Well, here we are.
One of the weirder, and certainly the longest, seasons in recent college football memory is nearing its conclusion, with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Ohio State Buckeyes set to square off for the title at 7:30 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Television coverage will of course be all across ESPN’s Mouse-adjacent media properties.
How We Got Here
Ohio State was a trendy preseason favorite to play for a national title, including by yours truly. Like a lot of folks I began to doubt them after they again found a way to lose to Michigan. Yet here they are, 13-1 and coming off a pair of strong playoff wins over Tennessee, #1 seed Oregon and Texas. Arguably the most talented roster in the game has looked like the most talented roster in the nation when it mattered most.
Notre Dame suffered an embarrassing early season loss to Northern Illinois before reeling off 13 wins in a row, including playoffs wins over Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State. The Fighting Irish haven’t looked dominant against any of those. But they just seem to find a way to win.
Final Thoughts
These teams are ranked #1 and #2 nationally in scoring defense, and #1 and #9 in total defense. While it hurts my heart that the Dawgs aren’t in this one, and it turns my stomach that we’ll be treated to incessant location about how this season demonstrates that the SEC is no longer the dominant conference in college football, I can’t argue that either of these teams is undeserving. At this point they’ve each beaten a solid roster of elite teams. Ohio State is an 8.5 point favorite, which honestly seems a bit low to me. I’m picking the Buckeyes by 10.
Feel free to drop your predictions as well as your thoughts on the game itself in the thread.
Go ‘Dawgs!!!