ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has projected the Ohio State Buckeyes as the favorites to win the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The FPI assigns Ohio State a 54.5% chance of securing the national title, reflecting their strong performance throughout the season.
The Buckeyes have demonstrated dominance in the College Football Playoff, achieving decisive victories over Oregon (41-21), Tennessee (42-17), and Texas (28-14). Quarterback Will Howard has been instrumental, throwing for 33 touchdowns and 3,779 yards with a 72.6% completion rate. Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has also been a standout, recording 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Defensively, Ohio State boasts elite players such as defensive end Jack Sawyer, who has nine sacks and two touchdowns, and linebacker Caleb Downs, who has seven sacks.
In contrast, Notre Dame enters the championship game with a 14-1 record, their sole loss being a narrow defeat to Northern Illinois on September 7. Since that setback, the Fighting Irish have demonstrated resilience, securing victories in their subsequent games, including a 27–24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl to earn their spot in the title game.
The national championship game is scheduled for January 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the winner will be crowned national champion.
While the FPI favors Ohio State, the matchup between these two storied programs is expected to be highly competitive, with both teams bringing formidable strengths to the field.