Thank you!
Thant concludes our coverage of the big college football game! Congratulations to OSU! They win their first national title since 2014.
Thank you for joining us, and wherever you are, good morning, good afternoon or goodnight!
Updated
Buckeyes 34-23 Irish, FINAL!
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the 2025 National Champions! They complete a four-game sweep of the playoff and are the inaugural 12-team playoff title winners! They are also the very first two-loss national champs in division one college football history.
Buckeyes 34-23 Irish, 0:18 4th quarter
Love has a short completion but is dropped for two yards.
FIELD GOAL! Buckeyes 34-23 Irish, 0:26 4th quarter
Jayden Fielding kicks a 33-yard field goal and that will seal the national title for OSU!
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 0:29 4th quarter
Howard keeps it for a short loss. So it’s fourth down and OSU call time. Here comes the field goal unit.
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 1:13 4th quarter
Howard leans ahead and falls to the ground. It’s 3rd & goal and the clock runs until OSU call timeout.
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 1:53 4th quarter
Judkins runs for a yard and ND call their third and final timeout. They’re on life support right now: only OSU can win this for the Irish now.
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 2:00 4th quarter
Howard goes for it all on third and long and finds Smith way, WAY downfield!
Wow! How about that play call! It’s a 57-yard reception! And that should do it! Or almost do it!
What a play!
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 2:45 4th quarter
ND look confused on defense, but Howard is running again. Why? That is one bad play call. I get running the clock, but how about a running back? It’s a loss of one. Huge 3rd down here.
Timeout ND no2.
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 2:50 4th quarter
Howard takes his time, lets the clock run. We’re under three minutes. Howard with yet another keeper but this time he’s got nowhere to go! Timeout Notre Dame, their first. OSU have two timeouts as well.
It’s 2nd & 10 on the OSU 35.
Updated
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 3:17 4th quarter
Howard sneaks to the outside when it looked like he was in trouble! Big first down! Another big Howard run!
Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 3:46 4th quarter
Judkins runs for three on first down to the OSU 27.
How it happened!
The hand of God!
Jaden Greathouse is putting on a show👀
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/eW8n8imsU3
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 31-23 Irish, 4:15 4th quarter
Leonard to Greathouse again! Amazing throw by Leonard! And a one-handed grab by Greathouse! Wow!
Here comes the conversion attempt! And it’s good! Leonard was on the run, but he got it to Collins, and it’s a one possession game!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 4:57 4th quarter
OSU’s JT Tuimoloau sacks Leonard for three yards, but is banged up on the play. Injury timeout.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 4:59 4th quarter
I still don’t know why ND were trying to kick a field goal, but I will try to move on.
Hurry up offense for the Irish. Completions to Collins and then Evans for 15 yards.
Then Evans again! This time for a lot more, over the middle! It’s a 33-yard gain to the OSU 31!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 6:25 4th quarter
On 3rd & 3, Howard throws a screen, incomplete. So here comes the ISU punter for the first time tonight! Joe McGuire has himself a 51-yard kick and ND starts at their own 20.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 7:45 4th quarter
So that was a brief moment of excitement. But now it’s over. And Howard is running for chunks through the ND defense. It’s an 11-yard gain up to the 32.
Tick tok.
NO GOOD! Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 9:24 4th quarter
Kicker Jeter clanks a 27-yard-attempt off the post. It’s such an ugly sound, and worse for Notre Dame fans.
A. Why were they going for a field goal?
B. Come on man!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 9:34 4th quarter
Greathouse on a crossing pattern: incomplete! It’s broken up! It’s fourth down. A field goal doesn’t help, but the unit comes out anyway.
Hmm. Interesting.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 9:38 4th quarter
On 2nd & goal, Leonard can’t connect Evans in the corner. They have two more shots.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 10:21 4th quarter
Leonard is looking for Harrison in the endzone, incomplete but there’s a defensive holding call! That’s an automatic first down. First and goal at the eight!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 10:36 4th quarter
Greathouse, one more time! This time for five yards down to the 17.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 11:02 4th quarter
Leonard has time and hits Greathouse again, this time in the middle of the field! ND are on the OSU 22!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 11:44 4th quarter
Another vital 3rd down is upon us: 3rd & 12. Leonard is back in the shotgun. He stays in the pocket and hits Evans, short by five yards. And they will go for it.
