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The first version of the 12-team College Football Playoff has reached the national championship game and it will be Notre Dame vs. Ohio State.
The upset matchup comes after some questioned whether the CFP selection committee got it right. First-round games were played on campuses for the first time — before the games switched to bowl games for the quarterfinals and semifinals — and all four higher-seeded teams won comfortably. In the quarterfinals, all four top seeds lost after earning a bye.
After 10 games that started on December 20, there is one more left.
Who is playing and when is the game?
National Championship: No. 7 Notre Dame (14-1) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (13-2).
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, January 20, 7:30 p.m
BetMGM College Football Odds: Ohio State by 8 1/2. It’s one of the biggest points in CFP history.
How they got here: Notre Dame beat No. 10 Indiana (27-17), No. 2 Georgia (23-10) and No. 6 Penn State (27-24). Ohio State beat No. 9 Tennessee (42-17), No. 1 Oregon (41-21) and No. 5 Texas (28-14).
What to know: Ohio State will face a Fighting Irish team with a stout defense and an experienced quarterback in Riley Leonard. Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman will also have a chance to become the first black coach to win a national championship. He is also the first Asian coach to play for the title (his mother is South Korean). The Buckeyes have an even better defense and have won every CFP game by double digits. QB Will Howard and wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka and a powerful running game, too.
Who is favored?
The Buckeyes assumed the role of favorite to win the national championship after the quarterfinals, and that hasn’t changed. Ohio State is a heavy favorite (-350) to win the national championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Notre Dame is listed as a 14/5 (+280) underdog.
How do the playoffs work?
The CFP’s 13-member selection committee spent six weeks evaluating the teams, then released the rankings on Dec. 8.
The five highest-ranked conference champions were guaranteed berths in the field, regardless of where they were ranked overall by the CFP; Clemson, for example, was ranked no. 16 in the CFP, but received the 12th and lowest seed as the league’s fifth-highest ranked champion. The top four seeds were given a week off and an automatic trip to the quarterfinals, where all four lost.
The CFP started with four teams in January 2015. This year it was expanded for the first time. Many believe it could expand again, perhaps as early as 2026.
How much money is at stake?
About $115 million for the playoff field.
Each conference gets $4 million for each team that makes the final 12, then another $4 million for those that make the quarterfinals. That means teams that earned $8 million in their conferences without even playing a game.
Teams that advance to the semifinals mean $6 million more for their conference, and then another $6 million for making the finals. Notre Dame, as an independent, gets to keep all of the $20 million it received for its title.
All conferences allocate money differently. There is also a $300,000 scholarship per team that is academically eligible for the playoffs. Teams that make the playoffs also receive $3 million to cover the costs of each round.
