For all the flag-planting of rivalry week, Ohio State is proving teams can overcome multiple losses (including the big one) on way to glory.

The College Football Playoff committee let Channel 2 Action News get a closer look at the trophy. Officials brought it to our midtown Atlanta studios on Thursday.

Editor’s note: This is a guest column from former writer and columnist Dave Jones, who retired from PennLive last May after 33 years covering Penn State. Jones, who will be recognized with the Football Writers Association of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award on Jan. 17 in Atlanta, offers his thoughts on the current playoff format.

Look around social media and you’ll see them starting to crop up — 2025 preseason college football rankings. Some combination of Texas, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon rules the top 10, which is fine and reasonable except for the fact that the 2024 season isn’t even over yet.

The first 12-team College Football Playoff will come to a conclusion with Monday night's national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame. Even with one more game to play, the leaders in charge of the playoff are keeping an eye on the future.