The 2024 college football season will reach its finale on Monday night, just shy of five months since it began, with a champion to be determined.

The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff concludes with Ohio State and Notre Dame competing for the national title at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. One of the historic football programs will add another trophy to their collection.

Catch the College Football Playoff championship live using Fubo (free trial available)

Although Ohio State is the No. 8 seed, they have shown dominance throughout the playoffs. Under Coach Ryan Day, the team has decisively won its first three playoff games, outscoring their opponents—Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas—by a combined total of 59 points. Their victory against Texas, which ended 28-14 on January 10 in the Cotton Bowl, was slightly more challenging, highlighted by a crucial 83-yard scoop-and-score by Jack Sawyer in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Looking to stop Ohio State from securing their third national championship this century is the formidable Fighting Irish squad, seeded No. 7. After a surprising setback against Northern Illinois where they lost 16-14 on September 7, Notre Dame has rebounded with 13 straight wins, including playoff victories against Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State. They sealed a narrow 27-24 win over Penn State on January 9 in the Orange Bowl with Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal just before the final whistle.

The matchup features Notre Dame’s third-year head coach Marcus Freeman facing off against the school he attended, having played linebacker at Ohio State from 2004 to 2008. If Notre Dame prevails, Freeman would make history as the first Black coach to win a national championship in FBS history.

Stay tuned here for real-time scores, updates, highlights, viewing options, and more from the College Football Playoff championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame:

Score Updates for CFP Championship Game

This section will be kept updated following kickoff.

When is the CFP Championship Game?

• Date: Monday, Jan. 20
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

The game featuring the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on January 20 from the home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

Which Channel is Broadcasting the CFP Championship Game?

• TV channel: ESPN and ESPN2
• Streaming options: ESPN App, ESPN+, and Fubo (with a free trial)

The College Football Playoff championship match will be broadcast on ESPN, with Chris Fowler serving as the play-by-play commentator and Kirk Herbstreit as the analyst. Sideline reporters include Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath.

For streaming, fans can tune in via the ESPN app or through Fubo, which provides a free trial for new subscribers.

Betting Odds for the CFP Championship Game

Lines and odds from BetMGM, updated as of Saturday, Jan. 18

• Point Spread: Ohio State (-8.5)
• Total Points Over/Under: 45.5 points
• Moneyline: Ohio State (-375) | Notre Dame (+300)

2024 Ohio State Football Schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Akron (W, 52-6)
• Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Western Michigan (W, 56-0)
• Saturday, Sept. 14: BYE
• Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Marshall (W, 49-14)
• Thursday, Sept. 26: at Michigan State* (W, 38-7)
• Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. Iowa* (W, 35-7)
• Saturday, Oct. 12: at No. 3 Oregon* (L, 32-31)
• Saturday, Oct. 19: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 26: vs. Nebraska* (W, 21-17)
• Saturday, Nov. 2: at No. 3 Penn State* (W, 20-13)
• Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Purdue* (W, 45-0)
• Saturday, Nov. 16: at Northwestern* (W, 31-7)
• Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 5 Indiana* (W, 38-15)
• Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Michigan* (L, 13-10)
• Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 9 Tennessee, CFP first-round (W, 42-17) **
• Wednesday, Jan. 1: vs. No. 1 Oregon, CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal (W, 41-21) **
• Friday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 5 Texas, CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal (W, 28-14) **
• Monday, Jan. 20: vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, CFP championship game **
• Record: 13-2, 7-2 Big Ten

* Indicates Big Ten game

** Indicates CFP ranking

2024 Notre Dame Football Schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 31: at No. 20 Texas A&M (W, 23-13)
• Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Northern Illinois (L, 16-14)
• Saturday, Sept. 14: at Purdue (W, 66-7)
• Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Miami, Ohio (W, 28-3)
• Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. No. 17 Louisville (W, 31-24)
• Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Stanford (W, 49-7)
• Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 31-13)
• Saturday, Oct. 26: vs. No. 24 Navy (W, 51-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 2: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Florida State (W, 52-3)
• Saturday, Nov. 16: vs. Virginia (W, 35-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 17 Army (Won, 49-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 30: at USC (Won, 49-35)
• Friday, Dec. 20: vs. No. 10 Indiana, CFP first round (Won, 27-17) **
• Thursday, Jan. 2: vs. No. 2 Georgia, CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal (Won, 23-10) **
• Thursday, Jan. 9: vs. No. 6 Penn State, CFP Orange Bowl semifinal (Won, 27-24) **
• Monday, Jan. 20: vs. No. 8 Ohio State, CFP championship **
• Record: 14-1

** Denotes CFP ranking

News on the CFP Championship Game

• Quarterbacks Will Howard and Riley Leonard previously shared a room at the Manning Passing Academy
• ‘It’s going to be an incredible game,’ says former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer regarding the CFP final
• Strategies for Ohio State to defeat Notre Dame: 3 crucial factors for the College Football Playoff final
• Key players for Notre Dame to watch in their championship match against Ohio State
• Reason behind Notre Dame football captain Jack Kiser’s decision to return for a sixth season

