Of course, I would rather have Ohio State’s roster than ND’s and would rather be a clear favorite than the underdog heading into Monday night.

But, the truth is, I’m nervous.  

And I wonder if that has to do with my experiences as a 71-year-old fan and, in particular, what I witnessed when Ohio State would have won four more national championships in 1969, 1970, 1974, and 1975 if only they had won their final game of the season (in three Rose Bowls and once up in Ann Arbor).  And in three of those games, they were the clear favorite; in 1974, Ohio State and USC were considered a close matchup.

Re 1970: yes, Ohio State was awarded a natty at the end of the regular season, which was indeed an honor, but it sure didn’t feel like a national championship on January 1, 1971 after being upset by Stanford in the Rose Bowl.

And, quite frankly, if you had told me on January 2, 1969–after #1 Ohio State had decisively defeated #2 USC in the Rose Bowl for the national championship—that, upon reaching 70, I would have experienced only two more national championship Buckeye squads in more than half a century, I would have thought you were out of your mind.

So, yes, I take nothing for granted at this point—and, to make matters worse, when you reach 71 with some major health issues, you wonder how many more opportunities you’ll have to witness Ohio State reach the mountaintop.

So, for example, for fans, who were born around 1992—too young to have any real memories of the missed opportunities in the 1990s—but old enough I imagine to have enjoyed 2002, are you perhaps less anxious than I am?

I think we’re all shaped by what we have been through, particularly at a younger age.  On Monday I hope we all get to experience the ultimate high as sports fans and that the magical ride through the inaugural 12-team playoff will continue for another 60 minutes of game time.