For college football blue bloodsNotre Dame and Ohio State, the realities of modern big time college football are a whole new ball game.

As NIL deals and the transfer portal give players more control over their careers than ever, and big money collectives blur the lines between amateur and professional athletics, the Buckeyes and Irish need to balance the new against decades of tradition.

The challenges can be as simple as trying to change the seating at Notre Dame Stadium, or as complicated as justifying the NIL money needed to pursue the best talent in the field. 

So today - ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee, reports from the site of tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship, to explain how for coaches Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman getting to this point means having already triumphed over the expectations of the past.

And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.

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