CFB: National Championship Game Preview
By Stiofán Mac Fhilib & George Somerville
The 2024/25 College Football season comes down to one game on Monday evening. The National Championship will be a mouth-watering battle between Notre Dame and Ohio State, here’s our preview of the biggest game of the year.
Where and When
The #5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish face the #6 Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, on Monday, January 20th, at 7.30pm ET/12.30am UK. The game is being broadcast by ESPN, and in the UK you can watch on Sky Sports NFL (channel 408).
Major bowl games are like buses
As the ball dropped in Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve it had been 31 years since Notre Dame had won a New Year’s Six bowl game. A week and a half into 2025 and they have now won two. Having entered the Sugar Bowl as slight favourites over SEC Champions, Georgia, the Irish took the field against Big Ten runners-up, Penn State, in the Orange Bowl as narrow underdogs.
Marcus Freeman’s men had 19 days’ rest in the run-up to the Indiana first-round playoff game at home. They had a further 12 as they prepared for the Bulldogs. They had only six as they got ready for the Nittany Lions in Miami (Penn State had eight). And in the first half of the Orange Bowl, it certainly showed.
For the first time this post-season ND looked tired on defense and by the second quarter were struggling mightily with their opponents’ run game. PSU offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, used his RB tandem of Singleton and Allen, to put the Irish defenders on skates. And by the time they had rounded off a 15-play, 90-yard drive lasting over seven minutes with a TD just before the two-minute timeout, they had a 10-0 lead that felt much larger, and Notre Dame’s (post) season was hanging by a very precarious thread.
But if the tale of the Georgia game for the Irish was the incredible contributions of a string of transfer players, then the story of the Orange Bowl was one of vital inputs from assorted backups and other unsung heroes of the team. With the injury-ravaged Notre Dame OL down yet two more starters, at RG and LT, third string LT, Tosh Baker, stepped up. At RG, sophomore, Charles Jagusah, who suffered a ‘season-ending’ pec injury in fall camp, was able to step in, such is the much greater length of the college football season now!
And the icing on the cake was Riley Leonard having to leave the field for a concussion check at the most important juncture of the year. Backup QB, Steve Angeli, who has easily the best nickname on the roster – ‘Peanut Butter’ – took his place and went 6 of 7 for 44 yards, leading the Irish to a 13-play, 52-yard drive and a hugely important Jeter FG.
The most critical half-time of Freeman’s career to date needed something to try to inject energy into a team that looked on its last legs. “History is written by the conquerors”, he exhorted, “and you hold the pen”. The Notre Dame offense then decided to become the authors of their own destiny and OC, Mike Denbrock, called his best half of the season. 122 first-half yards became 262 in the final 30 minutes. A Leonard run tied the game to start the third quarter before the greatest short-yardage run of Jeremiyah Love’s career saw him hurdle one defender before fighting off the attentions of four more to somehow keep his balance and dive into the endzone.
James Franklin’s side fought back to re-take a seven-point lead, before Jaden Greathouse had his best game of the season, becoming ND’s first 100-yard receiver in over a year. His 54-yard TD catch saw him break a pair of PSU ankles en route to the endzone.
Then as the seconds ticked down inside the final minute, Drew Allar, trying to move his own team down for the game-winning FG, threw a disastrous pass that was brilliantly intercepted by Christian Gray, ironically a much tougher catch than some of the other throws he dropped during the season!
Leonard still had work to do, and he moved the Irish 19 yards to get Mitch Jeter in range for a 41 yard FG attempt. With national championship aspirations on the line, the South Carolina transfer showed why his teammates call him ‘Mr January’. It was far from straight down the middle, but between the uprights it passed, and the most remarkable Notre Dame season in a generation now moves on to the final and most difficult hurdle.
T-H-E - O-H-I-O State Buckeyes
In this truly fantastic, chaotic college football season that has never been short of shocks, thrills and spills, the Ohio State Buckeyes have been consistent throughout. Well, kind of.
