The stage is set. After a wild inaugural season, with a 12-team playoff bracket, the eighth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes are poised to take on the ninth-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday night. The game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST. Both teams have certainly been on a wild ride to the big game, playing arguably their best football of the season and solidifying themselves as the top two teams in the nation.
With that being said, here’s a preview of this historic matchup:
Road to the Championship
Ohio State has been nothing but impressive over the course of the postseason. Despite a gut-wrenching loss to their arch-rival Michigan in the last week of the regular season, the Buckeyes have been putting up tremendous numbers on offense and playing tough, stout defense. After demolishing No. 9 Tennessee 42-17 in a highly anticipated first round showdown, the Buckeyes got revenge on the top-seeded Oregon Ducks by throttling them 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, avenging an early season loss. Their only close game so far came from a thrilling semi-final Cotton Bowl matchup against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns. Trailing 21-14 in the final minutes of the game, the Longhorns marched down the field, setting up a first and goal on the Ohio State two-yard line. On fourth down, Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer strip-sacked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and returned the ball 82-yards for a scoop-and-score, sealing a 28-14 victory in stunning fashion.
Like Ohio State, the Fighting Irish also cruised to their spot in the grand finale. Led by transfer signal-caller Riley Leonard, the Irish handled in-state foe Indiana by a score of 27-17 in the first round of the playoffs, followed by a remarkable 23-10 defeat of No. 2 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. In their semi-final matchup against fourth-ranked Penn State, Notre Dame finally faced adversity after trailing 10-3 at halftime. In the final seconds of the game with the score knotted at 24-24, cornerback Christian Gray picked off Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, putting the Irish in field goal range. With the game on the line, Mitch Jeter knocked the game-winning field goal through the uprights to punch Notre Dame’s ticket to the National Championship for the first time since 2013.
Key Players
Will Howard, Quarterback, Ohio State
If it isn’t obvious already, Will Howard has solidified himself as the heart and soul of Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly’s offense. Over the course of the Buckeyes’ playoff run, Howard has completed 65 of his 88 passes for 919 yards, tossing for nine total touchdowns. His leadership ability, however, is what stands out the most about him. Throughout the ebbs and flows of the game, Howard is constantly rallying his teammates together and always keeping them in the game, no matter what the score is. Ohio State will need Howard to have a night to gash a tough Notre Dame secondary.
Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Wide Receivers Coach Brian Hartline is notorious for recruiting and coaching some of the best wide receivers the sport has to offer. This year, however, one of the highlights of Hartline’s talented receiving corps is only a freshman. Jeremiah Smith has exploded on the college football circuit. During his freshman campaign, Smith hauled in 71 passes for a whopping 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, Smith only caught one pass for three yards against Texas, so integrating Smith into this ball game is a must.
Riley Leonard, Quarterback, Notre Dame
Coming in at 6-foot-4 and close to 220 pounds, Leonard uses his frame and stature to his advantage, as it’s his legs that do a lot of damage for the Notre Dame offense. It’s tough to bring him down, especially on third and short, fourth and short, and goal line situations. Despite his ability to run the ball well, Leonard has struggled at times with throwing the ball, tossing several interceptions. Notre Dame’s success is ultimately contingent upon Leonard’s ability to protect the ball and make smart decisions.
Jack Kizer, Linebacker, Notre Dame
The selling point of this 2024-25 Fighting Irish squad is certainly their defense, led by none other than hometown hero Jack Kizer. Kizer has amassed 85 total tackles on the season, as well as two sacks and two forced fumbles. While Ohio State has a great rushing attack led by running backs Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson, Kizer could certainly exploit Ohio State’s weak offensive line by knifing through gaps and blowing up run plays in the backfield. Notre Dame will need Kizer to play his best game to have a chance of victory.
Keys to Success
For Ohio State, winning the line of scrimmage is a must. Though Ohio State has a considerably weak offensive line and could not establish a run game in their loss to Michigan, Notre Dame is without star defensive lineman Rylie Mills, creating a huge hole in their defense. Being able to run the ball effectively with Judkins and Henderson is critical for the Buckeyes success. In addition, getting the ball to their playmakers in space is also essential for Ohio State’s gameplan. Receivers Emeka Egbuka, Jeremiah Smith, and Carnell Tate all need multiple touches to put up numbers on the scoreboard.
As for Notre Dame, exploiting Ohio State’s offensive line is critical for disrupting the Buckeyes offense. Giving Will Howard enough time to spread the ball out to his playmakers is something the Irish simply cannot do, so relying on defensive lineman like Junior Tuihalamaka and Howard Cross III is a given. Offensively, the Irish need to feed running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price the ball. Love and Price are one of the best running back tandems in college football, and once they get past the second level, they are unstoppable. In addition, Riley Leonard needs to have one of the best games of his life, which means limiting turnovers and making smart decisions is key for the Irish’s success.
In conclusion, this game looks to be one for the books, featuring two perennial powerhouses with rosters loaded with NFL talent. In addition, fans should note Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day and Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman have yet to win a national championship in their young careers. This matchup will be one to watch for college football enthusiasts alike and can be streamed on ESPN.