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Marcus Freeman listened calmly to a question about the biggest football game of his life. It was coming so soon, everyone in the stadium for a morning of advance press conferences could feel it.
“I think it will be an atmosphere like no other,” Freeman said.
Maybe he was right. But this was early January in 2008, and Freeman — a linebacker and team captain for Ohio State — was discussing the Buckeyes’ upcoming Bowl Championship Series title game against LSU at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.