Pre-season, all the attention was on the Buckeyes. This season was labelled as the final throw of the dice for head coach Ryan Day. With big-name hires at both offensive and defensive coordinator and NIL money being splashed to lure the likes of Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin from Alabama and Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss, Ohio State demonstrated their intent to win a National Championship at all costs. Ohio State was all in.
As wise men once said, football is a funny old game these days. Players and coaches move about at almost free will, usually for bundles of cash. Some conferences are no more, with other conferences expanding. College football is not what it was, but in many ways, all of this has built up to what has been the most fascinating and thrilling football season we have witnessed in the longest time. And Ohio State and Notre Dame are at the epicentre of it.
Which brings me back to those Buckeyes. This team and its head coach have been under pressure from day one. With defeats to Oregon and Michigan, other teams may have crumbled. This is especially true about the defeat to Michigan. The Wolverines are the monkey on Day’s back right now. Day has never won against Michigan in his four years in charge. This does not sit well with Buckeyes fans who saw their arch-nemesis wounded and vulnerable this season. But even without Harbaugh and most of his Natty-winning side, the Buckeyes still couldn’t get past Michigan.
Arguably, though, Ohio State’s season really came alive with the commencement of the shiny new 12-team college football playoff. The Buckeyes faced a much fancied Tennessee team. So fancied that Vols fans spent much and travelled far to watch their team be routinely humbled in Columbus. Next up was another SEC foe, but one that would surely put up a sterner test. The Longhorns had their chances but ultimately fell short, with quarterback Quinn Ewers riding off into the sunset and the NFL Draft without the National Championship they so dearly demand in Austin.
And through all this, Buckeyes’ head coach Ryan Day is still standing. In a sport where head coaches are much maligned, Day is the most maligned of them all. The criticism is not helped by his inability to beat Michigan. Even if the Buckeyes win a Natty this year or next, Day’s terrible record against the Wolverines will still be flown high from the rooftops for all to see.
Which is crazy. If, when you read these preceding paragraphs, you are of the mind that this is a program under pressure and in chaos, you wouldn’t be wrong. Except inside the famous ol’ Horseshoe Stadium they are anything but. All of the noise is outside. Some of it is criticism from outside the conference, but a fair amount is from the “fans” of the program. It feels like Day just can’t rid himself of the doubters. Will they go away with a National Championship? One thing I know is that should the Irish win the game, the noise outside of the Horseshoe locker room will get mighty loud.
What though the odds be great or small
Will ‘old Notre Dame win over all’? The ND Fight Song assures fans that they will. That premise will be sorely tested against an Ohio State team that is not only perhaps the most talented in college football, but which has also hit its best form at the business end of the 2024 campaign. And which is over a TD favourite.
Chip Kelly’s high-powered offense flexed its muscles against Tennessee in the Horseshoe before tearing Oregon a proverbial new one in the quarter-finals, with Will Howard taking full advantage of his star-studded receiving corps. Freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith, is the headline threat, but the Irish will be very well aware of Emeka Egbuka’s talents from the two previous meetings since 2022.
Notre Dame has the #1 defense against the pass, but even their excellent CBs will need a pass rush to put pressure on Will Howard. If the Irish can regularly get pressure with just four men, that could be critical in a potential path to victory; having to bring more will open up greater spaces for the Buckeyes’ receivers. Ohio State, like ND, lost their LT and C earlier in the season, so Howard Cross III and the other Irish DTs will seek to exploit a potential weakness in the interior of the Buckeyes’ OL.
On the back end of the defense Texas had some success against the Buckeyes with zone coverage, and I expect Notre Dame will mix some of this in with their usual emphasis on man. But you gotta dance with the one what brung ya, and it’s not ideal to try to switch to a whole new scheme at a week or so’s notice. That said, Henderson and Judkins are a very dangerous RB combo and even more so on draw plays against man coverage where the DBs have their back to the line of scrimmage.
