By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

For diehard fans, it’s probably an once-in-a-lifetime experience. First, it was the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. Now, it is the National Championship game in Dallas.

The countdown has begun for retired Crestline teacher Carolyn Helbert. Helbert and her friend Pat Hargis of Bucyrus will be flying to Texas on Saturday for college football’s first-ever National Championship game where fourth seed Ohio State will take on second seed Oregon on Monday.

Helbert, who is a 1974 Ohio State University graduate, had a feeling all along that the Buckeyes would be making it to the National Championship game this year. Helbert and Hargis had traveled to Indianapolis to watch their beloved Buckeyes pummel Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game in early December. They had ulterior motives, however, when they decided to forgo attending the Sugar Bowl game.

“We skipped the Sugar Bowl knowing we would beat Alabama,” Helbert said. “I had no qualms. I just knew this was the year I would go to the National Championship game.”

After Ohio State ended Alabama’s hopes for another national title with a 42-35 win on Thursday, Helbert prepared to mark one thing off her bucket list: watching the Buckeyes live in a National Championship game.

In addition to obtaining tickets, Helbert still had to find accommodations. So she asked on Facebook if anyone living in the Dallas area would be willing to play host to two former teachers. As luck would have it, one of Helbert’s former eighth grade students lives near AT&T Stadium outside of Dallas and offered to let them stay.

While in Dallas, Helbert said they will be going to a rodeo and will visit the stockyards as well as Dealey Plaza where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The 2015 College Football Playoff will also feature a weekend full of events, from the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! featuring acts like Lenny Kravitz and Sting to CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party featuring Toby Keith and Lady Antebellum.

Helbert said they will be attending the Championship Tailgate party prior to the game.

“I just can’t imagine what a National Championship game would be like,” Helbert said. “I think Ohio State is going to win. It’s going to be awesome.”

The National Championship game will be played at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday.