Welcome to Glass Slipper! You should probably stop doubting DeMeco Ryans; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

**NOTICE: Glass Slipper will arrive on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday this week.

Here are my 10 biggest takeaways from the College Football Playoff semifinals.

1. Riley Leonard, Irish icon.

Kid is tougher than a Lincoln Riley brisket. I said he was JT Barrett 2.0 a while back, and the comparison gets more and more accurate by the week.

The numbers indicate that Leonard is a really good quarterback. The eye test tells you he’s a Notre Dame legend. Those fans will remember his attitude, energy, and competitive spirit for a long, long time. I absolutely love the guy myself.

2. The Jaden Greathouse game.

This is pretty cool, huh?

Jaden Greathouse from 11/10/24 to 1/8/25 (60 days): 6 catches, 49 yards, 0 TDs

Jaden Greathouse on 1/9/25: 7 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD

The Irish desperately needed an outside weapon to show up, and the true sophomore delivered. On the other hand, I think Penn State fans already know what’s coming in the next section. I have four important words of advice for James Franklin heading into the offseason.

3. Find. A. Wide. Receiver.

This is what I wrote before the Orange Bowl.

Yes, I was worried. I did not think it would be that bad. Zero catches by a wide receiver? Zero? Against a man-coverage team missing its superstar corner? That’s actually impossible. Like, impossible.

The Nittany Lions landed two four-star wideouts in 2022, and grabbed another one the next year. That trio of dudes has logged a total of nine collegiate receptions. If you’re not going to develop your own recruits, you better get busy in the portal. Where were you when Eric Singleton was looking for a new home? Why didn’t you toss a bag at Zachariah Branch? Are you too good for Dane Key? I’m failing to understand. When a hole in your roster becomes evident, don’t just stare at it.

4. Brian Kelly deserves some love in South Bend.

That’s right, Notre Dame folks. I’m encouraging you to praise the man that ditched you for Baton Rouge. Why? Well, it’s pretty simple. He brought Marcus Freeman to town.

The Irish are teed up for a quarter-century of stability and success. I could make the argument that Freeman is the second-best coach in America at the moment, and his third full season in charge isn’t even over yet. Thank you very kindly, Mr. Kelly.

5. Steve Sarkisian folds again.

Look, I tried to warn you all. When the money is on the table, Sarkisian doesn’t want any part of it. He plugs his ears, covers his eyes, and makes senseless decisions.

Chip Kelly called that idiotic pitch on 3rd-and-1 that killed an Ohio State possession, and Sarkisian went and copied it on the biggest play of his life. Arch Manning absolutely gets into the end zone on a quarterback sneak there. Steve instead made the choice to challenge Caleb Downs on a childish shotgun toss sweep, and it may have costed his squad a spot in the national championship game. If I was a Texas fan, I’d be absolutely irate.

6. The wily veteran.

The Buckeyes have 4th-and-3, with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance. You’re wearing the headset. Who’s getting the ball? Who do you trust the most? Close your eyes, and come up with a name.

We’re in agreement. It’s still Emeka Egbuka. He sat behind Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Year 1. Then Marvin Harrison Jr. overshadowed him. Now Jeremiah Smith has stolen the spotlight. But when the moment arrives, there’s one player that feels like the safest option. The captain.

7. TreVeyon’s moonshot.

That 75-yard house call to steal the momentum before the break was the most important offensive play from a Buckeye since Curtis Samuel’s walk-off in 2016. I’ve been hard on Henderson through the years, but he’s sparkled this postseason. 32 touches for 365 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns. The Virginia kid is launching bombs right now.

8. Light at the end of the tunnel.

There is a silver lining for Longhorns folks. Let’s say that Quinn Ewers was a 7/10 signal-caller. If Arch Manning is an 8, the 2025 Texas squad should breeze to an SEC title.

There will be some question marks along the offensive line, but the young stars in this program are special. I think Ryan Wingo will be a Biletnikoff finalist someday. Colin Simmons was just the best defensive true freshman in America. Anthony Hill Jr. is the nation’s top linebacker. Malik Muhammad is a fantastic corner. Barring something unexpected, the Longhorns are going to be right back in the semifinals in a year.

9. Mr. Pickerington.

This is truly unbelievable stuff from No. 33.

4.5 sacks, a legacy-altering scoop-and-score, and six(!!) passes batted down since the Michigan disaster. One more dominant showing, and you can make an argument that it’s the greatest four-game stretch by a collegiate defender ever.

10. Time to peek ahead.

Here we go. One more contest, before this perfect sport takes that dreaded eight-month hiatus. Ohio State and Notre Dame are about to put it all on the line in Atlanta. We’ll have a new king in eight days.

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