Two teams. One trophy. All the glory.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will meet the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Both teams would’ve been eliminated in the obsolete four-team bracket.
Our Ohio State vs. Notre Dame prediction dives into everything you need to know — from betting odds to the matchups to watch under the brightest of lights.
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame College Football Playoff National Championship Betting Preview
All Ohio State vs. Notre Dame odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. The CFN spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Ohio State -4.5 - Spread
Ohio State -9.5 - Moneyline
Ohio State -395, Notre Dame +310 - Over/Under
46.5 points - Game Time
7:30 p.m. ET, Monday, Jan. 20 - Location
Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta - Predicted Weather at Kick
TBD - How To Watch
ESPN
The Buckeyes have blown through the playoff field, going 3-0 straight up and against the spread. But the Irish have done that all year, owning a 13-2 ATS record.
MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator
While Ohio State has been favored in every game this season, Notre Dame won both of its contests as an underdog (+3 vs. Texas A&M and +1.5 vs. Penn State).
Trends-wise, there’s no real edge in terms of the total, with both programs hitting the over in three of their last five bouts.
Ohio State’s Winning Probability
After regular-season losses to Oregon and Michigan, head coach Ryan Day was under immense pressure to deliver in the College Football Playoff — he’s done just that.
Ohio State has rolled to a 3-0 CFP record, crushing Tennessee 42-17, Oregon 41-21, and Texas 28-14. The Buckeyes have been the hottest team all postseason, and the Fighting Irish likely aren’t excited to meet them.
- at Notre Dame: 63.1%
Notre Dame’s Winning Probability
Under Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame has hit its stride, progressing from 9-4 to 10-3 to a stellar 14-1 record. The Fighting Irish have racked up five consecutive postseason wins, including decisive CFP victories over Indiana (27-17), Georgia (23-10), and Penn State (27-24).
Freeman’s success has earned him a four-year, $9 million annual extension and caused fans to turn on former head coach Brian Kelly. However, the job’s not finished, and Ohio State isn’t going to make it easy.
- vs. Ohio State: 36.9%
Prediction for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
Well, this is it — the final game of the 2024-25 season — and it couldn’t be any sweeter.
The Buckeyes enter the contest on a six-straight win streak against the Fighting Irish, including the most recent matchups in 2022 (21-10) and 2023 (17-14). I expect another bruising defensive battle — hint: lean toward the under — where the game comes down to the final couple of possessions.
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It’s safe to say neither starting QB is coming off their best outing…
- Riley Leonard vs. Penn State: 15 of 23, 223 yards, one TD, two INTs, and an 18-35-1 rushing line
- Will Howard vs. Texas: 24 of 33, 289 yards, one TD, and one INT
Howard is the superior passer, which will matter more than Leonard’s edge on the ground. Even if both were on the same level, Howard’s receiving weapons (Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate) far supersede Leonard’s (Jaden Greathouse, Beaux Collins, and Mitchell Evans) and anything the ND secondary has seen this CFP run.
Plus, Ohio State should own the trenches on both sides, with EDGEs Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau making life hell for Leonard. The offense can take advantage if the defense can force him to throw from the pocket like the Nittany Lions did.
Notre Dame’s defense is No. 1 in dropback EPA and success rate but No. 5 and No. 53 in each respective category against the run. The unit now faces off against TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins without Rylie Mills on the interior.
Nick Singleton (15-84-3) and Kaytron Allen (19-82-0) were able to plow their way to strong rushing lines just last week, and Ohio State OC Chip Kelly knows how to attack weaknesses.
Now, will it be a blowout? I doubt it, especially with how well Freeman has coached his team. But the Buckeyes own the margins and should seize the program’s first national championship since 2014, cementing their place atop college football once more.
Prediction: Ohio State 24, Notre Dame 20
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