There is still a sense for some Ohio State players that they haven’t done anything yet, even after winning twice already this postseason to get into the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against Texas.

“Absolutely. I have been here for four years, and I have absolutely no hardware to show for it,” receiver Emeka Egbuka said. “That’s really on the forefront of our minds.”

While Ohio State is the only school to appear in four of the last six CFPs, all since Ryan Day became head coach, and won four consecutive Big Ten titles from 2017-20 before Egbuka and most of the current players arrived, the Buckeyes’ last national championship was 10 years ago. That was the first season of the four-team College Football Playoff, when they won the title at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys where they play the in-state Longhorns (13-2).

The winner tonight advances to the national title game in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

Ohio State (12-2) is the No. 8 seed now favored to win the national title after two lopsided playoff wins: 42-17 at home against Tennessee before a dominating 41-21 win over undefeated Big Ten champion and top seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Texas last won the national title 19 years ago, and didn’t make its CFP debut until last season as the Big 12 champion. Coach Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns are now the last team standing for the SEC, the only league to be represented in the semifinals each year — and has six of the last nine national champions.

“I like the new playoff dynamic. It’s fun,” Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers said.

Beck may skip draft, enter transfer portal >> Georgia quarterback Carson Beck may be rethinking his plans for 2025 less than two weeks after announcing he would enter the NFL draft.

Beck, who has one year of eligibility remaining, may enter the transfer portal and end his college career at another school. If he does, ESPN reported Beck could play at Miami.

Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the SEC championship on Dec. 7 in Atlanta. He had surgery on Dec. 23 to repair his ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow and is expected to begin throwing next spring.

Beck announced his intent to enter the NFL draft on Dec. 28 but the surgery could lower the fifth-year senior’s ranking among other QBs in the 2025 draft.

Brennan hires ex-San Jose State assistant >> Arizona head coach Brent Brennan, formerly of San Jose State, has hired former Spartans assistant coach Joe Salave’a as the Wilcats’ associate head coach and defensive line coach.

Salave’a was a two-time all-Pac-10 player from 1994-97 at Arizona and played nine seasons in the NFL.