, but this 12-team playoff format provides enough runway for fresh qualifiers from one year to the next.

That should be the case in the 2025. Here are five teams that didn’t make the playoff this season that could qualify next season.

LSU

Brian Kelly became a pundit’s favorite punching bag throughout this postseason, but upon closer inspection, two truths could operate simultaneously: Notre Dame thrives under Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s successor, but LSU is far from roadkill under Kelly. Garrett Nussmeier returns as the SEC’s most proven quarterback, and he’ll enjoy familiar weapons in running back Caden Durham and wide receiver Aaron Anderson. LSU crushed it in the transfer portal, adding key gains at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and cornerback. The defense must improve in its second season under coordinator Blake Baker, but considering the additions, like Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton, that’s possible. We’ll quickly learn whether LSU is legit or fraudulent, after its September games at Clemson, versus Florida and at Mississippi.

Miami

While there’s no replacing what Cam Ward meant to Miami, Mario Cristobal did his best by snapping up Carson Beck, the Georgia transfer who’s been through the fires. Miami’s transfer haul also included LSU wide receiver CJ Daniels. The schedule stiffens, including an opener against Notre Dame, but that stronger schedule might allow the Hurricanes an at-large bid if they hit 10 wins. Plus, they’ll be among the favorites to win the ACC, and they avoid Clemson during the regular season. Defensive improvement will be necessary to a playoff run. Cristobal triggered a coordinator change, bringing in Corey Hetherman from Minnesota to prop up his slumping defense.

WHO WINS?: Expert picks for Notre Dame-Ohio State title game

BREAKDOWN: Analyzing the Notre Dame-Ohio State championship game

Brigham Young

The committee, as part of its overall disrespect for the Big 12, ignored BYU’s playoff credentials this season. The Cougars beat at-large qualifier SMU on the road and reached 10 victories, but the committee consistently disregarded them. The good news for BYU? The team’s core remains intact, including quarterback Jake Retzlaff, running back LJ Martin and wide receiver Chase Roberts, plus a dependable linebacking unit. In what should be another topsy-turvy season in the Big 12, BYU’s favorable schedule draw avoids Arizona State and Kansas State, two of the league’s front-runners.

Mississippi

By losing at home to feeble Kentucky, Lane Kiffin squandered a prime opportunity to make the playoff after building an impressive roster. Kiffin lives up to his “Portal King” reputation, though, and he loads up for a mulligan next season. Austin Simmons projects as a breakout performer, as Kiffin aims to continue his run of producing quality quarterbacks. Ole Miss’ portal prizes include multiple talented wide receivers for Simmons to weaponize. The schedule sets up beautifully, too, with eight home games, and two of the road trips will be against two of the SEC’s weakest teams. A 10-win season to unlock the Rebels’ first playoff bid is in play.

Alabama

Don’t write off Kalen DeBoer too quickly. His Alabama debut flopped. Absolutely, it did. But, consider Alabama’s No. 4-ranked recruiting class, which includes three five-star prospects. DeBoer’s transfer prizes include Miami’s Isaiah Horton, who will polish the receiving corps. Now, consider the schedule in which Alabama will play host for swing games against Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma. Let’s not bury the DeBoer era just yet. The key question – and it’s a biggie – is how Alabama will fill its quarterback opening. Backups Ty Simpson and Austin Mack return, and blue-chip freshman Keelon Russell is inbound. The committee nearly awarded a bid for three-loss Alabama this season, and it will boast a sturdy schedule strength again in 2025, upping its at-large qualification chances.

Five others under consideration: Kansas State, South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, Illinois.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

The NBA, at midseason, is entirely wide open.

But just because most teams are at (or have surpassed 41 games played) doesn’t mean it’s too early to assess the performance of the entire league.

The NBA hasn’t seen a repeat champion since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors successfully defended their title from the season previous, and it has become evident that the Boston Celtics — winners of last season’s NBA Finals — will have legitimate competition. Namely, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have each thrived this season, while teams like the Denver Nuggets have heated up.

Boston, meanwhile, still is in excellent position, but the Celtics have stumbled recently, raising questions about their viability to repeat.

Here are grades for every NBA team at the midway point of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics (29-13)

The defending champions have the third-best winning percentage in the NBA, but have lost eight of their last 16 games as they sometimes rely too much on the 3-point shot. Still, Boston has all the pieces to become the first defending champs in six seasons.

Grade: B

New York Knicks (27-16)

It’s not easy incorporating new pieces to an already-established contender, but Tom Thibodeau has made the Knicks an offensive juggernaut, as Karl-Anthony Towns is having a career year.

