One way or another, the 2024-25 college football season will end tonight.
#7 Notre Dame
Fighting Irish
If all goes according to plan for Ohio State, the Buckeyes will win the first 12-team College Football Playoff just like they won the first four-team CFP and bring a national championship trophy back to Columbus. To do that, though, they’ll have to overcome a tough opponent in Notre Dame who’s won 13 straight games entering Monday night’s battle with the Buckeyes in Atlanta.
With a national championship on the line, we break down the biggest questions for the Buckeyes, highlight our top players to watch and make some predictions for what we’ll see in Monday night’s game in our final Last Call of the season.
Questions
Will Ohio State’s run defense continue to dominate?
If the answer to this question is yes, Ohio State should end the night as national champions. Notre Dame’s passing offense is the weakest Ohio State has faced so far in the CFP, ranking 102nd nationally in passing yards per game, so it’s hard to see a path to winning for the Fighting Irish if they can’t run the ball effectively.
Notre Dame’s rushing offense will be the best Ohio State has faced all season, though, ranking fourth in the FBS with 5.8 rushing yards per attempt this season. There’s reason for confidence in Ohio State’s run defense with how dominant it was against Oregon and Texas, but the Buckeyes have shown vulnerability in previous games against running quarterbacks and Riley Leonard might be the best running quarterback Ohio State has faced all season, which will make stopping the run a bigger challenge in this game along with an excellent running back unit led by Jeremiyah Love.
– Dan Hope
How often does Ohio State/Will Howard throw the ball over the middle?
Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom are the best safety duo in college football. However, some believe Xavier Watts and Adon Shuler are better. There’s a good reason for that. This season, Watts and Shuler have been ballhawks in coverage, with the former recording six interceptions and nine pass breakups and the latter recording three interceptions and five pass breakups. Both returned one of their numerous picks to the end zone, Watts on a 100-yard return and Shuler on a 35-yard return. No matter if Notre Dame leans on single-high or double-high looks against Ohio State, it could be wise for Howard to avoid throws over the middle when possible.
– Chase Brown
Will Ohio State try to establish a running game early?
Maybe in normal circumstances, trying to run the ball consistently from the get-go would give some OSU fans PTSD to an unfortunate game plan in late November. But Notre Dame isn't Michigan and is far weaker in the trenches. The Fighting Irish's weak point defensively has been in run defense, and Chip Kelly might be tempted to test that early with a heavy dose of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.
– Garrick Hodge
How often does Notre Dame run man coverage?
Notre Dame has been perhaps the premier man coverage defense in college football this year. While the Fighting Irish do mix in other coverages, they run Cover 1 at a rate higher than anyone else in the country, with one safety playing overtop and most of the rest of the defense in man coverage. They've done so with great success, ranked third nationally at 5.8 yards per pass attempt with 19 interceptions, fifth-most in the nation.
Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden has stated a desire to mix in plenty of his defense's bread and butter. But it will also give Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate a chance to win one-on-one matchups on the outside.
– Andy Anders
Players to Watch
Will Howard
Howard has been one of the most effective quarterbacks nationally this season against man coverage. Notre Dame lives and dies by man coverage defensively, and aren't going to go away from it if its defensive coordinator is to be believed. The Fighting Irish also have one of the best pass defenses in the country. In short, something has to give. Howard will be tested against a group of talented defensive backs Monday, but if he can continue his success in man looks, it might be a short night at the office for the Fighting Irish.
– Garrick Hodge
TreVeyon Henderson
I picked him before the Cotton Bowl; I’ll pick him before the national championship game. In Ohio State’s wins over Tennessee, Oregon and Texas, Henderson has collected 365 scrimmage yards (11.41 yards per touch) and five total touchdowns on just 32 touches. If Henderson can generate one or more explosive plays in the title game – which seems all but guaranteed, considering he has averaged a first down each time he holds the football in the postseason – the Buckeyes’ offense will be hard to slow down in Atlanta.
– Chase Brown
Lathan Ransom
Monday's game will be a full-circle moment for Ransom after he enjoyed a breakout game against Notre Dame in 2022 to kickstart his Ohio State career following a rougher 2021. He's been one of the best safeties in college football this season, even if Caleb Downs catches a lot of national attention as arguably the best. The Buckeyes' enforcer will hope to set a physical tone against the Fighting Irish's running game.
– Andy Anders
Cody Simon
When Nico Iamaleava gave Ohio State’s defense some trouble with his running ability in the first round of the CFP, Simon was the one Ohio State defender who consistently made good on his opportunities to get the Tennessee quarterback on the ground. The Buckeyes will need him to be just as good against Notre Dame with how much Leonard and the Fighting Irish in general like to run the ball.
I think Simon caps off a fantastic senior season by recording double-digit tackles in the national championship game and earning defensive MVP honors for his efforts.
– Dan Hope
Predictions
Jeremiah Smith tops 100 yards, catches two touchdowns
Even though Notre Dame has one of college football’s top pass defenses, I don’t expect Smith to get shut down two games in a row. Despite Smith’s warning before the Rose Bowl that Ohio State will take shots against any defense who plays man coverage against the Buckeyes, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore said the Fighting Irish is “going to play man coverage like we do every week.”
Assuming that’s true, I expect Ohio State to take plenty of shots to Smith and the star freshman to capitalize by making multiple big plays, earning offensive MVP honors in the process.
– Dan Hope
Ohio State leads by two scores the entire fourth quarter
I see Ohio State gradually pulling away in this game and it ultimately not being close in a final quarter that feels more like a celebration than a game. The Buckeyes are the more complete team in this matchup and I think that will ultimately play out on Monday.
– Andy Anders
Notre Dame finishes with less than 100 rushing yards
If you told someone before the game the Fighting Irish are going to finish with less than 100 yards on the ground against Ohio State, you'd probably guess the Buckeyes win. Well, yes, I am predicting that too, but OSU is going to limit Notre Dame's run game because it'll be a huge focal point, and because it has the talent to do that.
– Garrick Hodge
Ohio State picks off Riley Leonard twice
Leonard ran the ball 14 times against Georgia and 18 times against Penn State, so I expect his carries to be in a similar ballpark against Ohio State. While the quarterback run will be crucial for Notre Dame’s offense to have success on Monday, the Irish still need to throw the ball in order to move the chains, which makes me confident the Buckeyes will intercept one or two of Leonard’s passes. If I had to pick particular players to do it, I’d go with Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun or Jermaine Mathews Jr., as 11 of Leonard’s 16 “big-time throws” have come outside the numbers this season, per Pro Football Focus. That’s where he’s most comfortable, but it’s also where BIA could feast.
– Chase Brown
