Ohio State vs Notre Dame final score, highlights: Buckeyes defeat Irish in national championship (2025)

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Ohio State vs Notre Dame score updates Ohio State vs Notre Dame live updates Final: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23 Final 2025 CFP national championship stats Ohio State wins 2025 national championship Jayden Felding hits a 32-yard field goal, OSU will win national championship Jeremiah Smith makes a clutch catch Riley Leonard hits Jaden Greathouse to make it one possession game Mitch Jeter misses field goal Emeka Egbuka fumbles, Notre Dame ball End of third quarter: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 15 Ohio State holds lead heading into fourth quarter Notre Dame cuts Ohio State lead to 16 Ohio State scores field goal after Notre Dame fake punt Quinshon Judkins breaks off big run, scores third TD Ohio State dominates first half Halftime: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 7 Ohio State-Notre Dame halftime stats Halftime quarterback comparison Will Howard, OSU push lead to two scores before halftime Quinshon Judkins gives Buckeyes 14-7 lead in second quarter Why did OSU fans cheer the officials on Notre Dame drive? OSU forces three-and-out on second Notre Dame drive Jeremiah Smith, OSU respond to tie game End of first quarter: Notre Dame 7, Ohio State 0 Ohio State trails after first quarter vs Notre Dame Riley Leonard, Notre Dame strike first Officials for Ohio State-Notre Dame CFP national championship Ohio State wins the coin toss, Notre Dame receives first Pregame Kirk Herbstreit, dog Peter on the field Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love near 100% Columbus Blue Jackets rep OSU football Ohio State quarterback Will Howard arrives to field OSU, Notre Dame looking to add to national title collection Ohio State vs Notre Dame time today What channel is Ohio State vs Notre Dame today? Ohio State vs Notre Dame history Ohio State vs Notre Dame predictions Ohio State vs Notre Dame betting odds Ohio State vs Notre Dame injury updates Ohio State vs Notre Dame weather update Ohio State football schedule 2024 Notre Dame football schedule 2024

Ohio State was the first national champion in the 4-team College Football Playoff era. On Monday, the Buckeyes became the first national champion in the 12-team CFP.

The No. 8 Buckeyes defeated No. 7 Notre Dame 34-23, holding off a second-half comeback to win their first national title since 2014 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Ohio State led by 31-24 before seeing the Fighting Irish make a late push.

Ohio State went 4-0 in the CFP run, outscoring opponents 145-75 in the postseason. The Buckeyes expected following a regular-san to rival Michigan. in the regular-season finale to win its ninth claimed national championship in program history. The nine titles ties the Buckeyes with Pitt for FBS history's fifth most claimed titles.

Will Howard completed the first 13 passes to set a new championship game record. He finished 17-of-21 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Howard completed a 57-yard pass to freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith ahead of the two-minute timeout on a third-and-11 to help clinch the game. Howard was named the offensive MVP, while Cody Simon earned defensive MVP honors.

Buy Ohio State national championship gear with fanatics

Smith, who had five touchdowns during the playoff run, had five catches for 88 yards and the score. Quinshon Judkins added 11 rushes for 100 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while also adding two rushes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

The Buckeyes' win snapped the Fighting Irish's 13-game winning streak. Notre Dame had posted the most wins in program history.

Ohio State leads the all-time series with Notre Dame 7-2, which includes seven straight wins and wins in three straight seasons over the Fighting Irish.

Catch up here with for scores, updates and highlights of Monday's CFP national championship game victory for No. 8 Ohio State over No. 7 Notre Dame:

REQUIRED READING:Celebrate Ohio State's CFP championship with these books, posters and print keepsakes

Ohio State vs Notre Dame score updates

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Ohio State vs Notre Dame live updates

Final: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23

Final 2025 CFP national championship stats

Ohio State wins 2025 national championship

Ohio State football is the first 12-team College Football Playoff national champion. The Buckeyes held off Notre Dame for a 34-23 win for their first national championship since 2014. It is the ninth claimed championship for Ohio State, tying the Buckeyes for fifth all-time with Pitt for the most in CFB history.

Jayden Felding hits a 32-yard field goal, OSU will win national championship

Jayden Felding hits a 32-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining to help clinch the 2025 national championship for Ohio State. The Buckeyes lead 34-23 with just 26 seconds left. Notre Dame is out of timeouts.

