Two Panini NIL Programs Battle in College Football Playoff Semifinal

Written by: Connor Zimmerlee

When the bracket for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff was revealed, all eyes turned to a potential clash of the titans in the semifinal between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes. Of course, that matchup was far from inevitable, as both squads had to get through two tough games to reach that point.

For the Longhorns, their journey to the Cotton Bowl started with a comfortable victory over Clemson. This was followed by a thrilling double-overtime win over Arizona State, with Quinn Ewers stepping up when his team needed him the most. Facing fourth-and-13 in the initial overtime, the star signal-caller found his man for a game-extending touchdown.

Then, he came right back in the second period and hit Gunnar Helm for a 25-yard scoring strike, completed the two-point conversion, and sealed the Longhorns’ victory.

Meanwhile, Will Howard and the Buckeyes cruised to a pair of blowout wins over Tennessee and Oregon to reach the semis. Dialed in from the jump in both contests, the signal-caller completed a dazzling 70.7 percent of his passes for a total 630 yards and five touchdowns. These two quarterbacks playing lights-out football leads us to where we’re at now. A battle between two of the sport’s biggest programs for a chance to play in the national championship game.

College football simply does not get any better. Everywhere you look on the field, you’ll see a Panini athlete, as both programs fall under our NIL umbrella. However, both quarterbacks will face their stiffest competition yet as they face off against two of the top defenses in the country. Leading the way for the Longhorns is Jahdae Barron, a ballhawking cornerback who loves to come downhill and dish out thunderous hits.

On the other sideline, the Buckeyes secondary is anchored by an elite cornerback in Denzel Burke. He mirrors the steps of his assignment perfectly, following them throughout their route and consistently preventing completions.

Tune in as these squads, both part of the Panini NIL Program, look to clinch a spot in the championship tilt, where either Penn State or Notre Dame will be waiting.