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The College Football Playoff national championship game pits the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish against each other at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday. The Irish, led by quarterback Riley Leonard and head coach Marcus Freeman, are in the national championship game for the first time since the 2012 season while the Buckeyes, led by quarterback Will Howard and head coach Ryan Day, are in it for the first time since the 2020 season and third time in the CFP era.
In an AMA on the college football Reddit recently, USA TODAY Sports Network senior writer Matt Hayes, South Bend Tribune Notre Dame beat writer Mike Berardino and Columbus Dispatch Ohio State beat writer Joey Kaufman answered questions about who will win the College Football Playoff final and how, parity in the sport, the futures of Freeman and Day and much more. Here is a recap of the AMA, edited for length and clarity.
Who will win the national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State and why?
Hayes: Ohio State, but after what Notre Dame has produced in the playoff — winning games with a stout defense and smart football — I wouldn’t be shocked in the least if the Irish won.
Berardino: I’m picking Notre Dame 33-27 in double overtime. As Riley Leonard says, culture wins.
Kaufman: It’s hard not to take Ohio State. I like the Buckeyes by two scores. Too many weapons on offense, especially at wide receiver. The defense isn’t yielding much at all. Feels like the team is on a mission. But the Irish held them to 17 and 21 points in their last two meetings, so it won’t be easy to move the ball.
What should Notre Dame’s strategy be for victory against Ohio State?
Berardino: Use the play clock on offense, shorten the game and use Riley Leonard on designed runs to keep the chains moving. Be smart with the ball, work quick…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/win-national-championship-game-expert-155001478.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2025-01-18 15:50:00
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