The College Football Playoff National Championship is finally here. The first ever 12-team format to the playoff is almost complete as the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Head coaches Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman are both seeking their first national title, but only one can emerge victorious. Who will win this epic final battle?

Both of these monstrous college football brands boast top three defenses in the nation. Ohio State's offense has been putting opposing defenses in a blender as they've scored 111 points in the last three games. Notre Dame's offensive balance between run and pass is emerging at just the right time. This should be a special championship game to remember.

Heading into this incredible championship matchup between the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish, beat writers from A to Z Sports who cover both teams decided to weigh in, sharing their predictions for this phenomenal national championship game.

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 17

Ohio State has the talent edge up and down their roster with nearly 20 potential prospects likely headed to the 2025 NFL Draft.

Star wide receivers Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate should be able to overcome Notre Dame's tough man defense. The running back tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins for Ohio State should be able to break off a few big plays against Notre Dame's run defense that ranked outside the Top 100 in explosive run plays allowed this year.

The Buckeyes defense full of seniors and top tier talents like edge rusher Jack Sawyer and safety Caleb Downs should be able to contain the Fighting Irish offense that has struggled against their toughest opponents.

Yes, the dynamic rushing ability of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and quarterback Riley Leonard may stress the Buckeyes defense a few times here and there. However, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's complete lack of receiving weapons will come back to bite them as the Buckeyes win by 10. – Travis May

Ohio State 30, Notre Dame 20

The Buckeyes didn’t come this far to not finish the job. This run that Ohio State is on is something special in the first year of the expanded format. Facing a defense like Texas limited the Buckeyes at times, but it was a good primer ahead of facing Notre Dame’s defense for it all. Ohio State’s ability to stop the quarterback run will be crucial in this one.

It will be interesting to see which linebacker they have as a spy against Riley Leonard. Ohio State hitting explosive plays in this one will be big, as the Fighting Irish don’t necessarily hit a ton of them themselves. In the end, I think Ryan Day grabs his first national championship and quiets his doubters. – Brandon Little

Notre Dame 24, Ohio State 20

Notre Dame heads into the national championship game as the underdog against the Buckeyes, and understandably so. This Ohio State squad is a very talented team, and they're playing their best football during the playoffs. If the Irish are going to win, it’ll come down to whether head coach Marcus Freeman can out-coach Ryan Day, and if quarterback Riley Leonard can make a timely play when it matters most. Notre Dame pulls off the upset. – Ryan Roberts

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Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 20

It's so refreshing to have a national championship game with two teams who haven't competed in one for some time. It's also the first time in modern day FBS that two teams from the Midwest are playing each other for the national championship.

Ohio State is coming into this game red hot after smoking both Tennessee and Oregon with a win over Texas coming a tad bit closer. On the other side, Notre Dame is less talented overall than Ohio State, but they arguably have better coaches.

This game will come down to running the football. Without Rylie Mills and the other injuries the Fighting Irish have suffered, the Buckeyes look primed to be much more impactful in that area with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson both at full strength, while Jeremiyah Love is still battling some form of a knee injury. The Buckeyes will win their first national title since 2014, ending the "Cinderella" run of the Fighting Irish. –  Tyler Forness

Ohio State 24, Notre Dame 10

Texas and Michigan gave Notre Dame some of the blueprint to beat Ohio State, but a chunk of that recipe involves the Buckeyes beating themselves early and often. The Irish are too beat up in the trenches and limited in the passing game to win this matchup. Ohio State will primarily depend on the run game as they bully their way to their first title in a decade. – Ian Valentino

Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 17

With everything we have seen in the playoffs so far, Ohio State looks like a team that’s unbeatable. And, hey, give credit to Notre Dame for how they have played — their defense looks amazing and the offense has been humming with a great ground game. But everything Ohio State is doing just spells out champions.

The Buckeyes can do it on the ground, through the air, and on defense. They’re by far the more talented roster, and while that doesn’t always matter, it could here with two head coaches that seem to win the games that matter most, unless it’s Michigan or Northern Illinois. Despite my score prediction, I still think this will be a game, until it’s not. – Justin Churchill

Ohio State legend reveals outlook on Ryan Day and Buckeyes ahead of National Championship Game

The Ohio State Buckeyes may have been looking to replace head coach Ryan Day not too long ago after losing to Michigan for a fourth-straight time, but the tides have turned. One potential replacement option might've been Ohio State legend Eddie George.  Instead, with the Buckeyes on the brink of playing for a National Championship, […]

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