What may give the Irish some encouragement is how the Buckeyes’ offense performed against the three best defenses they’ve faced so far this season, scoring 20 (Penn State), 10 (Michigan) and 21 (Texas). Another performance in that ballpark would surely give ND a fighting chance of victory.
However, perhaps the most important match-up of all is the Irish offense against the best defense it will face all season. The Buckeyes are very strong against the run, and while having Jeremiyah Love back to as close to full fitness as possible will be essential, expect to see Riley Leonard’s number called frequently in the run game, to utilise the extra blocker.
Notre Dame has been very impressive on third down in the playoffs, but that has relied upon the Irish not getting behind the chains often. With yet more injuries and changes to the OL, allowing the Buckeye’s impressive DL to tee off on ND would be sub-optimal, to say the least.
On the back end, the Ohio State safety combo of Downs and Ransom is in the same ballpark as ND’s own Watts and Shuler, but their CBs can be passed on. Davis Igbinosun, in particular, has more penalties against him this season than any other corner in P4. He is very grabby in coverage.
In a tight game, special teams play could prove decisive. Notre Dame may have a bit of an advantage in the FG kicking game. Mitch Jeter is in the form of his life for the Irish; OSU kicker, Jayden Fielding, missed a pair of FGs inside 40 yards against Michigan in their huge rivalry game.
The Irish have already beaten the #8, #2 and #4 ranked teams in the playoffs so far. To even dream of ending 36 years of hurt they will have to take down the #6 team. A massive TV audience awaits with bated breath.
Who to Watch...
Notre Dame
#20 Aneyas Williams, Running Back
The true freshman from Missouri is third on the RB depth chart for the Irish but often plays a key role which could well be expanded against the Buckeyes. He will play on third down as the best blitz pick-up back, but he has started to get more carries as well, and against Penn State, he had a vital 36-yard catch when matched up against an LB. If Jeremiyah Love is not 100%, don’t be surprised if Williams gets more touches, including in the screen game.
#29 Christian Gray, Cornerback
The sophomore from St. Louis has the perfect demeanour for a CB. Confident in his own not-inconsiderable ability, and able to forget the bad plays immediately. He has had an excellent season as part of the best pass defense in college football. Even in his toughest outing at USC, where they attacked him constantly – a tribute to the play of the other CB, freshman, Leonard Moore – Gray kept his composure and, with the game on the line near the end of the fourth quarter, picked off a Maiava pass on his own 1-yard line before heading 99 to the home endzone. And then, of course, he was clutch again in the Orange Bowl’s final minute.
Expect Ohio State to throw quite a few passes his way in Atlanta; how he deals with the most potent receiving corps in the game will play a key part in the overall outcome.
Ohio State
#4 Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver
In a season chock full of hyperbole, I don’t think it’s too much to say that Jeremiah Smith might just be the best player in the college game. Just when we thought that Marvin Harrison Jr broke the mould in a very long line of great Buckeyes receivers, Smith decided he wanted to be the best. And that is saying something, given that we are talking about a true freshman. Yes, this is his first year in the college game. In his electric debut season, Smith has five games with over 100 receiving yards. In doing so he has amassed 1,277 yards from 71 catches and has scored 14 times. He certainly is a talent and one who will give the Irish secondary nightmares. However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for Irish fans. The silver lining is that Texas managed to keep the young receiver quiet during the Cotton Bowl. Smith was well shadowed, sometimes by two or three Longhorns players, resulting in a season-low one catch for three yards. Yes, he can be kept very quiet. But Marcus Freeman and The Irish be warned. Leave Smith one-on-one at your peril.
#33 Jack Sawyer, Defensive End
On the defensive side of the ball much of the attention, and rightly so, has been on defensive end Jack Sawyer. Sawyer has had 4.5 sacks in the CFB Playoffs alone, culminating in his strip sack and fumble recovery to score against Texas in the Cotton Bowl semi-final. This has grabbed folks’ attention, and with an Irish offensive line plagued by injury and not able to cope so well against Abdul Carter and Penn State, there is optimism that Sawyer and his teammates can cause chaos. There is no question that Sawyer has stepped into the void Nick Bosa left when he became a superstar in San Francisco. Sawyer is another superstar in this star-studded team.
