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Ohio State and Notre Dame will meet for the national championship in the CFP final


What’s the matter?

The winner wins the national championship in the first year of an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and the longest college football season ever. Ohio State is trying to win its sixth title and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title and first since 1988.

Key matchup

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard against the Notre Dame defense. Howard is in the playoffs, and has one of the best receiving tandems in the nation in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. Smith was shut out by Texas in the semifinals, and it’s certain that Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden took notes. Golden runs an NFL-style defense with a lot of moving parts, and is adept at making changes on the fly. The Fighting Irish are at their best when in man coverage and bringing the blitz.

Players to watch

Ohio State: Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will battle a defense that has allowed just 3.4 yards per carry in three CFP games. The combination of Henderson’s speed and Judkins’ physicality can cause problems, and both are more than capable receivers.

Notre Dame: Riley Leonard is the type of quarterback that has bothered the Buckeyes. He’s a dual threat — probably a better runner than passer, especially on downfield throws. His toughness and competitiveness help him win more often than not.

Facts and figures

Ohio State is 6-2 all-time against the Irish. The Buckeyes have won six straight in the series, including 17-14 last season and 21-10 in 2022, after losing the first two meetings in 1935-36. … Notre Dame plays its second game of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Defeated Georgia Tech 31-13 on Oct. 19. … A win would make the Buckeyes the only team in history to beat a top-five opponent in the same season. … The Buckeyes (977) and Irish (962) rank second and fourth in all-time wins. … Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts’ 13 interceptions over the past two seasons are the most by an FBS player. … JT Tuimoloau leads Buckeyes with 11 1/2 sacks, 5 1/2 coming in three playoff games.



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