Denny Hamlin officially jumps on Ohio State bandwagon ahead of CFP Championship game

Denny Hamlin is going all-in (or A11-In?) with the Ohio State Buckeyes tonight against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. One of these historic teams will raise yet another national title tonight after the College Football Playoff Championship game. Is the NASCAR driver bad luck?

Of course, Denny Hamlin has been holding onto the bandwagon for a few weeks now. Thanks to his Actions Detrimental producer Travis Rockhold, his love for Ohio State has blossomed during this playoff run.

When you don’t have anyone to root for, sometimes it is fun to just root for whoever your buddies are rooting for. Hamlin and the Actions Detrimental crew were there for the win over Texas. They will also be there for the game tonight.

Will it be victory or defeat? Does Denny get to count this as a championship? Are we still using “A11-In” this year or is it something different?

All aboard the @OhioStateFB bandwagon pic.twitter.com/vAbVXh7rIK

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) January 20, 2025

Since losing to their bitter rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State has responded in a major way. With wins over Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas – the closest of which was a 14-point game over the Longhorns, Ohio State has been firing on all cylinders.

My concern for Notre Dame tonight is that they have not played as much as the Buckeyes. In fact, they have only played two games since Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Ohio State has played two games this month and a third from December in that time. All against high-level opponents.

Will the extra rest early in the playoffs pay off for Notre Dame? Or will Denny Hamlin, Travis Rockhold, and Ohio State go riding off into the night?

Denny Hamlin enters 2025 without FedEx

Turning to the upcoming NASCAR season, the Clash at Bowman Gray is less than two weeks away. Daytona is less than a month away. We are about to go racing again folks. For Denny Hamlin, that come with a few downsides.

FedEx is no longer with Joe Gibbs Racing and Hamlin as a sponsor. A partnership that defined his career, and the company’s time in the sport, the driver and sponsor were synonymous within NASCAR. Like Jimmie Johnson and Lowe’s, Dale Earnhardt and Goodwrench, Kyle Busch and M&M’s – it is going to be strange to not see it on the track each week.

Of course, FedEx has cut back on sponsorships in recent years. But fans remember them as one of the last full-time sponsors from the “old” NASCAR to still be in the sport. It feels like the end of an era, despite the fact Hamlin will continue to race.

Denny Hamlin appears to have spent time relaxing this offseason. He has more fun ahead of him, like this game tonight, before it is back to work for the veteran driver. A new crew chief on the pit box in 2025, Hamlin has a lot to prove this season.