And then there were two.
In a battle of heavyweights, No. 7 Notre Dame (14-1) and No. 9 Ohio State (13-2) will play Monday at 7:30 p.m. in New Orleans (ESPN) in the College Football Playoff title game — the first in the 12-team playoff era.
The programs have combined for 19 national championships and 14 Heisman Trophy winners. They will meet for the ninth time, with Ohio State owning a 6-2 series advantage. Notre Dame has not beaten Ohio State since 1936.
With a trophy on the line, here are the Fighting Irish who will play the biggest roles in deciding the game.
Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame head coach
Freeman and his staff must prepare for a loaded Ohio State team that has future NFL stars on both sides of the ball. It will take one of the best coaching efforts of his three-plus-year tenure at Notre Dame, where he is 33-9.
Though not as scrutinized as Day, Freeman is nonetheless under the microscope because of losses to overmatched Marshall (2022) and Northern Illinois (2024). He has more than proved his ability as a head coach, but a championship would solidify his status as one of the game’s elite.
Riley Leonard | Notre Dame quarterback
Leonard has thrown three touchdowns and three interceptions in the CFP, including two in the semifinal win over No. 6 Penn State. Against an Ohio State defense that forced two turnovers in its semifinal win over No. 5 Texas, Leonard must protect the ball to give the Irish a chance.
Per Pro Football Focus, Leonard is a far better passer when he’s not under pressure.
“Notre Dame’s ability to keep Riley Leonard clean when he isn’t blitzed will likely determine how much success it finds throwing the football,” PFF wrote.
Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame running back
Love looked OK against in a CFP win over Penn State (11 carries, 46 yards, TD) despite the lingering effects of a knee injury. Can he and the Irish run game solve a stout Buckeyes defense? Ohio State held Oregon to -23 rushing yards and Texas to just 58.
Notre Dame (210.8 yards per game) ranks 12th in the country in rushing, but it has only 270 yards rushing (116 yards vs. Penn State, 154 yards vs. Georgia) in its past two CFP games.
Love must cook against Ohio State, which is an 8.5-point favorite, per FanDuel.
Notre Dame defensive backs
Notre Dame plays primarily man coverage, which Ohio State has eaten alive this season. According to PFF, against man coverage, OSU quarterback Will Howard has the second-best passing grade in FBS and OSU wideout Jeremiah Smith has the third-best receiving grade. The Irish probably won’t change their look significantly at this point.
“As you watch film, not many teams are successful just sitting in man coverage versus these receivers,” said Freeman during a Sunday news conference. “We’ll obviously have to mix some things up and come up with a great plan to try to limit what they do in the passing game. You’re not going to be able to stop their receivers totally. They’re a talented bunch. So we’ll come up with a plan and be able to adapt and adjust based off what’s going on in the game.”
Xavier Watts | Notre Dame safety
Watts is projected as a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He can make a statement against Ohio State’s elite wide receivers. Notre Dame must create turnovers to keep pace with the Buckeyes and Watts is the man for the job. He led the FBS in interceptions each of the past two seasons (six this season).
