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Opening Ohio State vs Notre Dame Odds for CFP National Championship Game

Brady Trettenero

By Brady Trettenero in College Football

Updated: January 11, 2025 at 2:51 am EST

Published:


Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) scores a touchdown on a 75-yard touchdown catch and run against Texas Longhorns in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025.
  • Ohio State faces Notre Dame in the CFP National Championship Game
  • The early betting line prices the Buckeyes as 9.5-point favorites
  • Read below for Ohio State vs Notre Dame opening odds and analysis for the CFP National Championship game

The opening Ohio State vs Notre Dame odds were released late Friday night after the Buckeyes defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl to advance to the CFP National Championship. The early betting line lists Ohio State as 9.5-point favorites over the Fighting Irish.

OSU grinded out a 28-14 win over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl thanks to an 85-yard scoop-and-score from Jack Sawyer. Meanwhile, Notre Dame secured their spot in the title game with a narrow 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl.

Let’s take a look at the Ohio State vs Notre Dame odds for the National Championship and determine how the line might move.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame Odds – CFP National Championship

Team Spread Moneyline Total
#8 Ohio State -9.5 (-110) -395 O 46.5 (-110)
#7 Notre Dame +9.5 (-110) +310 U 46.5 (-110)

In the opening odds for the CFP National Championship, Ohio State is a 9.5-point favorite over Notre Dame. The Buckeyes’ moneyline sits at -395, implying oddsmakers give them a 75% chance to win the title.

The CFP National Title game opening spread is up two points from the initial look-ahead line of OSU -7.5, which speaks to the public’s growing confidence in this Buckeyes’ powerhouse.

The over/under is offered at 46.5 points. Defense could play a pivotal role in this matchup, as both defensive units made game-deciding plays in the CFP Semi-Finals.

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Odds as of Jan. 10, 2025 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Kickoff for the CFP National Championship Game is set for 7:30 PM ET on Monday, January 20th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

This will be the first meeting between Notre Dame and Ohio State since the 2023 regular season, which the Buckeyes won 17-14. The storied programs have met six times previously, with Ohio State winning all six meetings by an average of 12.67 points per game.

Ohio State Defeats Texas

Ohio State punched its ticket to the national title game with a hard-fought 28-14 victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. While not as dominant as their previous two playoff wins, the Buckeyes relied on two rushing TDs from Quinshon Judkins, plus a fumble-return TD from Jack Sawyer to get the W.

Quarterback Will Howard continued his stellar playoff run, completing 24 of 33 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, TreVeyon Henderson found the end zone on a massive 75-yard gain. Surprisingly, star WR Jeremiah Smith only had one reception for three yards.

OSU narrowly outgained Texas 289-283 in total yardage. However, they had 81 rushing yards compared to just 58 for the Longhorns. The Buckeyes will need to clean up the penalties, as they uncharacteristically committed nine penalties against the Longhorns for a loss of 75 yards.

The Buckeyes defense also shined, holding Texas to just 5-of-15 on third downs and forcing a couple crucial turnovers. Jack Sawyer and the fearsome defensive front will now turn their attention to Notre Dame’s offense

Notre Dame Edges Penn State in Thriller

The Fighting Irish secured their spot in the championship with a dramatic 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl semifinal. Notre Dame’s defense came up huge when it mattered most, with Christian Gray making a game-changing interception with just 33 seconds remaining to set up the winning field goal.

Quarterback Riley Leonard showed tremendous grit, bouncing back from a first-half injury scare to lead the offense with 223 passing yards. While he threw two interceptions, Leonard’s resilience epitomized Notre Dame’s season-long ability to overcome adversity.

The Fighting Irish defense was particularly impressive on third down, holding Penn State to just 3-of-11 conversions. They also forced two crucial turnovers that proved to be the difference in the game.

This victory marks a historic achievement for Marcus Freeman, who becomes the first Black head coach and first head coach of Asian descent to reach the CFP National Championship game. His three-year tenure has now produced an impressive 34-9 record.

The Fighting Irish have been nearly unstoppable since their shocking 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2, winning 13 straight games and outscoring opponents by 333 points during this streak.

Notre Dame Injury Concerns

Notre Dame’s depth will be tested as they manage several key injuries heading into the championship game. Running back Jeremiyah Love continues playing through a knee injury that’s limited him to about 75% capacity, while wide receiver Beaux Collins left the Orange Bowl early with a concerning calf injury and didn’t return.

The defensive front could be impacted by nose tackle Howard Cross III’s lingering ankle issue. Despite missing three regular-season games, Cross (24 tackles, 4 sacks) has battled through the injury during the playoff run.

Quarterback Riley Leonard’s status also bears watching after his concussion evaluation in the semifinal, though he did return to finish the game. Additionally, offensive tackle Anthonie Knapp’s lower leg injury could affect Notre Dame’s protection schemes.

Projected Ohio State vs Notre Dame Line Movement

Based on Ohio State’s dominance throughout the playoffs, we expect the public to heavily back the Buckeyes leading up to the championship game. The Buckeyes obliterated Tennessee and Oregon en route to the Cotton Bowl, then showcased their talent against Texas.

With Howard playing at an elite level and a game-breaker like Jeremiah Smith due for a bounce-back, the Buckeyes have the firepower to cover this spread. Barring any major injury news, the line could climb to Ohio State -10 by kickoff.

Notre Dame has proven resilient all season and could keep this game closer than expected if they win the turnover battle. But on paper, Ohio State appears to be the more complete team, explaining the sizable opening spread.

 

Brady Trettenero
Brady Trettenero

Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor

Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.

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