Ohio State vs. Notre Dame predictions: Expert picks and odds for 2025 College Football Playoff championship game

No. 7 Notre Dame meets No. 8 Ohio State successful the College Football Playoff title crippled – the archetypal of the 12-team College Football Playoff era. 

The crippled is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET connected Monday, Jan. 20 astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta. 

Notre Dame (14-1) has a accidental to play for its archetypal nationalist title since 1988 aft a 27-24 triumph against No. 6 Penn State successful the CFP semifinals. The Irish are grinding retired victories under third-year manager Marcus Freeman with a defence that ranked 2nd successful the FBS astatine 14.3 points per game. Dual-threat Riley Leonard continues to pb the offense. 

Ohio State (13-2) beat No. 5 Texas 28-14 successful the CFP semifinals, and manager Ryan Day has flipped the publication connected the full play aft the regular-season finale against Michigan. The Buckeyes person a loaded roster, with NFL endowment connected some sides. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith has been a prima successful the playoffs, and Jack Sawyer's 83-yard fumble return for a TD sealed the triumph against Texas. 

Who has the borderline successful the archetypal CFP title with the caller format? 

College Football Playoff title odds 

• Spread: Ohio State -9.5 (Caesars) 
• Over/under: 45.5
• Moneyline: Ohio State -385, Notre Dame +300

The Irish are 2-0 ATS arsenic an underdog this season, and they are 6-1 ATS successful games that are decided by 7 points oregon less. The Buckeyes were 8-0 ATS erstwhile favored betwixt 7-20 points this play – and they are 8-0 S/U successful those games. Ohio State has won six consecutive meetings against Notre Dame – a streak that dates backmost to a home-and-home bid successful 1995-96. 

College Football Playoff title pick, prediction 

The familiarity origin is precocious here. Ohio State bushed Notre Dame successful some games of a home-and-home bid successful 2022 and 2023. That included a melodramatic 17-14 triumph astatine Notre Dame Stadium connected Sept. 23, 2023. 

Freeman, a erstwhile linebacker astatine Ohio State, volition beryllium the halfway of astir of the pre-game storylines. Can Notre Dame, which ranked 2nd successful the FBS with 14.3 points per game, dilatory down the Ohio State discourtesy 1 much time? The Irish allowed 17.5 points per crippled successful those past 2 meetings. 

The cardinal for Notre Dame volition beryllium turnovers. The Irish person forced 32 turnovers this play and person a +15 ratio. A precocious interception by Christian Gray set up the game-winning tract extremity by Mitch Jeter against Penn State. Defensive coordinator Al Golden volition request to instrumentality chances with the blitz and bounds Ohio State's opportunities successful the moving game. Texas has had immoderate occurrence with that successful the CFP semifinals. The Buckeyes managed 24 carries for 81 yards against the Longhorns. 

Can that Notre Dame secondary – led by two-time Sporting News All-American Xavier Watts – clasp up against Ohio State's 3 apical receivers? Smith was constricted to 1 drawback against Texas, which double-teamed him and kept information assistance implicit the top. That allowed Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate to marque catches, and Will Howard has a 73.8% completion percent successful the CFP with six TDs and 2 interceptions. Howard has not thrown much than 1 interception per crippled – and the Irish volition request to unit 2 to 3 turnovers successful this matchup. 

Notre Dame's discourtesy besides faces a challenge, too. Ohio State leads the FBS with a defence that allows 12.2 points per game. The Buckeyes are generating sacks with Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, and the rushing defence has been stingy since allowing 172 yards successful the nonaccomplishment to Michigan. Riley Leonard volition request to make archetypal downs with his legs, and Jermiyah Love (knee) and Jadarian Price volition request to person accordant occurrence betwixt the tackles. That mightiness beryllium hard if starting violative linemen Anthonie Knapp and Rocco Spindler are inactive injured. 

Leonard besides volition instrumentality a fewer shots successful the passing crippled with choky extremity Mitchell Evans, who volition request to triumph a fewer battles with Ohio State information Caleb Downs, an Alabama transportation who has been the X-factor successful Jim Knowles' scheme. 

Both teams averaged much than 4.0 yards per transportation successful the past meeting, and neither squad committed a turnover. Offensive coordinators Chip Kelly and Mike Denbrock would some instrumentality that, but it would inactive favour Ohio State. Notre Dame is going to person to rip respective pages from Michigan's crippled program and get a fewer immense plays successful peculiar teams to person a accidental to propulsion this upset.  It conscionable looks similar this Ohio State squad has learned from those mistakes.

It mightiness beryllium choky astatine halftime, but the third-quarter TD thrust by Ohio State volition springiness the indispensable breathing room, and a TD walk from Howard to Smith volition assistance physique a 10-point pb the Buckeyes support en way to winning Day's archetypal nationalist title with the school. 

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College Football Playoff last people prediction

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 17