College Football Playoffs 2025: OSU vs. Notre Dame Championship Game Odds, Info

Zach BacharContributor IJanuary 11, 2025

Sam Hodde/Getty Images

The two teams that will compete to win the College Football Playoff national title are now set.

Following Ohio State’s 28-14 win over Texas on Friday night, the Buckeyes will face off against Notre Dame for a national championship. Ohio State has opened as a -400 favorite to win the upcoming matchup with the Fighting Irish, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

The contest will take place in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Jan. 20. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Notre Dame will be attempting to win its first national championship since 1988. The Irish have come close since, earning CFP spots during the previous four-team format in 2018 and 2020. Both playoff appearances ended during the semifinal round, though.

The Irish are also set to make their first national title game appearance under head coach Marcus Freeman. Since Freeman took over as the team’s full-time head coach in 2022, Notre Dame improved its win total in each year under him and currently sits at 14-1.

Freeman’s group has also won 13 straight games since a surprising defeat to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, including a 27-24 victory over Penn State in Thursday’s semifinal clash.

ESPN @espnNotre Dame takes the lead with less than 10 seconds to go‼️ pic.twitter.com/0uIC19YAEZ

Ohio State’s championship drought isn’t nearly as long, capturing a national title during the 2014 season. The Buckeyes also made an appearance in the CFP national championship game at the end of their 2020 campaign before falling to Alabama.

Head coach Ryan Day’s squad failed to earn a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game with a loss to Michigan on Nov. 30, but Ohio State was still able to earn playoff wins over Tennessee, Oregon and Texas without the opportunity to compete for a first-round bye.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportOHIO STATE STRIP SACK SCOOP AND SCORE 83-YARD TOUCHDOWN 🤯🔥pic.twitter.com/W964j2ZDau

The Buckeyes have faced Notre Dame twice since the current head coaches took over at each school, with Ohio State winning both matchups. The most recent meeting occurred in Sept. 2023, as Day’s team emerged with a 17-14 victory on the road.

The next battle between the two schools will have a national championship hanging in the balance.