Ohio State v Notre Dame Tips: College Football Playoff Picks & Betting Offers
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game is scheduled for Monday, 20 January, as the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes face the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, so we’ve crafted our Ohio State v Notre Dame tips in the form of a bet builder.
Ohio State defeated No. 9 Tennessee 42-17, No. 1 Oregon 41-21, and No. 5 Texas 28-14 to secure their place in the championship game. Meanwhile, Notre Dame earned victories over No. 10 Indiana 27-17, No. 2 Georgia 23-10, and No. 6 Penn State 27-24.
This marks the first meeting between the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish since 23 September 2023, when Ohio State narrowly triumphed 17-14. Leading UK betting sites have Ohio State as an 8.5-point favourite, with the total set at 45.5 points.
Ohio State v Notre Dame Tips: 13/5 Bet Builder for CFP National Championship Game
We’ve crafted our Ohio State v Notre Dame bet builder using Betfair, widely recognised as one of the best college football and NFL betting sites for its excellent range of markets.
You can combine our Ohio State v Notre Dame tips with Betfair sign up offer to claim £50 in free bets when you place a qualifying £10 bet.
Ohio State Buckeyes -8.5
The Buckeyes are 8.5-point favourites for good reason. They dominated the top-seeded Ducks in the quarterfinal, outgaining Oregon 500-276 in total yards. In the semifinal, Ohio State outscored Texas 14-0 in the fourth quarter, with Jack Sawyer securing the victory through an 83-yard fumble return.
Sawyer is one of college football’s most formidable defensive ends. Ohio State’s defensive unit has been exceptional, leading the nation in points allowed per game during the regular season (12.2). They also ranked first in passing yards allowed (161.1 per game) and third in rushing yards allowed (89.9).
The Buckeyes boast a balanced offense. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are elite running backs, while their receiving corps is scary, headlined by Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith, who combined for 2,174 yards and 25 touchdowns during the regular season. QB Will Howard contributed 3,779 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame relies heavily on its ground game. The Fighting Irish ranked 14th nationally in rushing yards (210.8 per game) but 102nd in passing yards (194.3). QB Riley Leonard threw for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, adding 866 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns from 167 carries.
The Fighting Irish may find it challenging to run effectively against the Buckeyes, who allow just 2.7 yards per carry. Ohio State held Texas to 58 rushing yards in the semifinal and limited Oregon to minus-23 rushing yards in the quarterfinal.
Jeremiyah Love, who accumulated 1,122 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in the regular season, managed only 11 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown against Penn State in the semifinal. While Notre Dame is defensively resilient, their offense faces a daunting challenge against Ohio State.
Ohio State v Notre Dame Under 45.5 Points
This matchup features two of the top defensive units in college football. As previously mentioned, the Buckeyes led the nation in scoring defence, with the Fighting Irish close behind, conceding just 14.3 points per game.
Notre Dame ranked 41st in rushing defence (133.0 yards per game) and second in passing defence (165.3 yards per game). The Fighting Irish recorded 38 sacks (17th nationally), while the Buckeyes ranked third with 51.
Penn State managed 204 rushing yards against Notre Dame, and Ohio State will aim to exploit the Fighting Irish’s vulnerabilities against the run. Both teams are expected to focus on their ground game, which will likely keep the clock running in the CFP National Championship Game.
This adds further justification for backing the under on the total. The under has landed in eight of Ohio State’s last 12 games and in three of their last four encounters with Notre Dame.
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