Predictions for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

Here’s the forecast from our team on the outcome of the College Football Playoff national championship game:

• Dan Wolken: Ohio State 33, Notre Dame 10
• Eddie Timanus: Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 17
• Erick Smith: Ohio State 30, Notre Dame 16
• Jordan Mendoza: Ohio State 23, Notre Dame 16
• Paul Myerberg: Notre Dame 24, Ohio State 20
• Scooby Axson: Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 21

Mercedes Benz Stadium Details

The national championship game of the College Football Playoff will take place at the Mercedes Benz Stadium located in Atlanta. This stadium, which features a retractable roof, is home to the Atlanta Falcons and opened its doors in 2017. It also hosted the CFP championship game in 2018, where Alabama triumphed over Georgia in overtime. The stadium’s capacity can reach up to 75,000, with a record attendance of 79,330 recorded during the 2022 Peach Bowl, where Georgia edged past Ohio State 42-41 in a CFP semifinal.

Results of College Football Playoff Semifinals

Friday, Jan. 10

Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 28, No. 5 Texas 14

Thursday, Jan. 9

Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 6 Penn State 24

Results of College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

Tuesday, Dec. 31

Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State 31, No. 3 Boise State 14

Wednesday, Jan. 1

Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas 39, No. 4 Arizona State 31 (Overtime)

Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21

Thursday, Jan. 2

Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10

Results of College Football Playoff First Round

Friday, Dec. 20

No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17

Saturday, Dec. 21
No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10

No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24

No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 9 Tennessee 17

List of College Football National Champions since 2000

• 2023: Michigan
• 2022: Georgia
• 2021: Georgia
• 2020: Alabama
• 2019: LSU
• 2018: Clemson
• 2017: Alabama
• 2016: Clemson
• 2015: Alabama
• 2014: Ohio State
• 2013: Florida State
• 2012: Alabama
• 2011: Alabama
• 2010: Auburn
• 2009: Alabama
• 2008: Florida
• 2007: LSU
• 2006: Florida
• 2005: Texas
• 2004: Southern California
• 2003: LSU, Southern California
• 2002: Ohio State
• 2001: Miami (Fla.)
• 2000: Oklahoma

Weather for the CFP National Championship

The College Football Playoff national championship will occur indoors at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The outdoor weather forecast indicates sunny skies but very cold temperatures, peaking at around 34 degrees and dropping to a low of 22 degrees.

Over/Under for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

The over/under for the matchup between Ohio State and Notre Dame is set at 46.5, according to BetMGM.

Moneyline for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

According to BetMGM, Ohio State is favored at -350 on the moneyline, while Notre Dame is the underdog at +280. If you’re new to sports betting, our college football betting guide can assist you in getting started. Additionally, we provide tips for beginners on placing bets online, and readers of YSL News can access exclusive promotions and bonus codes from various online sportsbooks and betting sites.

Location of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana, just south of the border with Michigan.

College Football Playoff Format Overview

The revamped College Football Playoff format, which has an expanded field, now includes first-round byes, automatic qualifications, and home games for the first time in the CFP era.

The top four ranked teams are seeded 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. If the champion from the Group of Five is not among the top 12 teams in the final rankings, it is placed in the No. 12 position.

Following that, seven at-large teams fill out the remaining field starting with the No. 5 team. Teams seeded 5 through 12 compete in first-round games either at the home of the higher-seeded team or at an alternate location if the higher seed opts for that arrangement.

The matchups are as follows: No. 5 will host No. 12; No. 6 will host No. 11; No. 7 will host No. 10; and No. 8 will host No. 9. Winners from these first-round games then advance to face the top four seeds in the quarterfinals.

It’s important to note that after the final bracket is established, there will be no re-seeding to guarantee that the highest-ranked team faces the lowest-ranked remaining team. This means No. 1 will play the winner of the No. 8/9 game; No. 2 will face No. 7/10; No. 3 matches up with No. 6/11, and No. 4 meets No. 5/12.

Additionally, the CFP committee will not make specific arrangements to prevent teams that played each other in the regular season from facing off again in the postseason.

Last Time Ohio State Won a National Championship

The Buckeyes have claimed a total of eight national championships, with their latest being in 2014 when they defeated Oregon 42-20 during the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff. Below are the years in which they secured their national titles:

• 1942
• 1954
• 1957
• 1961
• 1968
• 1970
• 2002
• 2014

Last Time Notre Dame Won a National Championship

The Fighting Irish last celebrated a national title win in 1988 but have a total of 11 championships throughout their illustrious history. Here are the years they won national championships:

• 1924
• 1929
• 1930
• 1943
• 1946
• 1947
• 1949
• 1966
• 1973
• 1977
• 1988