Jeremiah Smith makes a clutch catch

Facing a third-and-11, Will Howard hits Jeremiah Smith for a 57-yard gain to the Notre Dame 9-yard line ahead of the two-minute timeout. The Fighting Irish decide to guard Smith one-on-one in a crucial moment; the freshman may have just clinched the championship for the Buckeyes.

Riley Leonard hits Jaden Greathouse to make it one possession game

Riley Leonard hits Jaden Greathouse for a 30-yard touchdown pass. On the ensuing 2-point try, Jordan Faison connects with Beaux Collins to cut the lead to 31-23 with 4:15 remaining.

The Fighting Irish take six plays for 80 yards in 2:10 to cut it to a one-score game. Notre Dame is not out of this game just yet.

Mitch Jeter misses field goal

Notre Dame gets deep into Ohio State territory, but Mitch Jeter misses a 27-yard field goal with the Fighting Irish trailing 31-15 with 9:27 remaining in the game. Now, the Buckeyes will take over to burn clock while potentially padding their lead.

Emeka Egbuka fumbles, Notre Dame ball

Emeka Egbuka made a run-and-catch of 24 yards, but fumbles the ball at the end of the play and Notre Dame takes over down two scores with a chance to cut into the lead further.

End of third quarter: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 15

Ohio State holds lead heading into fourth quarter

Ohio State is holding onto a 31-16 lead entering the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes have the ball on the Notre Dame 45-yard line and will face a second-and-8 entering the final quarter. Ohio State was aided by a roughing the passer call on RJ Oben to help extend the drive.

Notre Dame cuts Ohio State lead to 16

Ohio State dominated early, but Notre Dame isn't going down without a fight. Riley Leonard connects with Jaden Greathouse for a 34-yard touchdown, and Jeremiyah Love converts a 2-point attempt, making it a two-touchdown game.

A 15-yard pass interference call on Davison Igbinosun helped keep the drive alive on a third-and-long attempt. The scoring drive for the Fighting Irish was 10 plays for 75 yards and took 4:49 off the clock.

Ohio State leads 31-15 with 3:03 remaining in the third quarter. Notre Dame needs two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to tie.

Ohio State scores field goal after Notre Dame fake punt

Jayden Felding hits a 46-yard field goal for Ohio State to push its lead to 31-7. The field goal comes after Notre Dame tries for a fake punt that fails to convert on fourth down, giving the Buckeyes the ball deep in Notre Dame territory.

A holding penalty and a missed pass for a deep touchdown on third-and-long keep the Buckeyes from their fourth touchdown in four drives.

Quinshon Judkins breaks off big run, scores third TD

On the second play from scrimmage to start the second half, running back Quinshon Judkins breaks a 70-yard run to get the Buckeyes into a first-and-goal situation. Two plays later, Judkins punches it in from one yard out to push the Ohio State lead to 28-7 in the third quarter.

Judkins has six rushes for 88 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He's also added two catches for 21 yards and a score. With his performance, Judkins has crossed 1,000 yards rushing for the season, joining fellow back TreVeyon Henderson. It's the first time the Buckeyes have had two 1,000-yard rushers since 2013.

Ohio State dominates first half

From ESPN: The last team to score a touchdown on each of its first three drives in a national championship game? Alabama in 2013 against Notre Dame.

Halftime: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 7

Ohio State-Notre Dame halftime stats

Halftime quarterback comparison

  • Will Howard: 14 of 15 passing, 144 yards, two touchdowns
  • Riley Leonard: 5 of 9 passing, 46 yards

Will Howard, OSU push lead to two scores before halftime

After Ohio State’s defense forces another three-and-out, Will Howard finishes off another scoring drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins to give the Buckeyes a 21-7 lead with less than 30 seconds left in the half.

Howard completed his first 13 passes before an incompletion ahead of the touchdown pass. The 13 straight passes completed to open the game is a new CFP national championship game record.

The scoring drive lasted 12 plays and 80 yards, taking 4:26 off the game clock. After halftime, the Buckeyes will receive the ball first.

Quinshon Judkins gives Buckeyes 14-7 lead in second quarter

Ohio State is two for two in scoring drives so far. Quinshon Judkins punches the ball in from 9 yards out to cap a 10-play, 76-yard drive. The Buckeyes take 6:06 off the clock and have responded to an early challenge from Notre Dame.

