The big day has finally arrived. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes are just hours away from kicking off the National Championship game to determine who will be the victor of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoffs.
The Fighting Irish, led by head coach Marcus Freeman, quarterback Riley Leonard, and a swath of blue-chip talents look to upset the Buckeyes to secure their first national title since 1988.
Meanwhile, Ohio State, led by head coach Ryan Day and transfer quarterback Will Howard, looks to secure its third national title since the turn of the century (2002, 2014).
How to watch Notre Dame vs. Ohio State in the National Championship
- Date & Time: Monday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
- TV & Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. from the home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which has already hosted the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in the quarterfinal round of the Playoffs.
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Odds for the National Championship game – Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
- Spread: -8.5 Ohio State
- Money line: -400 Ohio State, +310 Notre Dame
- Over/Under: 45.5 points
Despite Notre Dame's dominant performances through the first three rounds of the Playoffs, the Fighting Irish are projected to lose by at least two possessions. This game is projected to be defensively focused and low scoring with the point total falling under 46 combined points.
Notre Dame allowed just 10 points by the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs and just 17 points by the then-one-loss Indiana Hoosiers. The biggest battle for the Fighting Irish was against the Penn State Nittany Lions in which they gave up 24 points but still walked away victorious.
However, Ohio State has bullied its way through the Playoffs so far. The Buckeyes demolished both Tennessee and Oregon in the first two rounds, winning by a combined 45 points. Then, in the semifinal round, Ohio State doubled the score of the Texas Longhorns to win 28-14.