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 13:04 4th quarter
Right away, a key 3rd & 9. Leonard in the shotgun, stays in the pocket and launches a ball to Greathouse and he has it! Wow! That’s a great throw and a better catch – a 30-yard gain!
Now OSU are done for pass interference and suddenly, the ball is on the OSU 38!
FUMBLE! Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 14:46 4th quarter
The call on the field stands! Notre Dame have the ball at their 21!
FUMBLE? Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 14:46 4th quarter
ND blitz, but the reverse beats it beautifully, and Egbuka is off and running! But then Egbuka coughs it up and Notre Dame have it! Was he down?
Man it’s close!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, end of 3rd quarter
Howard throws it away on 2nd & 8, but there’s a personal foul on RJ Oben who hits Howard for no reason whatsoever. So instead of setting up a third and long, OSU have a gift first down. And are you kidding me? You can NOT do that!
Here comes the fourth quarter!
Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 1:21 3rd quarter
Howard takes it himself on 3rd & 1 for a first down at the OSU 36. ND need a stop to keep this momentum going!
How it happened!
Do we have a ball game? Greathouse thinks so.
Jaden Greathouse gets loose after the catch for the TOUCHDOWN 🔥
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 21, 2025
Notre Dame has made it a two-possession game after converting the 2-pt conversion!pic.twitter.com/gLPRTFFqCq
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 31-15 Irish, 3:03 3rd quarter
Wow! Tremendous catch and run by Greathouse who finds the endzone! It’s a 34-yard TD reception! And then ND convert the two-point play! So all of a sudden, it’s a two possession game with loads of time left.
Did that wake up the echoes?
Buckeyes 31-7 Irish, 3:13 3rd quarter
Leonard, a little run, but a yard short. So it’s 3rd & 1 from the 38. And here goes Leonard again, this time, running right! it’s their first third down conversion since their opening drive, which tells you everything you need to know.
Buckeyes 31-7 Irish, 4:42 3rd quarter
Leonard is sacked! Styles got their first! It’s an 11-yard loss! Ouch!
it’s 3rd & 19 and Leonard is being chased again, barely getting it away. Evans is interfered with and flags fly! So that’s a first down and ND are across midfield!
Buckeyes 31-7 Irish, 6:24 3rd quarter
ND need a reason to believe. They’re on their own 36 now. Leonard is in the shotgun, runs right and throws a laser to Collins for 10 and a first down.
FIELD GOAL! Buckeyes 31-7 Irish, 7:52 3rd quarter
Jayden Fielding hits from 46 yards out.
So it wasn’t a touchdown, that’s progress!
Updated
Buckeyes 28-7 Irish, 7:58 3rd quarter
On 3rd & long, Tate is open in the corner of the endzone but Howard’s pass is too long! So here comes the field goal unit.
Updated
Buckeyes 28-7 Irish, 8:48 3rd quarter
Henderson runs it down to the 19.
Then on 2nd and 7, Howard throws, complete, but there’s a flag. Holding on OSU’s Fryar, and that makes it 2nd & 17.
Updated
The Long Goodbye
Let’s face it, Notre Dame are being destroyed. Can they comeback? Is the Pope Protestant?
It’s 4th & 1, deep in their own territory and they’re not going for it. They’re kicking. Or they’re faking it!
It’s a pass from the backup QB, Steve Angeli, and it’s incomplete! Oy boy.
OSU takeover at the ND 33.
The big one
Here’s Judkins, formerly of Ole Miss, now of OSU, and tearing it up on the big stage.
QUINSHON JUDKINS STRIDING ALL OVER ATLANTA #PMSCFPNATTYESPN2 pic.twitter.com/nkigS5OOW5
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 21, 2025
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 28-7 Irish, 12:46 3rd quarter
Who else, Judkins, up the gut.
Too easy. And if you’re Notre Dame, there’s only one thing you can say right now:
“Let us pray”
Buckeyes 21-7 Irish, 13:03 3rd quarter
On 2nd and goal, Howard runs down to the one. Third down.
Buckeyes 21-7 Irish, 14:03 3rd quarter
OSU start fro their 25, and on second down, Judkins runs and EXPLODES! He runs left, cuts right, and zoom! He’s gone! Or almost gone – he runs out of gas after 70 yards and is taken down at the five!
Right now, that’s your MVP.
Timeout OSU! Gulp.
And we're back!
There was no fancy halftime thing for me to make fun of. Instead, we’re back with a key drive for Notre Dame. They just have to make something happen on defense here, now. Then they have to remember how to pass and run.