Emeka Egbuka also broke the record for most receptions by an Ohio State receiver on the drive. He is also closing in on the program's all-time yardage record.

Why did OSU fans cheer the officials on Notre Dame drive?

For the first time since Sept. 21, an Ohio State football opponent was flagged for a holding call on Notre Dame's second offensive possession. That drew an applause from Ohio State fans. Read more here.

OSU forces three-and-out on second Notre Dame drive

After Notre Dame dominated Ohio State’s defense on the first drive, the Buckeyes step up and force a three-and-out after two penalties against the Fighting Irish on the drive.

Following a 46-yard punt and a 10-yard holding penalty on Ohio State, the Buckeyes will start their second drive on their own 24-yard line.

Jeremiah Smith, OSU respond to tie game

Ohio State caps an 11-play scoring drive of its own on a Jeremiah Smith touchdown catch from Will Howard to even the score in the second quarter. That is Smith’s fifth touchdown of the playoff and his first since a two-touchdown game vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal.

The Buckeyes have scored on the opening possession of the game in each of their playoff games. The drive takes 6:05 off the clock.

End of first quarter: Notre Dame 7, Ohio State 0

Ohio State trails after first quarter vs Notre Dame

Ohio State is trailing after the first quarter of the 2025 national championship game after Notre Dame opened with the ball and drove 75 yards in nearly 10 minutes of game time. However, the Buckeyes are in the red zone with a first-and-10 from Notre Dame 13-yard line to start the second quarter.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame strike first

Riley Leonard and Notre Dame dominate the game's first possession with a long drive, which Leonard caps with a 1-yard touchdown run. The drive was 18 plays, 75 yards and took 9:45 off the clock in the first quarter. The Buckeyes had no answers for Leonard.

The Fighting Irish quarterback had nine rushes for 34 yards on the drive by himself. He also completed three passes for 31 yards.

Officials for Ohio State-Notre Dame CFP national championship

An SEC crew for tonight's national championship game:

  • Referee: Steve Marlowe
  • Umpire: Brent Sowell
  • Referee: Steve Marlowe
  • Head Linesman: Chad Green
  • Line Judge: Jeremiah Harris
  • Back Judge: Keith Parham
  • Field Judge: Phillip Davenport
  • Side Judge: Justin Larrew
  • Center Judge: Jason McArthur
  • Replay Official: John Allmond

Ohio State wins the coin toss, Notre Dame receives first

Ohio State calls tails and wins the opening coin toss, and will defer to the second half. Notre Dame will open with the ball first in the 2025 national championship.

Pregame

Kirk Herbstreit, dog Peter on the field

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was joined by his dog, Peter, on the field ahead of Monday's ABC national championship game broadcast. Herbstreit's dog, Ben, who gained fame for joining Herbstreit on 'GameDay,' died in November. Peter has been by Herbstreit's side since.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love near 100%

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is nearing 100% health in his knee against Ohio State. ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that Love is warming up without a knee brace. Love has 1,122 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns for the Irish and will be someone the Buckeyes need to keep in check.

Columbus Blue Jackets rep OSU football

How about some Columbus unity? The Blue Jackets honor the Ohio State football team ahead of their NHL matchup against the New York Islanders tonight. Blue Jacket players are wearing Buckeyes' jerseys ahead of the game. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard arrives to field

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard arrives at Mercedes-Benz Stadium about two hours before kickoff. Howard, who is in his first year with the Buckeyes, has thrown for 3,779 yards, 33 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

OSU, Notre Dame looking to add to national title collection

Both the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish have plenty of claimed national championship hardware. Notre Dame enters tonight with 11 claimed national titles, while Ohio State has eight. The Fighting Irish would be tied for second with Michigan if they win, while the Buckeyes would tie Pitt for fifth most with nine if they pull it off.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame time today

  • Date: Monday, Jan. 20
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

What channel is Ohio State vs Notre Dame today?

