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After the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff, the national championship game is almost ready to kick off.
Notre Dame (14-1) will try to win its first national championship since 1988 when it plays Ohio State on Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Fighting Irish defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl to advance to the national championship.
Ohio State (13-2) is looking for its first championship since 2014. The Buckeyes defeated the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl to reach the title game.
Both Notre Dame and Ohio State have abundant talent on their roster, which should make for an exciting game. Each team also has several players fans will watch in the NFL next season.
Let’s take a look at six players to keep an eye on during Monday night’s contest.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
At 6-1 and 205 pounds, Egbuka is a smooth route runner who wins his one-on-one matchups with his footwork and ability to change directions after separating from coverage. His game is similar to that of Jets receiver Garrett Wilson, who also played at Ohio State. Both players use variations of routes to gain advantages in coverage, especially in the slot.
In 15 games, Egbuka caught 75 passes for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns. Egbuka will likely be a late first-round to an early second-round pick in April’s draft. There are questions on whether Egbuka can be used as an outside receiver at the next level, but he has shown he can be a consistent playmaker in the slot.
Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame
Leonard is one of the nation’s best dual threats at the quarterback position. He passed for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games. He also rushed for 866 yards and 16 rushing TDs.
While Leonard has playmaking abilities, his decision-making has been questionable at times. He is a decent…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/antwan-staley-6-players-watch-024200996.html
Author : NY Daily News
Publish date : 2025-01-19 02:42:00
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