No problem!
G’day mate!
Did I mention the Australian punters? Notre Dame has James Rendell, the senior product out of Melbourne. He’s had two kicks tonight averaging 48.5 yards.
Meanwhile, Joe McGuire, also of Melbourne, hasn’t seen any action yet.
Missing: Have you seen this man? His name is Joe McGuire, and he is the@OhioStateFB
— American Football Community Belgium (@AmFootballBE) January 21, 2025
punter. He was last seen in the semifinal against Texas. So far today there has been no sight of him. #CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/7So8mMIkNP
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Stats
OSU are dominating on total yards, 231 to 93, and in first downs, 15 to six. OSU have thrown to six different receivers, and have handed off to four different, not counting the QB, who has run for 26 yards of his own. He’s also thrown for 144 yards and is nearly perfect, hitting on 14 of 15 passes. Not bad!
Meanwhile, as dynamic as Leonard was on that opening drive, where he carried nine times, the receiving game is basically nonexistent. And less Leonard, so is the rushing game.
As a matter of fact, after the opening drive, ND have amassed a grand total of 18 yards.
Ouch!
Buckeyes 21-7 Irish, halftime
The Irish start at the 25. They have two timeouts.
Here’s a screen to Collins, but no timeout is called and so we head to halftime.
OSU have assert their dominance after ND’s long first scoring drive.
ND head coach Marcus Freeman is asked what they have to do to get back in this game by ESPN TV in the US.
“We just gotta relax man.”
Some points also.
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 21-7 Irish, 0:27 second quarter
Howard has time, lots of time. Is he going to take himself? It looks like it, but then he fires towards the center of the endzone to an open Judkins! It’s another TD for OSU and that is an absolute killer.
This could get ugly.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 0:30 second quarter
Howard takes it himself down to the ND 12, a gain of 11. Then Henderson runs for six more yards.
Now, with the ball at the six, OSU call timeout, their second.
OSU get the ball first in the second half, so it’s vital that ND keep the Buckeyes out of the enedzone. I don’t like their odds.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 1:15 second quarter
Smith runs, stops, turns towards his quarterback, makes the catch and runs for a first down. Tough to defend. It’s 15 yards to the ND 23.
Now a pass to Henderson is broken up, incomplete.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 1:25 second quarter
Howard in the shotgun – has time – fires to Tate, who slides in the middle of the field and makes the catch! OSU are batting 1000 on third down conversions tonight, 6/6.
Now Howard is sacked! ND break through and call timeout. It’s 2nd & 13 and ND want to save clock because they think they can stop this OSU train. Let’s see.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 2:00 second quarter
Henderson runs up to the ND 45 as we hit the warning. And that sets up yet another important third down coming up after these messages.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 2:14 second quarter
Howard is hit as he throws, but he finds Innis on a post route for a first down! That’s a killer for Notre Dame who brought pressure and were just a split second too late. And OSU, well, they have lots of options of offense.
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 3:53 second quarter
Do the Irish have enough gas on defense to stop this OSU multi-faceted machine? Well, right away, it’s 3rd & 7 and an important play coming up right here. Can ND force a punt?
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 4:53 second quarter
The TE is in motion and the snap hits Mitchell Evans! Evans is able to recover but that could have been a deadly turnover deep in their own territory!
So now a punt doesn’t seem that bad. ND kick it away, and OSU start from their 20.
Updated
Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 5:37 second quarter
ND start from their 25. Leonard is back with another keeper. Is he gonna make it through this game? Gain of five.
Then he’s hit as he throws, incomplete. Big 3rd & 5 right here. The ND defense is not ready to come back yet.
How it happened!
QUINSHON JUDKINS TAKES THE LEAD FOR OHIO STATE!
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/i7hKJTbPmB
He bounced and bounced and broke into the endzone.
Ten plays, 76 yards in 6:06. These teams have ripped off huge chunks of clock with these drives. ND needs to give their defense a breather with something sustained here.
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 14-7 Irish, 6:15 second quarter
Judkins runs it in, and OSU are on top for the first time in this game!
That means ND are behind, and the narrative is that the Irish are not built for comebacks. Can they write a new story?
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 6:29 second quarter
Howard keeps it and has a first down. Gain of about three. Ball on the ND nine.
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 7:10 second quarter
Jenkins runs and is hit, before squeaking in for a few yards, just a bit deeper into the red zone.
Now it’s 3rd & 1 as Egbuka has yet another catch!