Grade: A-

Philadelphia 76ers (15-26)

Things had started to look better once Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all had more time on the floor together, but Philadelphia has lost six consecutive games and nine of their last 11, as Embiid is dealing with yet another injury issue.

Grade: D+

Brooklyn Nets (14-29)

It just seems that the Nets won’t be competitive this season and, with their stash of draft picks, this feels like a team that is just building for the offseason.

Grade: C

Toronto Raptors (10-32)

It’s bad when the most interesting things about Toronto have been Scottie Barnes, the fallout from the Jontay Porter gambling scandal and the team’s ineffective play, stamped by its 54-point loss New Year’s Eve against the Celtics — the most lopsided defeat in franchise history. And yet, just last week, Toronto took down Boston by 13 points.

Grade: D+

Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6)

The Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA, the No. 1 offense, No. 2 net rating, an outstanding starting unit, a deep bench and great coach.

Grade: A

Indiana Pacers (24-19)

The Pacers have overcome a slow start, won eight of their last nine games and are closing in on Milwaukee for fourth place in the East.

Grade: B

Milwaukee Bucks (24-17)

Battling Indiana and Detroit for second place in the division is not where the Bucks expected to be, but a four-game winning streak and winning seven of eight has the Bucks tracking in the right direction.

Grade: B

Detroit Pistons (21-21)

The Pistons are headed for the play-in game at least and possibly a top-six seed, and Cade Cunningham’s production is a significant development.

Grade: B+

Chicago Bulls (18-25)

Not good enough and not bad enough, the Bulls are stuck in no man’s land and in danger of losing their 2025 first-round pick if the pick falls outside of the top 10.

Grade: C-

Southeast Division

Orlando Magic (23-21)

Behind defense and the emergence of Jalen Suggs, Jamahl Mosley’s Magic weathered the absences of Paolo Banchero — who has returned — and Franz Wagner (oblique) to stay competitive the East.

Grade: A-

Miami Heat (21-20)

Amid the Jimmy Butler drama, the inconsistent Heat has remained in the play in window. But, in Year Six of the Butler-Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro build, a transition is becoming necessary.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks (22-19)

They’ve had some young players make significant jumps — none more than Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels — but Atlanta can be rather inefficient on offense, despite its ball movement.

Grade: B

Charlotte Hornets (10-28)

LaMelo Ball is in line to start the All-Star game, but Charlotte’s offense is nonetheless broken; Ball’s high-volume shot portfolio — he leads the NBA in attempts per game and 3-point attempts per game — has made Charlotte one-dimensional and inefficient. In fact, the Hornets have the top two players in 3s attempted per game, with Brandon Miller second at 10.9 per. The roster needs help.

Grade: D+

Washington Wizards (6-35)

As they have most of the season, the Wizards are last in offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating. But Washington at least has some young pieces in place that could signal a potential jump in the future.

Grade: D

Northwest Division

Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the best team in the West, and like Cleveland, the Thunder have a strong starting unit, a deep bench and one of the league’s top coaches. They have also flourished without one of their best players, Chet Holmgren, who is sidelined with a hip injury.

Grade: A

Denver Nuggets (26-16)

Since an 11-10 start, the Nuggets are 15-6 and have won six of their past seven games.

Grade: B

Minnesota Timberwolves (22-20)

It’s tough to win in the West, and the Timberwolves are proof of that. After reaching the conference finals last season, they’re in a play-in spot today.

Grade: C

Portland Trail Blazers (14-28)

Improving over last season, the Blazers’ rebuild is slowly moving forward under fourth-year coach Chauncey Billups.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz (10-30)

It’s going to be a long few seasons for the Jazz as they map out a future.

Grade: C-

Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers (22-18)

A middle of the pack team, the Lakers could finish as high as No. 4 or miss the postseason in the West.

Grade: B-

Los Angeles Clippers (24-17)

Kawhi Leonard’s 34-game absence to start the season didn’t help the Clippers.

Grade: B-

Sacramento Kings (22-20)

The Kings fired Mike Brown on Dec. 27 after giving him extension in the offseason and are clinging to a spot in the play-in game format.

Grade: C

Phoenix Suns (21-20)

Playing .500 ball isn’t going to get the Suns anywhere.

Grade: C

Golden State Warriors (21-20)

The Warriors’ 12-3 start has been erased by 17 losses in their past 26 games.

Grade: C

Southwest Division

Houston Rockets (28-13)

They’re still incredibly young and still finding their identity. Defense and athleticism have carried them, though they will eventually need to find a little more offensive efficiency, as the Rockets are tied for 25th in the league in true shooting percentage (54.8%).