#2 Caleb Downs, Special Teams
I am only supposed to pick two players, but I can’t ignore the wunderkind who should still be playing his football in Tuscaloosa. Caleb Downs arrived at Alabama to a fanfare, richly deserved on the back of a top national recruiting ranking. However, when Nick Saban left to become a TV sensation, Downs was one of many who didn’t want to hang around. While that was a traumatic time for Alabama fans, there was no greater wailing and gnashing of teeth in Tuscaloosa than when Downs announced his departure. However, Alabama’s loss is undoubtedly the Buckeyes gain, and Downs is proving every inch the defensive superstar his first year at Alabama suggested it would be. While Downs is an All-American defensive back already, he has grown into an excellent punt returner. So far, Downs has scored two touchdowns from ten punt returns, including a 79-yard return to score against Indiana. Ouch.
Prediction
George:
I think rightly so, the Buckeyes are favourites. While I don’t necessarily buy the Irish “Fairytale” story, it is true that few predicted Notre Dame getting to the National Championship game. However, any notion that Notre Dame is not there on merit was blown up well and true by the defeat of the Georgia Bulldogs. Yes, the defeat of Indiana was a statement but there was so much debate about just how good the Hoosiers team was. The Georgia game, however, was a proper “welcome to the playoffs” moment for Marcus Freeman and, dare I say it, the moment his Fighting Irish realised they could win the whole kit and caboodle.
Despite the words I have written above, I have been sceptical about Ohio State this year. That scepticism has been found to be unwarranted; however, this is still a team that Oregon and Michigan have beaten. So, they are not invincible. Texas weren’t as far from beating the Buckeyes as many like to make out. It was a one-score game for much of the contest until Ewers was caught with the ball, spilling it to allow Sawyer to scoop and score. So, for me, the Buckeyes can be beaten in this game. But it will take an almighty (see what I did there) effort from the Fighting Irish to overcome this Ohio State team. But where there is hope, there is possibility. So, George…you’re telling me there’s a chance. Yes, I do. Irish to win.
Notre Dame 34-24 Ohio State
Stiofán:
I’m going to cheat and make a pair of predictions as I’m torn between my heart and my head. My head can see the Irish struggling to keep the Buckeyes under 20 points and the stingy Ohio State defense forcing enough third and longs to make it a long afternoon for the Irish when they have the ball, with a late score covering the spread for ND.
Ohio State 27-20 Notre Dame
But my heart knows I’ve picked Notre Dame 15 times already this season, and let’s face it, Ohio State is good, but they’re not a MAC team (thank God!) Sometimes a team is more than just the sum of its parts, and culture, heart, and damn good coaching can overcome a supposed talent disadvantage. Might the Irish need huge plays on defense and/or special teams? Yep. Is that their MO? Also, yes. And her loyal sons and daughters will march on to victory.
Notre Dame 20-17 Ohio State

STIOFÁN MAC FHILIB
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
A VERY LONG-DISTANCE SUBWAY ALUMNUS OF NOTRE DAME, COUNTY ANTRIM-BASED STIOFÁN HAS BEEN A FAN OF THE FIGHTING IRISH SINCE 2000. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @SMACFHILIB.

George Somerville
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
GEORGE IS A LONG STANDING FANATIC OF LIFE AND FOOTBALL IN THE DEEP SOUTH AND WRITES HIS WEEKLY COLUMN CALLED “IT’S ONLY SEC” FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. HE IS ALSO CO-HOST AND ONE THIRD OF THE COLLEGE CHAPS PODCAST, THE UK’S FIRST PODCAST DEDICATED TO THE COLLEGE GAME.