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 8:20 second quarter
Egbuka is back again and makes his third catch of the drive, and pays the price, getting crushed by the sideline. I missed who that was for the Irish, but Egbuka didn’t. Ouch!
Ball at the ND 20, timeout OSU.
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 9:07 second quarter
Howard in the shotgun, looks around and sees that nobody is anyone near him. “Oh, I should run”, he thinks, and so he does! It’s 11 yards, down to the ND32.
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 9:56 second quarter
Short gain for Egbuka sets up a big 3rd & 5! Can ND hold?
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 10:34 second quarter
Egbuka, towards the near sideline, finds the edge, turns the corner and has a 14-yard gain. His longest of the season!
Now Tate makes a sideline catch for 15 yards and the machine is in motion. Ball on the ND 48.
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 12:21 second quarter
A short pass to the tight end Evans isn’t nearly enough, and so the Irish will have to punt from their own 20.
Good 46-yard punt to the OSU 34. A holding penalty by the Buckeyes pushes them back another 10. So when we come back, State will start at their own 24.
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 13:19 second quarter
Leonard is in huge trouble, but he dances and escapes, then he fires complete to Beaux. But there’s a holding penalty and that pushes back the Irish even more! After a short run, it’s 3rd & 23!
Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 14:03 second quarter
Alright, a lot of commercials, but we’re back. Let’s see how Notre Dame respond to the response. From the 25, the Irish start out with an incomplete pass, intended for Collins.
Now there’s a false start flag – this is different than the first ND possession.
How it happened!
JEREMIAH SMITH CONTINUES HIS STELLAR FRESHMAN SEASON 🔥
— ESPN (@espn) January 21, 2025
Ohio State responds with a touchdown of its own 😤 pic.twitter.com/FOEr4rNIF9
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 7-7 Irish, 14:10 second quarter
Howard sells the play action fake, and Smith is wide open on the near side! He makes a game-tying catch, and OSU have answered with a 75-yard drive of their own! It took 11 plays and 6:05 to level this game up!
Updated
Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, 14:44 2nd quarter
Judkins runs down to the five!
Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, end 1st quarter
Two great drives to start this game, but now OSU face a crucial third down – they need three at the Irish 18.
They have it – Howard shows he has some wheels himself and moves the chains!
And that’s the first quarter! That moved!
Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, 1:09 1st quarter
Howard finds his tight end, Gee Scott, on the near sideline. That’s four yards.
This is a lot more! Henderson has the ball and he cuts, runs through a hole, turns on the jets, and heads for the sideline! By the time he’s done it’s 15 yards!
Now Judkins takes a screen pass and then runs for 15. So OSU are at the Irish 25 and moving fast!
Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, 3:15 1st quarter
Henderson, a pair of runs. One goes for five, the other for no gain. It’s 3rd & 5 and Howard finds Smith! There’s the big name, making the big play at wide receiver to extend this drive for OSU! They’ll lean on him tonight.
David Timms is in NZ following along:
“Here at the bottom of the world we look on in envy at your sports. $4000 for the cheapest ticket? That would pay for a degree over here.”
Ha! That will get us about six credits!
Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, 5:15 1st quarter
Leonard looks absolutely exhausted, and with good reason. Has he ever had nine carries on a drive before? And against Ohio State?
OSU will start at the 25 after a touchback.
How it happened!
18 plays, 75 yards, 9:45. That’s right, nine minutes and fourty-five seconds.
Did we just witness the best opening drive in football history?
— Covers (@Covers) January 21, 2025
10 MINUTES AND A TOUCHDOWN ☘️ pic.twitter.com/wCWDuWbZ3U
TOUCHDOWN! Buckeyes 0-7 Irish, 5:15 1st quarter
Leonard’s ninth carry of this epic opening drive ends with him running for pay dirt! Notre Dame opens the game with a tone-setting TD! The extra point is good. Pretty special start for the Irish.
Now, how will OSU respond after getting smashed in the mouth and being down for the first time in the playoffs?
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 5:25 1st quarter
Leonard fakes the hand off and runs left, but is taken down just short. Here comes a huge 4th & 1!
And Leonard again! He runs right, has the first down and more! He’s down to the one yard line!
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 6:48 1st quarter
Notre Dame are just eating clock. It’s 2nd & 8, Leonard runs right, looks to throw and then keeps it, running out of bounds just short of a first down. It’ll be third and three.