Grade: A

Memphis Grizzlies (27-15)

Memphis is another young team, and it has gotten excellent contributions from its stellar rookie class in the form of Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey. With Ja Morant fully healthy, this is a team to watch in the second half.

Grade: A-

Dallas Mavericks (23-19)

The Mavericks have faced unfortunate injury issues with Luka Dončić sidelined indefinitely and Kyrie Irving back from a lumbar sprain. A Western Conference championship repeat looks unlikely, as Klay Thompson has been solid, if unspectacular in Dallas.

Grade: B-

San Antonio Spurs (19-22)

The Spurs have found something special in Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama remains a unicorn. San Antonio, at the halfway point of the season, is close to matching its win total from last season. Now it’s time to bolster the roster.

Grade: B

New Orleans Pelicans (11-32)

The team to face the worst injury luck to start the season, the Pelicans could be sellers at the trading deadline. New Orleans is on a little three-game winning streak, however, but it needs to solve the issue of Zion Williamson — who has appeared in just 10 games — and his constant lack of availability.

Grade: D

One thing that can be stated unequivocally in this new 12-team College Football Playoff format is that the last two teams standing most assuredly earned their way to this title matchup. Both teams have already had to win three games in the postseason to get one victory away from a national championship.

In both cases, it was their most recent semifinal wins that were most in doubt. Notre Dame picked up the winning points against Penn State with a last-minute field goal. Ohio State’s 28-14 score against Texas might look more decisive, but it was within a yard of being tied in the final quarter before the Buckeyes’ scoop-and-score touchdown sealed it.

Naturally, those close results lead to causes for optimism and concern for both squads as they prepare to square off for the ultimate prize. Here’s how to watch the final showdown with a quick look at how they match up.

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 8 Ohio State

Time/TV/Location: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Atlanta.

Why watch: The first worry for Notre Dame is the manner in which the defense got pushed around by Penn State’s running game in the first half. That might bode well for Buckeyes’ RB Quinshon Judkins, the thunder to TreVeyon Henderson’s lightning if you will. But the Ohio State offense wasn’t nearly as explosive against Texas as it had been in its two prior playoff outings, suggesting there might be a concerted effort to get standout WR Jeremiah Smith involved in the game plan earlier. Having talented alternate targets like Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate certainly helps QB Will Howard’s effectiveness, but he’ll need to be at his best to solve the excellent Fighting Irish aerial defense that for the most part relies on single coverage. DBs Xavier Watts and Christian Gray lead the numerous takeaway threats in the Notre Dame secondary.

WHO WINS?: Expert picks for Notre Dame-Ohio State title game

LOOKING AHEAD: Five teams that could crash playoff party in 2025

Ohio State’s defensive plan will similarly be geared toward keeping the Irish ground game bottled up. That is somewhat more of a challenge with QB Riley Leonard’s frequent success running for first downs while RB Jeremiyah Love provides a constant breakaway threat. But Leonard is likely going to need to hit a few passes as well, getting WRs Jaden Greathouse and Beaux Collins involved. That might be easier said than done against the Buckeyes’ equally accomplished secondary, featuring the safety trio of Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom.

Finally, a game of this magnitude could easily come down to a kick. That might have made Notre Dame fans nervous earlier in the campaign, but Mitch Jeter is healthy and confident again. He delivered a season-long 49-yard field goal in the first-round victory against Indiana as well as the game-winner from 41 against the Nittany Lions. The Buckeyes can feel good about Jayden Fielding in that 40-plus yard range as well, though his lone try this season from beyond 50 was unsuccessful.

Why it could disappoint: It hopefully won’t, but if one team buries the other in an avalanche of points, Ohio State has more of a track record of doing that. Even if it becomes a punting contest, the numerous breakaway threats all over the field should keep the level of drama high.

Lamar Jackson will very likely be the NFL’s 2024 MVP.

Should he be?

As it tends to inherently be, the MVP debate has been a spirited one this season. Jackson, who’s already won the award twice, seems sure to be anointed anew on the heels of what was – statistically anyway – the greatest campaign of his seven-season career, albeit aided and abetted by a loaded roster that welcomed running back Derrick Henry to the fold. Yet should the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, whose numbers don’t quite measure up to Jackson’s, get the hardware? Allen, after all, just about neutralized his longstanding penchant for turnovers while largely carrying a team that was stripped of talent in 2024 due to its bloated salary cap.

(Also, given what we’ve seen this weekend, maybe the merits of cases posed by the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley and Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels should be re-examined. And if you could have any player in the league to build around, what are the chances you’re not taking Patrick Mahomes?)

