by
- What: 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game
- Who: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
- Date: Monday, January 20, 2025
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game takes place on Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s championship game features a matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Ohio State wrapped up the 2024 NCAA football season as the No. 8 team. Meanwhile, Notre Dame finished the 2024 NCAA football season as the No. 7 team. Before we look at the betting breakdown for the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame game, here is some background on the teams and how they made it to the NCAA championship game.
Ohio State began the College Football Playoffs with a 42-17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers. The Buckeyes followed that victory with a 41-21 win over the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl. In the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State defeated the No. 5 Texas Longhorns 28-14. Ohio State’s most recent national championship came in 2014.
Notre Dame opened the College Football Playoffs with a 27-17 win over Indiana. The Fighting Irish followed that with a 23-10 victory over the No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The team is coming off a 27-24 Orange Bowl win over the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions. Notre Dame last won a national title in 1988.
Before we look at the betting odds, picks, and predictions for the 2025 National Championship Game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, check out our best NCAA football betting sites and where you can find the best football betting apps.
2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game betting picks
 |  |  |  |
|
| Ohio State | -355 | -360 | -355 | -360 |
| Notre Dame | +285 | +280 | +285 | +260 |
| Over 45.5 Points | -115 | -110 | -115 | -110 |
| Under 45.5 Points | -105 | -110 | -105 | -110 |
2025 College Football Playoff National Championship: Ohio State betting breakdown
Ohio State finished 2024 as one of the top offensive teams in the Big Ten. The squad was fourth in the conference in yards per game, averaging 432.5. As for its passing game, the Buckeyes averaged 263.4 yards per outing, which was third-best in the Big Ten. The team’s rushing yards per game was also fourth in the conference, with an average of 169.1 yards per game.
Senior quarterback Will Howard was second in the Big Ten in passing yards on the year with 3,490. Howard had a completion percentage of 72.6 percent with a conference-leading 32 touchdowns. Howard threw nine interceptions on the year. Ohio State had two of the top 10 receivers in the Big Ten, with Jeremiah Smith leading the conference with 1,224 yards. Emeka Egbuka was seventh in the conference with 896 yards. Smith was also tops in touchdowns with 14. The Buckeyes had two running backs who came close to gaining 1,000 yards, with Treyvon Henderson picking up 925 yards and Quinshon Judkins with 924 yards. Ohio State averaged 36.4 points per game.
As strong as the Ohio State offense was, the Buckeyes defense was statistically better, leading the Big Ten in points allowed (12.1), yards allowed (244.6), and sacks (47). Ohio State allowed the fewest passing yards per game in the conference with 152.4 while giving up the third-fewest rushing yards (92.2). Cody Simon led the team in tackles with 92.
The Buckeyes offense put up 81 yards on the ground and 289 in the air against Texas, while the defense held the Longhorns to 58 ground yards and 283 passing yards. Ohio State went three for 10 on third down conversions while allowing Texas to go five for 15.
2025 College Football Playoff National Championship: Notre Dame betting breakdown
The Notre Dame offense averaged 406.6 yards per game this year, with 189.1 of those yards coming via passing and 217.5 on the ground. The offense averaged 37.7 points per game. The team’s points per game on offense were fourth most in the nation, trailing only Miami, Indiana, and Ole Miss. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had 2,383 passing yards with a 66.5 completion rate to go with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. The team’s leading rusher was Jeremiyah Love, with 1,076 yards on 148 carries. Love picked up 16 touchdowns. The leading receiver on the Fighting Irish was Beaux Collins, with 458 yards on 37 catches and three touchdowns.
The defense of the Fighting Irish was one of the best in the country this year, allowing just 13.6 points per game, which was second only to Ohio State (12.1). Notre Dame allowed 295.6 yards per game, with 167.4 of those coming in the air and 128.2 on the ground. Jack Kiser led the team in tackles with 75, while Xavier Watts had the most interceptions on the club with six.
In their playoff game against Georgia, the Notre Dame defense held their opponent to 62 rushing yards and had the Bulldogs going 0-3 on fourth down conversion attempts. Against Penn State, Notre Dame went 11 for 17 on third down conversions while gaining a total of 116 yards rushing and 267 passing. The team’s defense limited the Nittany Lions to three third down conversions on 11 tries while holding them to 135 yards passing, but giving up 204 yards rushing.
Best Bets: 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game
Notre Dame might have the coaching advantage in this game. However, when it comes to quality on the field, Ohio State has them beat in every facet of the game. The betting pick is for Ohio State to beat Notre Dame in the 2025 National Championship Game.
Ohio State has outscored their opponents 111 to 52 in the College Football Playoffs. Look for them to put up some decent numbers against a Notre Dame team that will struggle to defend the Buckeyes offense. The betting pick is for Ohio State and Notre Dame to combine for over 45.5 points. Most of those points will go to the Buckeyes.
See below the top offshore sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
Sports Betting Sites 