After a lengthy college football season, it’s down to the final two teams: the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Ohio State dominated their way through the new bracket, taking care of Tennessee, getting revenge on Oregon and powering past Texas. Notre Dame has rattled off 13 consecutive wins since the biggest upset of the season, when they fell to Northern Illinois. The Irish won the battle for Indiana, silenced the Georgia Bulldogs and stole the Capital One Orange Bowl from Penn State. After two historic programs have written another stellar chapter in their stories, which team will have the storybook ending?
Vincent: Notre Dame 17-14
This feels like a David and Goliath game, as Ohio State barreled its way through the College Football Playoff, not to mention having a better overall roster. Yet, Notre Dame seems like a team of destiny. Despite dominating the regular season, they’ve found ways to win in the playoffs. Led by head coach Marcus Freeman, the defense ranks second best in points per game (14.3), with the Buckeyes being the only team ahead of them. Freeman is 0-2 vs. OSU in his career, yet they’ve held Ohio State to 18.5 points per game across matchups. The offense will have its biggest test yet, facing the top ranked defense, on the biggest stage. The 10-day hiatus between game days allows star running back Jeremiyah Love an extra couple days to let his knee heal, still being hindered by a knee sprain. Transfer quarterback Riley Leonard’s scrambling has made defending the run significantly harder, totaling 866 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Jaden Greathouse made a major impact in the Irish’s Orange Bowl victory to earn their bid for the National Championship. Despite the advantage clearly going to Ohio State, all the pressure is on the Buckeyes and Notre Dame will make them crack.
Jack: Ohio State 28-24
Perseverance is the theme of both championship-bound teams’ seasons. Ohio State’s heartbreaking loss to Michigan and Notre Dame’s early collapse to Northern Illinois could’ve been, in a different timeline, season-defining moments that derailed each team’s campaign. However, Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman have both shown why they deserve to steer the ship of prestigious programs. There is a clear favorite for this matchup, however – Ohio State, and for good reason. The Buckeyes have been unstoppable in the Playoff, its smallest margin of victory being a 14-point triumph over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State’s passing offense will be tested by Notre Dame’s stout secondary, so watch for running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins to be difference makers. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Jack Sawyer has been raising his draft stock. Sawyer put the nail in Texas’ coffin by rumbling 83 yards after a strip sack. Ohio State will win its third national championship of the 21st century, while the Fighting Irish will have to wait even longer to return to the top of the collegiate football world.
Reece: Ohio State 27-13
This year’s college football playoff format has had an interesting twist on the college football scene. With Ohio State being the eighth seed and Notre Dame being the seventh seed, in prior years neither of the teams would have even had a chance to compete for a National Championship. With that being said every year is a new year and now each of these teams are looking to bring a championship back to their university. That is no surprise given that the playoffs have been a breeze for the Buckeyes, taking down both Tennessee and Oregon by 20+ points and Texas by 14. Notre Dame has had somewhat of an easier path, facing Indiana, Georgia (without Carson Beck) and Penn State. Notre Dame has yet to face an offense close to Ohio State during this playoff run. I believe that Notre Dame’s defense cannot keep up with the powerful OSU offense that consists of Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Will Howard and many others. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes will be bringing back a National Championship to Columbus for the first time in over a decade.
All stats are from ESPN as of Jan. 19.
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