The stage is set—Ohio State and Notre Dame will compete for the CFP National Championship. Each overcame adversity in their respective semifinal tilts. The Buckeyes enter as 8.5-point favorites, their largest spread of the College Football Playoffs, on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Both programs have a perfect spread record in the postseason but each for different reasons. Notre Dame's defense has kept its competition at bay while Ohio State's offense has been commanding and in control against Tennessee, Oregon and Texas. But, it's not a battle of the offenses this time around.
Ohio State vs notre dame Odds
Matchup Page: Ohio State vs Notre Dame, Jan. 20, 7:30 pm ET
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State Buckeyes | -8.5 (-106) | -365 | O45.5 (-112) |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | +8.5 (-114) | +285 | U45.5 (-108) |
Odds as of Jan. 14 at FanDuel
Ohio State vs notre dame Picks—CFP National Championship
With a +19.7 win margin in the postseason, the Buckeyes are steamrolling through their CFP route. But, 8.5-point favorites in the National Championship seems a tad disrespectful to Notre Dame—especially given the successful adjustments and suffocating defense its showcased in its past three outings.
The line marks the third-highest spread in CFP National Championship history, falling short to Georgia (-13.5) vs TCU and Alabama (-9.0) vs Ohio State in 2020-21. In both those cases, the favorite covered and won by 28-points or more while the OVER hit. Notably, the favorite has covered in five-straight title games. But, I would argue there hasn't been as clear of a favorite in this new 12-team format as there has been in previous seasons.
Ryan Day got his first taste at adversity against the Longhorns, entering halftime with a tied scoreboard. A scoop n' score helped the Buckeyes get back a lead. However, Marcus Freeman has grown accustomed to adversity being thrown his direction. Several ongoing injuries, winning the Sugar Bowl without his star running back, relying on back-up Steve Angeli for a crucial drive when Riley Leonard was in concussion protocol—the list drags on.
Like I've hinted at, it's been Notre Dame's defense that has given its offense some breathing room and refuses to let the team trail by an uncomfortable amount. Throughout the CFP, Ohio State has just been in clashes of the more explosive offense—to which the Buckeyes have always come out on top. Yet, I'm not convinced Ohio State will swiftly gain space on the scoreboard when it goes up against a team whose biggest strength is its defensive front.
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Pick: Notre Dame +8.5 (-114)
*picks made as of Tuesday, January 14 at 11:30 am ET
Ohio State vs notre dame News
Notre Dame has been riddled with injuries across its season. The latest missing pieces are Anthonie Knapp and Rocco Spindle, another two offensive linemen, who left the field in the Orange Bowl vs Penn State. Knapp has been officially ruled out with a high ankle sprain.
The silver lining is Jeremiyah Love has another week to heal up from his knee injury. Marcus Freeman has already declared his star running back will be part of the battle for the National Championship title. Beaux Collins is also expected to recover from his calf strain, giving the Irish wide receiver room a boost it needs.
Ohio State vs notre dame Prop Bet: Jeremiyah Love OVER 41.5 Rushing yards (-114)
Jeremiyah Love is a magnet to the football when the Irish are on offense. The sophomore has hit the OVER on 41.5 rushing yards in five of his last six performances. The only exception was when he missed a chunk of the second half in the Sugar Bowl after tweaking a knee injury.
It was obvious Notre Dame didn't want to put the brunt of the playmaking on Love's shoulders in the first half of the Orange Bowl. But, the group surged following halftime and Love recorded an important 45 yards and a relentless touchdown to give Marcus Freeman his first lead of the game. Love is hungry for the ball and good things happen when its in his hands. With the national title at stake, expect one last all-or-nothing performance from Love on Monday night.
Ohio State vs notre dame Betting Trends
- Notre Dame has covered 11 straight spreads, six of which were listed as double-digit lines
- Ohio State has won every CFP game by two touchdowns or more, covering three-straight spreads.
- Ohio State is 9-6 ATS this season as a favorite
