- What: 2025 NCAAF National Championship Game
- Who: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
- When: Monday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
- How to watch: ESPN
It's all coming down to this. College football fans across the planet were treated to some incredible games to the regular season and thus far in the playoff. Now, though, there are only two teams left ready to battle it out for all of the glory. Next Monday night, the National Championship game will arrive. With that said, Ohio State is our pick to win the 2025 CFP title game vs. Notre Dame. Will they get the job done?
After the loss to Michigan in the regular season finale, plenty of people were calling for head coach Ryan Day to be fired. However, those same people are now singing a different tune thanks to how great this team has looked over the past three games. With the trophy on the line, Day will be ready for his team to match the intensity they showcased against Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
| CFP title game odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State to win | -275 | -275 | -275 |
| Notre Dame to win | +225 | +225 | +225 |
| Over 45.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 45.5 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
I first want to give Coach Sark and his staff and team a lot of credit," Day said. "It's a very good team, a lot of respect for the way he goes about, you know, his business and he's got an unbelievable reputation in the coaching community and his team played very, very hard today and I just, it was a very well fought battle and they're a very good team, had a great season."
According to the best sports betting sites, Ohio State holds -275 football betting odds to come out on top. On the other side of the field, Notre Dame has been given +225 odds per the best NCAAF betting sites to record an upset. There's no question going to be an uphill climb for the Fighting Irish, but we think they're going to come up short. That's right, look for Ohio State to post a close win.
BREAKING 🚨
Ohio State will wear its white version of the “heritage stripes” uniform as it takes on Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff #NationalChampionship #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/knfV1XzNP7
— Buckeye Blitz (@BuckeyeBlitzz) January 13, 2025
Notre Dame should be able to cover the spread against Ohio State
While we do think that the Buckeyes are going to post a victory, Notre Dame should be able to cover the spread against Ohio State. According to analysts in Vegas, Ohio State is favored by 8.5 points, which we think is quite high. Yes, the Buckeyes have been on an unreal run this postseason, but keep in mind that Notre Dame has looked strong too.
Two weeks ago, the Irish took down No. 2 Georgia in a great game. Quarterback Riley Leonard was able to make plays when his team needed him most. Then in the semifinals, Notre Dame went up against No. 4 Penn State and posted a win too. Back-to-back wins against Top 5 teams? That's exactly what the Irish were able to get done, which has fans believing in what Marcus Freeman is getting done.
Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter recounts his game-winning kick against Penn State to send the Irish to the national championship đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/kNuE5hAWbr
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 13, 2025
"First off, I want to recap this last weekend and the great Orange Bowl experience that we had in the hard-fought victory over a tough Penn State football team," Freeman said. "Being that it was the semifinals, victories are short-lived as we prepare for this last opportunity together with this special group."
We don't have to tell you that Notre Dame players have probably seen how high the spread is and they're going to use that as some bulletin-board material. Again, we think Ohio State is going to find a way to post a victory, but something tells us it will be a one-score game. We're going with Notre Dame to cover the spread as our pick here.
Look for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame to be a defensive battle
Last but not least here, look for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame to be a defensive battle. While Will Howard and Leonard are going to want to put on a show in this one, we can't forget that OSU and ND both feature tremendous defenses. Just ask Penn State and Texas about that. In the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame gave the PSU offense all kinds of issues, which was awesome to see.
Freeman and his defensive staff came up with a great game plan. As for Ohio State, the Big Ten side did the same against Texas, with Jack Sawyer's unreal scoop and score still being talked about and for a good reason.That play from Sawyer will go down as one of the best in school history. While there's plenty of offensive talent for each squad, something tells us that this will be a low-scoring affair.
The over/under has been set at 45.5 points for this matchup. We have a feeling that it's going to be tough for a lot of points to be put up on the board. Having said that, we're definitely going with the under as our pick in this case. Looking to bet on the action? Check the BetOnline promo codes and promotions, as the title game will be great for placing wagers.