Granted, this is really more a thought exercise than fervent debate on behalf of any of these deserving candidates. The hay’s in the barn, as they say, voting for the MVP award by the Associated Press’ 50-person panel closing on Jan. 8, just days before the playoffs began. (And, yes, I have a ballot but, no, I won’t – and can’t – presently reveal my choice.) However Jackson has already been announced as the first-team All-Pro quarterback – appointed as such by the same group of voters, which is a very strong indication he’ll also be the MVP.

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Back to the original question here. I’m not so much questioning Jackson’s candidacy – and he was awesome this season – because I don’t think he’s worthy. It’s more a creeping sentiment that maybe this award – and MVP honors across all leagues generally – shouldn’t be limited by the bounds of a regular season. I mean, by definition, won’t a “most valuable player” have his team in the mix to compete for a championship? The last NFL MVP whose team didn’t qualify for the playoffs was … O.J. Simpson. In 1973. Which isn’t to say, for example, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow shouldn’t have been eligible this season but, all due respect to his supporters (looking at you, Troy Aikman), did Burrow really belong in the conversation?

MVPs ought to be authenticated by titles – or at least be in the area code to get one. Right? Tom Brady and Michael Jordan should have at least 10 league MVPs apiece. (Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady has three. Six-time NBA champion Jordan has five. Heresy.) But by my own suggested definition, it would be fine to honor the likes of Charles Barkley or Karl Malone or Matt Ryan or Cam Newton or Adrian Peterson – or, heck, Aaron Rodgers – for excellence even if their teams ultimately fell short of the brass ring. (Worth noting, though, that all four of Rodgers’ MVPs were awarded after he won his lone Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2010 season … which makes such recognition feel a bit emptier in retrospect? Maybe?)

Back to Jackson and the NFL, which is distinct from other major North American sports leagues given its single-elimination postseason format. I was in Baltimore during the 2019 playoffs, which commenced after a magical year for the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens and Jackson, who would win his first MVP. Yet the team got its doors blown off by the sixth-seeded Titans – and Henry, then with Tennessee, was quite obviously the best player on the field that night. Jackson didn’t come close to fulfilling his MVP billing in last year’s AFC championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, either.

And, to a lesser degree, it happened again Sunday, Jackson turning the ball over twice in a game for the first time this season. Maybe he was still the best player on the field in Western New York, but he most certainly wasn’t the best of the NFL weekend. To his credit, Jackson put a critical spotlight on himself.

“I had two costly turnovers,’ he said after his playoff record dropped to 3-5. ‘Threw a (expletive) interception.

‘Protecting the ball, that’s the number one priority. And we didn’t do it – especially me, I’m the leader. I’ve got to protect the ball, you know? So I’m hot.’

Jackson is worthy of so many superlatives and should probably already be considered the greatest dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. But should a player who’s never reached Super Sunday and consistently performs shy of his capabilities when his team needs him the most be a multiple MVP winner? (If Jackson does indeed win it, he’ll be the seventh three-time NFL MVP – but the only one among that group without a championship.)

Again, this isn’t a critique of a luminary like Jackson but more a rumination that these awards are not actually representative of what they’re supposed to be. The Ravens’ latest failure underscores that – and, yes, Jackson almost brought them all the way back even though it clearly wasn’t the best performance by him … or poor tight end Mark Andrews.

Still, juxtapose that with Allen, who once again did precisely what was needed while helping the Bills advance to the AFC championship game. His numbers were modest (127 yards passing, 20 yards and a pair of TDs rushing), but the result certainly wasn’t.

‘Josh Allen is the MVP. I’m tired of all (the talk). Josh Allen is the MVP,’ Bills Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins told NFL Network after the victory.

‘The Buffalo Bills are one step closer.’

Meanwhile, earlier Sunday, Barkley hung a 200-yard, two-TD rushing day on the Los Angeles Rams for the second time this season and decisively showed that the MVP should not be solely the purview of quarterbacks.

“He’s the best in the world,” Philly wideout A.J. Brown said of Barkley earlier this season.

As for Daniels? It’s impressive enough that he’s the first Washington quarterback to ever engineer multiple wins on the road in the same postseason. Yet that pales in comparison to his huge role in resuscitating a franchise that’s been dormant – at best – during the preceding three decades. How should he not get further consideration as the most valuable performer in the league this season when he’s put a team (and city) on his back – particularly if he becomes the first rookie to lead a team to the Super Bowl?

Guess it depends on what you truly value when defining “most valuable.”

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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.