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 8:31 1st quarter
Now Price is running to the far sideline and then turns the corner to the OSU 19! It’s 3rd and 1, and Leonard pushes the pile inside the 15. Macho!
What a start for ND! Can they get into the endzone?
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 9:23 1st quarter
Eli Rairdon has a catch after Leonard ran to his right and fired! It’s a 14-yard gain down to the OSU 28!
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 10:08 1st quarter
On 3rd & 1, Love runs wide but can’t find the edge – he’s stuffed. It’s 4th & 1 and ND are going for it!
And they have it! Leonard keeps it and has just enough space for a first down. The drive continues!
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 11:39 1st quarter
The Irish are moving against this stellar Buckeyes defense. Mitchell a first down catch. Then Love has a reception in the flat. They’re across midfield!
Buckeyes 0-0 Irish, 13:13 1st quarter
Leonard on 3rd & 3 and the QB sneaks for a second time this drive, this time, up the middle for a first down.
Updated
We’re off!
Riley Leonard is the captain and the QB for the Irish. Love has the ball on the first play from scrimmage and he is wrapped off for a short loss! Ball at the Irish 19.
Toin Coss
OSU call tails and it’s tails, but they deferred. Notre Dame will get the ball to start this national championship game!
Updated
Here they come
Notre Dame walk through a door donned with their traditional sign that reads “play like a champion today”. Then they are surrounded by lasers. So are OSU. Finally both teams are set free and run onto the field through a pathway of more sparkly fireworks. The bands play, the cheerleaders cheer. This is the pomp and circumstance of college football, once an amateur endeavor, now a paid gig. It’s supposed to feel big, but to be perfectly honest, it really doesn’t.
I’m sure it’s not you, it’s me.
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National Anthem
Coco Jones is an R&B singer with seven Grammy nominations.
There’s a really big flag, which is standard, that they shake around so it waves, and a few lame fireworks, of course, because it’s indoors.
But Coco, wow! What a tremendous job! Best I’ve heard in a while! I give it a 9/10. Way to go Coco!
In slo-mo
If you didn’t see this, Jeremiyah Love’s run for Notre Dame v Penn State seemed to defy physics.
In honor of Notre Dame vs Ohio State Championship tonight, I give you the greatest 2 yard run in college football history.
— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) January 20, 2025
In super slow mo. Even the tenth time watching it seems like he isn’t gonna make it.
Jeremiah Love shows what sheer will can do versus an army. ☘️ pic.twitter.com/EBThZSPOpj
Notre Dame’s offense is about the running game – Love will have to have a big night if Notre Dame are going to steal this natty.
The big beef
Is it weird that there’s a war of words between an 88-year-old former head coach of Notre Dame, Lou Holtz, who was also an assistant at OSU, and the Buckeyes current head coach Ryan Day? Yeah, but it’s also weird that OSU’s payroll for this team is $20m.
Anyway, Lou Holtz, who everyone except Notre Dame fans absolutely hated while he was coach at South Bend, once said something about the lack of physicality of the Buckeyes. Then in September of last season, OSU beat Notre Dame, and on the field after the game, Ryan Day brought up Holtz’ comments, rambling on about how he would “like to know where Lou Holz is right now,” of which the answer was, probably at home because he’s almost 90. Now the rift has resurfaced, propelling Holtz to travel to Atlanta to see his Irish try to upset OSU. Perhaps Holtz will be the lucky charm the Irish need? Yes, I wrote that.
Ryan Day vs Lou Holtz. New rivalry UNLOCKED. pic.twitter.com/ziSvRrBWCw
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 24, 2023
Ohio State has the talent, but Notre Dame has the heart, the culture, and the defense to win this game.
— Lou Holtz (@CoachLouHoltz88) January 15, 2025
Stay patient, run the football, and trust the process.
Notre Dame wins a close one—by 3.
Remember, we’re Notre Dame and they ain’t! pic.twitter.com/uDKng78jNe
Who needs tickets?
If it’s you, I hope you have deep pockets. Just getting into the big house in Atlanta will run you $4000 big ones, and that’s for a single upper deck seat. That’s about a dollar for every mile these jet setting college students have covered as they flew around the country playing this tourney. Gosh, I hope they’ve had some time to study!
Actually, it seems they have, as OSU’s team grade point average is 3.3, which is exceptional considering the lives these student athletes lead. It’s good news for OSU head coach Ryan Day, who gets a cool half million for his team scoring above a 3.0 GPA.
