Title-game matchup highlights safety net of 12-team CFP

The U.S. loves a good comeback story and prides itself on being a place where people thrive when given a second chance.

Finally, that practice has reached the college football world, with the 12-team playoff providing a safety net that's allowed both title-game combatants, Ohio State and Notre Dame, to right themselves after shocking and embarrassing losses.

Losing at home to 27.5-point underdog Northern Illinois - a game in which Notre Dame paid the MAC program $1.4 million to travel to South Bend - would usually be a deal breaker for a run at a playoff spot. The betting markets acted accordingly, dropping the Fighting Irish title odds to +10,000 after they previously sat at +1,700.

However, the thing about a 12-team playoff is you need to find 12 teams to fill it. The Fighting Irish not only staved off elimination by laying waste to the rest of the schedule, but they also secured a first-round home game.

Nobody batted an eye at Ohio State's one-point loss at undefeated Oregon in October since the Buckeyes were still firmly in control to win the Big Ten title and book a playoff berth regardless of whether the field was four or 12.

Then came the Michigan game.

The annual rivalry contest between the two Big Ten powerhouses to end the regular season is often one of the most hotly contested affairs. The Wolverines had won three in a row to coincide with the 'team up north' taking back control of the conference and winning the national title last year. However, the latest version of "The Game" was shaping up to be a three-hour Buckeyes therapy session, with one of the worst Michigan teams in recent memory going to Columbus as a 19.5-point underdog.

In perhaps the most bewildering display of the season, the Wolverines completely flummoxed the high-flying Ohio State offense. Despite Davis Warren throwing for just 62 yards and two interceptions, Michigan pulled off the unthinkable with a 13-10 road win capped by an on-field melee as the Wolverines attempted to plant a school flag at Ohio Stadium.

That setback was head coach Ryan Day's fourth straight loss to the Wolverines, a virtual death sentence for his employment in a previous era. But not in the new 12-team world, as the veteran coach got his chance for redemption with a spot in the postseason.

Still, stunning losses by previous future champions aren't an entirely new phenomenon. Ole Miss took down No. 4 Florida as a three-touchdown underdog in 2008, prompting the famous Tim Tebow "promise" in the postgame press conference.

However, that was the Gators' first and only loss of the season, and they booked their spot in the title matchup with an upset of No. 1 Alabama in the SEC championship. A top-ranked win in the conference title game isn't something Notre Dame will ever benefit from as an independent. That lack of data points on the Fighting Irish resume didn't matter with the 12-team field.

Clemson fell at home to Pitt as 20-point favorites in 2016 in the College Football Playoff era, but that was the Tigers' only loss. The ACC was also held in higher esteem at that point than it is now. Clemson still grabbed the No. 4 seed and then shutout Ohio State 31-0 in the semifinal before putting both hands on the trophy with a thrilling 35-31 win over Alabama in the championship.

Day and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman deserve immense credit for getting their teams off the mat and keeping them focused on the task at hand.

The Fighting Irish didn't just beat everybody on their schedule since Week 2; they flat-out embarrassed them. A seven-point win over Louisville was the only single-digit victory until their semifinal triumph versus Penn State.

Following the Michigan setback, Ohio State immediately went to work re-establishing itself as the most explosive team in college football by crushing its postseason competition. Despite facing the toughest path in the bracket, the Buckeyes won their three playoff games by an average of 19.6 points.

The incredible rebound by both teams has reminded the nation of something that's been lost in sports in recent years: failure isn't necessarily a bad thing. Temporary setbacks are opportunities to learn, grow, and improve in the long run.

It's refreshing to see college football adopt a playoff system that can reward that.