Notre Dame vs. Ohio State: Preview, how to watch the College Football Playoff National Championship Game
📺 How to watch the College Football Playoff National Championship
Notre Dame and Ohio State will battle to be crowned the College Football Playoff national champion.
Here's all the information needed to watch CFP title game:
- 🗓️ Date: Monday, Jan. 20
- ⏰ Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- 📺 TV/Streaming: ESPN |
- 📍Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, GA
- 📊 Follow: Live scores and stats
We will be live blogging the game here on krikya18.com.
📜 College Football Playoff championship history
Notre Dame has yet to claim a national championship in the College Football Playoff era. Meanwhile, Ohio State secured the title in 2014, the inaugural year of the CFP. However, that remains the Buckeyes' only CFP championship, as they've come close in other years but haven't managed to reclaim the trophy in the past decade.
| Season | Champion | Selecting Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Michigan | CFP |
| 2022 | Georgia | CFP |
| 2021 | Georgia | CFP |
| 2020 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2019 | LSU | CFP |
| 2018 | Clemson | CFP |
| 2017 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2016 | Clemson | CFP |
| 2015 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2014 | Ohio State | CFP |
🏆 Previewing the title game
The College Football Playoff Championship Game features Notre Dame and Ohio State. Both teams are among the best in the nation, excelling on both sides of the ball, making this matchup a must-watch event.
Ohio State earned its place in the national title game with a 28-14 victory over a Texas team that spent multiple weeks as the No. 1 team. Despite suffering two tough losses earlier in the season to Oregon and Michigan, the Buckeyes have been nearly unstoppable since. Their performance in the CFP has been nothing short of dominant.
On the other hand, Notre Dame rallied late to defeat Penn State 27-24 in a thrilling Orange Bowl CFP semifinal. After trailing 10-3 at halftime, the Fighting Irish came alive in the second half, thanks to quarterback Riley Leonard's clutch performance. This season, Notre Dame’s only loss was an early, down-to-the-wire upset by Northern Illinois. Since then, the Irish have been on a relentless winning streak.
Ohio State claims the top spot for the best defensive leader in college football. The Buckeyes lead the nation in points allowed, with just 12.2 per game, and in yards allowed, with only 251.1 per game. Additionally, the team has recorded 51 total sacks, ranking third in the country.
Notre Dame is not far behind, boasting an impressive defense. The Fighting Irish rank No. 2 in points allowed with 14.3 points per game and No. 9 in yards allowed with 298.3 yards per game. While their 38 total sacks rank 17th nationally, their disciplined and aggressive play has made them a tough opponent for opposing offenses.
Despite their defensive prowess, both teams possess dynamic offenses. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has thrown for 3,779 yards, with star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith his favorite target. Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard has also been a standout, tallying 2,606 passing yards and 866 rushing yards. Running back Jeremiyah Love leads the team with 1,121 rushing yards.
With everything on the line, the title game will test every aspect of these two elite teams. Will Ohio State secure their second CFP title? Or will Notre Dame get their first championship in the CFP era?
The answer will be decided on college football’s biggest stage.
📈 Stat sheet showdown
Let's take a look at how each team's overall season stats compare:
| notre dame | Category | ohio state |
|---|---|---|
| 14-1 (Independent) | Record (Conference) | 13-2 (7-2 Big Ten) |
| 37 | Points Per Game | 35.8 |
| 14.3 | Opponents Points Per Game | 12.2 |
| Riley Leonard (2,606 yards, 19 TDs) | Leading Passer | Will Howard (3,779 yards, 33 TDs) |
| Jeremiyah Love (1,121 yds, 17 TDs) | Leading Rusher | TreVeyon Henderson (967 yds, 10. TDs) |
| Jaden Greathouse (464 yds, 2 TDs) | Leading Receiver | Jeremiah Smith (1,227 yds, 14 TDs) |
| Jack Kiser (85 tackles) | Leading Tackler | Cody Simon (104 tackles) |
🛣️ Road to the national title game
Here are the paths Notre Dame and Ohio State took in the College Football Playoff to reach the championship game. Teams are listed by the CFP seed in the table:
| Notre Dame | Round | Ohio state |
|---|---|---|
| Def. No. 10 Indiana, 27-17 | First | Def. No. 9 Tennessee, 42-17 |
| Def. No. 2 Georgia, 23-10 | Quarterfinals | Def. No. 1 Oregon, 41-21 |
| Def. No. 6 Penn State, 27-24 | Semifinals | Def. No. 5 Texas, 28-14 |