But I digress: if you want the best seats, you’re looking at close to $12k, which is a lot. If you’ve got the dosh, there’s still time! Or you can just follow along with us for the grand total of zero USD. It’s up to you!
Updated
We are live!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, national championship game: Notre Dame v Ohio State. Did I say that right? The branding is a bit complicated but that hasn’t stopped millions upon millions of football devouring Americans from watching these games in droves. This tournament, featuring some of the biggest collegiate programs in the nation, has been a complete commercial success, with those invested reaping the ratings and the rewards. It also must be the longest college football season ever, with both of these teams about to suit up for their 16th game, as the final continues to move farther and farther away from college football’s traditional New Year’s day sweetspot.
But never mind all that, we’ve got a ball game to play and for Notre Dame, it just doesn’t get any bigger. One of the most revered and historic football programs in the United States, the Fighting Irish were the very first program to get an “America’s Team” moniker, annoying just about everyone except Notre Dame fans. Even with all the glamor attached to the program, they haven’t won a national title since 1988, and that they’re in the final is something of a surprise, especially when you consider that they lost to Northern Illinois earlier in the season. Once upon a time, losing to a 28 point underdog, one who Notre Dame paid $1.4m just to come and play at South Bend, would have been a death sentence to national title aspirations. With 12 teams, rather than four now being invited to the playoffs, there’s now room for error. So the ensuing 13-game winning streak that these Irish ripped off earned them an invite, and then their stunning defeat of Penn State in the semifinals got them a spot in Atlanta for a shot at all the marbles.
As so often happens in college sports, with players coming and going more than ever, the head coach is the star. Marcus Freeman is just 39 years old, and one of only 16 black head coaches in the 134 teams known as the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. If he beats Ohio State he will become the first black head coach to win a national title:a significant milestone, and on Martin Luther King Day in the US no less. And if Notre Dame are to win, it’ll be their defense that makes the difference: the Irish have the no2 “D” in the nation.
Ohio State? Well, their defense is arguably even better than Notre Dame’s, which spells trouble for the banged up offensive line for the Irish. It’s one reason why the Buckeyes are favored to win this game by a healthy 8.5 points and to take their first national championship since 2014. Like Notre Dame, OSU also had their regular season pitfalls, suffering a shock defeat to their kryptonite, Michigan on the last regular season weekend of the season. The 21-point upset, at home, led to a players only meeting that galvanized the Buckeyes, who went on to score dominant wins over Oregon and Texas en route to the final in Atlanta.
The best player on the field tonight will wear red and white. Jeremiah Smith, the vaunted 19-year-old wide receiver punished defenses this season, slicing up the then-no1 ranked Oregon Ducks for nearly 190 yards and two touchdowns in the quarterfinal. Whether Notre Dame can slam the brakes on this future top-five NFL pick will have a lot to do with the ability of the Irish to hang close in this game.
So a big match-up? Absolutely: big enough to rival the inauguration of a United States President. So get your pom poms ready as we get set for the National Championship game. And if you get bored, X me or email me and I’ll make you famous!
Stand by for more coverage: stick with us!
David will be here shortly, here’s something from the AP on the significance of today’s game:
Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman felt more comfortable talking about the national championship his players have a chance to win Monday night than the history attached to it if they pull it off.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the connections between Freeman’s fate — he is trying to become the first African American coach to capture a college title at the highest level in America’s favorite sport — and all that’s happening in the U.S. on the day of the big game.
Monday 20 January is national-title day but also the day the United States celebrates Martin Luther King Jr., and inaugurates Donald Trump to his second term as president. King devoted his life to fighting for inclusion and equality, and today diversity initiatives are increasingly under scrutiny on college campuses.
“The timing of Marcus Freeman and Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a powerful symbol that should be viewed with cautious optimism,” said Joseph Cooper, the director of the Institute for Innovative Leadership in Sport at UMass. “And with the incoming administration and their professed commitment to undo DEI policies, it reflects the peril and the long journey we still have to go, beyond just breaking barriers with pioneers.”
That Freeman’s potential breakthrough comes more than 40 years after a Black basketball coach first did the same, and that it comes against a backdrop of a mediocre minority hiring record that has shadowed college sports for decades, is a sign of how far those sports still have to go.
“Today’s Black coach is the ‘70’s Black quarterback,” Rod Broadway, who coached at historically Black universities Grambling State and North Carolina A&T, said about the once-rare sight of an African American playing the sport’s most important position.
