The first 12-team version of the College Football Playoff has reached the national championship game and it will be Notre Dame against heavily favored Ohio State.
The tantalizing matchup comes after some wondered if the CFP selection committee got it right. The first-round games were held on campuses for the first time — before the games shifted to bowl games for the quarterfinals and semifinals — and all four of the higher-seeded teams won comfortably. The quarterfinals also saw all four top seeds lose after earning a bye.
After 10 games that started back on Dec. 20, there is one left.
Who is playing and what time is the game?
National championship: No. 7 seed Notre Dame (14-1) vs. No. 8 seed Ohio State (13-2).
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Jan. 20, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Ohio State by 8 1/2. It is one of the largest point spreads in CFP history.
How they got here: Notre Dame beat 10 seed Indiana (27-17), 2 seed Georgia (23-10) and 6 seed Penn State (27-24). Ohio State beat 9 seed Tennessee (42-17), 1 seed Oregon (41-21) and 5 seed Texas (28-14).
What to know
Ohio State will face a Fighting Irish team with a rugged defense and a experienced quarterback in Riley Leonard. Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman will also have a chance to become the first Black coach to win a national championship. He is also the first Asian coach to play for the title (his mother is South Korean). The Buckeyes have an even better defense and have won all CFP games by double-digits. QB Will Howard and big receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka and a powerhouse running game, too.
Who is favored?
The Buckeyes took over as the betting favorite to win the national championship after the quarterfinals and that hasn’t changed. Ohio State is a big favorite (-350) to win the national championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Notre Dame is listed as a 14/5 underdog (+280).
How does the playoff work?
A 13-member CFP selection committee spent six weeks evaluating the teams and then set the bracket on Dec. 8.
The five highest-ranked conference champions were guaranteed spots in the field, no matter where they are ranked overall by the CFP; Clemson, for example, was ranked No. 16 in the CFP but given the 12th and lowest seed as the fifth-highest ranked league champion. The top four seeds got a week off and an automatic trip to the quarterfinals, where all four lost.
The CFP began with four teams in January 2015. It was expanded this year for the first time. Many believe it may expand again, perhaps as early as 2026.
How much money is at stake?
About $115 million for the playoff field.
Each conference gets $4 million for every team that makes the final 12, then another $4 million for those that make the quarterfinals. It means teams that earned byes are worth $8 million to their conferences without even playing a game.
Teams that advance to the semifinals mean $6 million more for their conference, then another $6 million for making the final. Notre Dame, as an independent, gets to keep all $20 million it received for its title-game run.
The conferences all distribute the money differently. There’s also a $300,000 stipend per team that is academically eligible for the playoffs. Teams making the playoff get $3 million to cover expenses for each round, too.
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