Notre Dame and Ohio State will be facing off in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game. How did each team get here? Notre Dame -- coming off playoff wins against Indiana, Georgia and Penn State -- is riding a 13-game winning streak. But the Irish are a heavy underdog in the title game matchup. Ohio State -- which went through Tennessee, Oregon and Texas in the playoffs -- brings its top-ranked defense in a quest to capture its ninth national championship. This will be the first time Notre Dame reaches the title game in the CFP era after falling in the semifinal in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons. The Buckeyes will be playing in their third CFP title game since winning the inaugural game in 2014.
Here's a tale of the tape between the two squads ahead of Monday's CFP National Championship game.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Established: 1890
Conference: Big Ten
Stadium: Ohio Stadium (102,780 capacity)
Head coach: Ryan Day (2019-present)
2024 season record: 13-2
2024 season leaders:
Will Howard, 3,779 passing yards
TreVeyon Henderson, 967 rushing yards
Jeremiah Smith, 1,227 receiving yards
2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 6
Total championships: Eight (2014, 2002, 1970, 1968, 1961, 1957, 1954, 1942)
All-time record: 977-335-53 (.744)
Bowl record: 26-23 (.531)
Heisman winners:
Troy Smith, 2006
Eddie George, 1995
Archie Griffin, 1975 and 1974
Howard Cassady, 1955
Vic Janowicz, 1950
Les Horvath, 1944
Head-to-head vs. Notre Dame: 6-2, 25.6 points scored per game
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Established: 1887
Conference: Independent
Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium (80,795 capacity)
Head coach: Marcus Freeman (2021-present)
2024 season record: 14-1
2024 season leaders:
Riley Leonard, 2,606 passing yards
Jeremiyah Love, 1,122 rushing yards
Jaden Greathouse, 464 receiving yards
2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 3
Total championships: 13 (1988, 1977, 1973, 1966, 1964, 1949, 1947, 1946, 1943, 1930, 1929, 1924, 1919)
All-time record: 962-338-42 (.740)
Bowl record: 23-18 (.561)
Heisman winners:
Tim Brown, 1987
John Huarte, 1964
Paul Hornung, 1956
John Lattner, 1953
Leon Hart, 1949
John Lujack, 1947
Angelo Bertelli, 1943
Head-to-head vs. Ohio State: 2-6, 17.4 points scored per game
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