Ohio State Buckeyes (13-2) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-1)
January 20, 2025 7:30 pm EDT
The Line: Notre Dame Fighting Irish +8 / Ohio State Buckeyes -8; Over/Under: 45.5
(Get latest betting odds)
In this article we will formulate a Notre Dame vs Ohio State prediction for this College Football game on Monday, January 20th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Let’s take a look at the prediction for the National Championship game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 14-1 this year after they defeated Penn State by a score of 27-24 in their last game. Notre Dame trailed 10-0 in the second quarter and 24-17 in the fourth, but they scored the last 10 points in the game for the win. The Fighting Irish out gained Penn State by a total of 384-339, lost the turnover battle 2-1, and went 11-17 on third down in the game. Riley Leonard threw for 223 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, while Jaden Greathouse caught seven passes for 105 yards and one touchdown in the win.
Prior to that win, the Fighting Irish defeated Georgia by a score of 23-10 and Indiana by a score of 27-17. Notre Dame has won 13 games in a row and they have scored at least 27 points in all 13 wins. The Notre Dame offense has scored 38.5 points per game with 194.3 passing yards and 210.8 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 14.3 points against per game this year. Riley Leonard has completed 66.4% of his passes for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while Jeremiyah Love has rushed for 1,122 yards and 17 scores this year.
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 13-2 (7-2) this season after they defeated Texas by a score of 28-14 in their last game. Ohio State led 14-7 at halftime, but they led 21-14 with about three minutes left and Texas on the one yard line, before forcing a fumble and returning it for a touchdown to seal the game. The Buckeyes out gained Texas by a total of 370-341, won the turnover battle 2-1, and went 3-10 on third down in the game. Will Howard threw for 289 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while Carnell Tate caught seven passes for 87 yards in the game.
Prior to that win, the Buckeyes defeated Oregon by a score of 41-21 and Tennessee by a score of 42-17. Ohio State has won eight of their last nine games, with the lone loss coming in that underwhelming performance against Michigan. As weird as it is to say, that loss to Michigan might have been the best thing to happen to Ohio State, as they have been nearly perfect since that game. The OSU offense has scored 37.4 points per game with 265.1 passing yards and 163.2 rushing yards per game, while the defense has allowed 12.2 points against per game this season. Will Howard has completed 3,779 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while Jeremiah Smith has caught 71 passes for 1,227 yards and 14 scores this year.
Why Notre Dame will beat Ohio State
- Notre Dame has won each of its last 13 games.
- Notre Dame has covered the spread in each of its last 11 games.
- Ohio State has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five games against teams with an AP Ranking of 3.
- Notre Dame has won the first quarter in three of its last four games against opponents from the Big Ten Conference.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Notre Dame’s last four Bowl games have gone OVER the total points line.
- Five of Ohio State’s last six Bowl games as a favorite have gone UNDER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Notre Dame ranks 2nd among FBS teams for points allowed per game this season (14.3).
- Notre Dame ranks 2nd among FBS teams for H1 opponent points per game this season (6.5).
- Ohio State ranks 1st among FBS teams for points allowed per game this season (12.2).
- Ohio State ranks 1st among FBS teams for Q3 opponent points per game this season (1.5).
Notre Dame vs Ohio State Prediction
Ohio State comes into this matchup as a pretty big favorite for a National Championship game, but they have looked very good over their last three games. The Buckeyes held a high-powered Texas offense to just 14 points in their last game and their offense is playing their best ball of the season. Notre Dame struggled to get by Penn State, a team that Ohio State also defeated, but they also have a great defense. The Fighting Irish will need Leonard to make some plays through the air in order to keep this game close, but I do think Notre Dame can copy the defensive game plan from Texas last week and find success. Take the points with Notre Dame here.
