It all comes down to this.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (13-2) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-1) will meet in the first National Championship Game of the 12-team College Football Playoff era on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Will the heavily favored Buckeyes complete their stunning turnaround following their shocking home defeat to Michigan in the regular-season finale? Or can Riley Leonard lead the Fighting Irish to their first title since 1988?
Let’s examine the latest betting odds for the CFP National Championship Game before digging into my Ohio State vs Notre Dame prediction and best bets.
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Odds
College football odds are current as of Thursday, Jan. 16, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Ohio State (-360) vs Notre Dame (+285)
- Spread: Ohio State -8.5 (-108) vs Notre Dame +8.5 (-112)
- Over/Under: Over 46.5 (-108) / Under 46.5 (-112)
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Prediction
Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 20
The Buckeyes have been the most dominant team throughout the College Football Playoff, so I have a hard time seeing a scenario where they don’t lift the trophy.
We saw Penn State’s Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton combine for 164 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries in the semifinal against Notre Dame’s talented defense, so there’s no reason why Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins can’t inflict similar damage in the ground game.
OSU quarterback Will Howard has also stepped up to the plate in the postseason, throwing for an average of 306.3 yards per game with six touchdowns and two interceptions. The K-State transfer has way more weapons at wideout than any team Notre Dame faced all season, so that will be an adjustment for that unit, especially since the Irish won’t be able to force the Buckeyes into obvious passing downs.
I have a lot of respect for Riley Leonard and his gutsy performance against Penn State, leading his team back from a halftime deficit after taking a big hit in the second quarter that forced him out of the game. However, I don’t see how the Irish can keep up with the Ohio State offense.
Notre Dame’s offense is too reliant on the run, whether that’s with star running back Jeremiyah Love or Leonard taking matters into his own hands. Leonard hasn’t topped 230 passing yards in a game this season, so the Irish’s best path to victory is mucking it up like Michigan did in its 13-10 victory in Columbus.
I can’t see OSU’s offense making that many mistakes again, especially given the way it has been playing lately. Give me the Buckeyes to roll to their first National Championship in a decade.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Best Bets
Over 46.5 Points (-108)
Ohio State (12.2) and Notre Dame (14.3) have the best scoring defenses in college football, but I’m backing Monday’s title fight to be a high-scoring affair.
The Buckeyes have scored at least 28 points in each of their playoff games, and they should have success against an Irish defense that hasn’t been tested to this degree all season. OSU’s defense has improved significantly over the last month or so, but it still surrendered a couple of touchdowns to each of its postseason opponents.
Each National Championship Game in the CFP era (since the 2014 season) has featured at least 47 points, including last year’s game that featured an elite Michigan defense. This matchup will be played indoors on a fast track in Atlanta, which should help both offenses put up points.
Make this Over one of your best college football bets today before it hits the key number of 47.
Ohio State -8.5 (-108)
The Buckeyes have won their three playoff games by double digits, so I feel comfortable laying the points with them in the title game.
Sure, Ryan Day’s squad was lucky to create that margin against Texas, especially given the circumstances of Jack Sawyer’s fourth-quarter touchdown. Still, it has been dominant since the end of the regular season.
Notre Dame doesn’t have the elite passing offense that I would want to rely on for a backdoor cover if it were down double-digits late. A part of me also fears another Irish blowout loss like the one it suffered against Alabama in its last appearance on this stage.
