The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff has culminated with a national championship clash between Notre Dame and the favored Ohio State. This thrilling encounter comes on the heels of some debate regarding the accuracy of selections made by the playoff committee. For the first time, first-round games were conducted on the teams’ home fields before transitioning to bowl venues for the quarterfinals and semifinals. Notably, all four higher-seeded teams triumphed comfortably in these early stages, while the quarterfinals saw the top four seeds, who had received byes, face defeat.
As the playoffs, which began on December 20, draw to a close, only one game remains.
In the national championship, the match-up is between No. 7 seed Notre Dame (14-1) and No. 8 seed Ohio State (13-2). The game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, starting at 7:30 p.m. and airing on ESPN. According to BetMGM, Ohio State is currently favored to win by a spread of 8.5 points, marking one of the largest point differentials in CFP history.
Both teams battled their way to the final. Notre Dame secured victories against 10-seed Indiana (27-17), 2-seed Georgia (23-10), and 6-seed Penn State (27-24). Meanwhile, Ohio State defeated 9-seed Tennessee (42-17), 1-seed Oregon (41-21), and 5-seed Texas (28-14).
As the game approaches, it’s worth noting that Notre Dame will present a formidable defense coupled with a seasoned quarterback, Riley Leonard. The Fighting Irish’s head coach, Marcus Freeman, has the opportunity to make history by becoming the first Black coach to secure a national championship. Furthermore, he is also the first Asian-American coach to reach this stage, with his heritage tracing back to South Korea. On the other side, Ohio State boasts an even stronger defense and has triumphed in all of its playoff games by significant margins. They are led by quarterback Will Howard, supported by standout receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, along with a robust running game.
As for the betting odds, Ohio State emerged as the frontrunner after the quarterfinals, a trend that has persisted. The odds indicate Ohio State as the overwhelming favorite at -350, whereas Notre Dame is seen as an underdog at +280.
The playoff structure relies on a selection committee composed of 13 members who dedicated six weeks to assessing teams and establishing the bracket on December 8. The field guaranteed spots for the five top-ranked conference champions, regardless of their overall ranking. For example, Clemson found itself rated No. 16 but received the 12th seed as the fifth-highest league champion. The top four seeds were awarded a week of rest and direct advancement to the quarterfinals, yet they all faced elimination in that round.
Historically, the CFP started in January 2015 with just four teams, but this format unwound for the first time this year. With ongoing discussions, there are speculations of further expansion as soon as 2026.
Financially, the stakes are enormous, with approximately $115 million allocated within the playoff framework. Each conference earns $4 million for every team included in the final 12 and an additional $4 million for those reaching the quarterfinals. This structure means that teams benefiting from byes generated $8 million for their conferences without having to take the field. Advancing to the semifinals adds another $6 million for conferences, with a further $6 million awarded for reaching the championship match. As an independent entity, Notre Dame retains the entire $20 million earned during its path to the title game.
Conferences customize their distributions of these funds, while additionally, academically eligible teams receive a stipend of $300,000 per squad. Each team qualifying for playoffs also secures $3 million to manage expenses associated with each round.
