It's here. The day Buckeye Nation has been hoping for since the first day of the season is finally here.
It all comes down to one game tonight in Atlanta.
As Ohio State prepares for a national championship game against Notre Dame, a title game that features the No. 8-seeded Buckeyes against the No. 7-seeded Fighting Irish, we get you ready for the matchup.
With so much on the line tonight in Atlanta, the third straight season Ohio State and Notre Dame will matchup, a rarity for two out-of-conference opponents, the Eleven Warriors staff predicts how the national championship game will unfold.
Score Predictions
Andy Anders - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 13: Riley Leonard adds another dimension to a fantastic Notre Dame run game but Ohio State’s run defense has mauled teams all year. I don’t think the Fighting Irish ultimately throw the ball well enough to keep pace in this one as the Buckeyes gradually pull away for a national title.
Chase Brown - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 14: Ohio State didn’t come all the way here to lose. They won’t.
George Eisner - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 13: Oregon has the only offense that's been able to break 20 points against the Silver Bullets this season. This game should stay within a couple scores early. However, I expect the Buckeyes' superior offensive talent to put the game out of reach down the stretch — especially if the Fighting Irish don't dedicate the same type of attention to Jeremiah Smith that Texas did.
Jack Emerson - Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 10: The Buckeyes will be national champions once again, riding on the back of their defense to a victory over the Fighting Irish.
Johnny Ginter - Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 17: Notre Dame throws the kitchen sink at Will Howard, intercepts him twice, and it still doesn't matter because TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins extend drive after drive and don't give the Irish a chance to get anything going offensively.
Matt Gutridge - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 0: Defense wins championships, and if the Buckeyes can keep ND out of the end zone in the first quarter, the Silver Bullets could get the first shutout in CFP National Championship Game history. With a win, Ohio State will finish the season with four straight wins over ranked opponents, a first for the program.
Garrick Hodge - Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 17: This should be another defensive slugfest, but in the end, Ohio State simply has too much talent for Notre Dame to overcome.
Dan Hope - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 13: Notre Dame’s defense will keep the game competitive, but its run-heavy offense will struggle to score against Ohio State’s defense, allowing the Buckeyes to control the game and win their first national championship in 10 years.
Kyle Jones - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 14: The first quarter is a low-scoring affair in which both teams try to pummel one another along the line of scrimmage, initially looking like the kind of game the Irish want to play. However, a pair of big plays from the OSU playmakers blow the game open, leaving the run-first Irish struggling to keep up and allowing Buckeye fans to spend much of the fourth quarter celebrating.
Chris Lauderback - Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 16: Similar to what I expected versus Texas, I see the Irish hanging around for a half before Ohio State separates on the way to a two-score victory highlighted by the Silver Bullets forcing field goals when ND threatens and the offense getting touchdowns from TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Eguka.
Ramzy Nasrallah - Ohio State 35, Notre Dame 13: The Irish haven't faced a single receiver in their playoff run that Brian Hartline would want on his bench, with sincere apologies to Julian Fleming. This should feel rude, quickly - Notre Dame's secondary bracketed Indiana's Elijah Sarratt the same way Texas was forced to handle Jeremiah Smith. Sarratt is easily the best WR they've seen this postseason. Ohio State should come out throwing to its slippery NFL-caliber guys running crossing routes against a man defense, and If Will Howard is simply an average distributor on Monday night the Buckeyes leave Atlanta as national champions.
Josh Poloha - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 13: The offense does enough both through the air and on the ground, and the Silver Bullets continue to dominate. Somehow, some way, the Buckeyes are national champions in one of the most well-earned natty runs ever. OSU saved its best for last and come away with a national title. What a turnaround from late November.
Jason Priestas - Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 13: Defense wins what? I’ve been banging the Silver Bullets drum throughout the CFP and they come through once again as a defensive line that absolutely mashed healthy offensive lines frustrates the Irish’s banged-up offensive line all night and the Buckeyes to make history becoming the first team to win a 12-team College Football Playoff.
Jordan Raines - Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 14: The Silver Bullets dominate once again and the Irish are unable to keep pace with the Buckeyes’ offensive firepower. The Buckeyes cap off a roller coaster of a season with the ultimate prize.
Will Ohio State Cover?
After the Buckeyes opened as 9.5-point favorites, the line has gone back and forth between 9.5 and 7.5 points in favor of Ohio State. As of this morning, OSU is favored by 8.5 points over Notre Dame.
All of the 11W staff believes the Buckeyes will not only cover the spread but also beat Notre Dame by double digits.
What About the Over/Under?
Unlike the spread, the over/under has increased slightly since opening at 46.5. The total now sits at 45.5 as of Monday morning.
While each member of the Eleven Warriors staff believes Ohio State will beat Notre Dame by multiple scores, only Jason Priestas and Ramzy Nasrallah believe the game will hit the over.
Eleven Warriors Prop Bets
Curious about how the sportsbooks envision the CFP final will shake out for various players on the field? Check out some of our in-house prop betting lines ahead of tonight's national championship game for a more thorough glimpse at how the betting market has valued various outcomes. Leave your predictions for us in the comments and compete for bragging rights!
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How many passing yards will Will Howard have?
- Over 279.5 (-110)
- Under 279.5 (-110)
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How many rushing yards will Ohio State have?
- Over 129.5 (-110)
- Under 129.5 (-110)
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How many touchdowns will TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins combine to have?
- Over 2.5 (-110)
- Under 2.5 (-110)
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Who will have more receiving yards?
- Jeremiah Smith (-150)
- Emeka Egbuka (+100)
- Carnell Tate (+250)
- Other (+700)
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How many points will Notre Dame score?
- Over 20.5 (+140)
- Under 20.5 (-160)