The Buckeyes' game against the Fighting will air on ESPN. Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be on the call, with Holly Rowe serving as the sideline reporter. Streaming options include the ESPN app andFubo, the latter of which offers potential subscribers a free trial.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame history

  • Series record: Ohio State leads series 6-2
  • Texas' last win: 2023 (17-14)
  • Ohio State's last win: 1936 (7-2)

Ohio State vs Notre Dame predictions

Here's a look at some predictions for Monday's CFP national championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame:

  • Joey Kaufman, Columbus Post Dispatch:It's hard not to take Ohio State. I like the Buckeyes by two scores. Too many weapons on offense, especially at wide receiver. The defense isn't yielding much at all. Feels like the team is on a mission. But the Irish held them to 17 and 21 points in their last two meetings, so it won't be easy to move the ball.
  • Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune:I’m picking Notre Dame 33-27 in double overtime. AsRiley Leonardsays,culture wins.
  • Matt Hayes, USA TODAY Network:Ohio State, but after what Notre Dame has produced in the playoff — winning games witha stout defenseand smart football — I wouldn't be shocked in the least if the Irish won.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame betting odds

Odds courtesy ofBetMGMas of Saturday, Jan. 18

  • Spread: Ohio State (-8.5)
  • Over/under: 45.5 points
  • Moneyline: Ohio State (-370) | Notre Dame (+300)

Ohio State vs Notre Dame injury updates

This section will be updated.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame weather update

Though Monday's national championship game is projected to have a high of 30 degrees and a low of 20, according to a forecast from The Weather Channel, the frigid outdoor temperatures should not impact the retractable roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Ohio State and Notre Dame are more accustomed to cooler temperatures, but they won't have to deal with outside variables in the indoor stadium.

Ohio State football schedule 2024

  • Saturday, Aug. 31:vs. Akron (W, 52-6)
  • Saturday, Sept. 7:vs. Western Michigan (W, 56-0)
  • Saturday, Sept. 14:BYE
  • Saturday, Sept. 21:vs. Marshall (W, 49-14)
  • Thursday, Sept. 26:at Michigan State* (W, 38-7)
  • Saturday, Oct. 5:vs. Iowa* (W, 35-7)
  • Saturday, Oct. 12:at No. 3 Oregon* (L, 32-31)
  • Saturday, Oct. 19:BYE
  • Saturday, Oct. 26:vs. Nebraska* (W, 21-17)
  • Saturday, Nov. 2:at No. 3 Penn State* (W, 20-13)
  • Saturday, Nov. 9:vs. Purdue* (W, 45-0)
  • Saturday, Nov. 16:at Northwestern* (W, 31-7)
  • Saturday, Nov. 23:vs. No. 5 Indiana (W, 38-15)
  • Saturday, Nov. 30:vs. Michigan* (L, 13-10)
  • Saturday, Dec. 21:vs. No. 9 Tennessee**, CFP first-round (W, 42-17)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 1:vs. No. 1 Oregon** (CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal) (W, 41-21)
  • Friday, Jan. 10:vs. No. 5 Texas** (CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal) (W, 28-14)
  • Monday, Jan. 20: vs. No. 7 Notre Dame** (CFP national championship)
  • Record:13-2, 7-2 Big Ten

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP ranking

Notre Dame football schedule 2024

  • Saturday, Aug. 31: at No. 20 Texas A&M (W, 23-13)
  • Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Northern Illinois (L, 16-14)
  • Saturday, Sept. 14: at Purdue (W, 66-7)
  • Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Miami (Ohio) (W, 28-3)
  • Saturday, Sept. 28:vs. No. 17 Louisville (W, 31-24)
  • Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE
  • Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Stanford (W, 49-7)
  • Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 31-13)
  • Saturday, Oct. 26:vs. No. 24 Navy (W, 51-14)
  • Saturday, Nov. 2: BYE
  • Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Florida State (W, 52-3)
  • Saturday, Nov. 16: vs. Virginia (W, 35-14)
  • Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 17 Army (W, 49-14)
  • Saturday, Nov. 30: at USC (W, 49-35)
  • Friday, Dec. 20:vs. No. 10 Indiana (CFP first round) * (W, 27-17)
  • Thursday, Jan. 2:vs. No. 2 Georgia (CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal) ** (W, 23-10)
  • Thursday, Jan. 9:vs. No. 6 Penn State (CFP Orange Bowl semifinal)** (W, 27-24)
  • Monday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 8 Ohio State (CFP national championship)**
  • Record: 14-1

*Denotes CFP seed

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This story was updated to add a video.

Ohio State vs Notre Dame final score, highlights: Buckeyes defeat Irish in national championship (2025)
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