ATLANTA — Ohio State and Notre Dame are a pair of college football programs rooted in history and tradition.
For the Buckeyes, iconic names range from coach Woody Hayes and running back Archie Griffin to coach Ryan Day and defensive end Jack Sawyer. Their look — a collection of scarlet and gray with helmets covered in buckeye leaves — is synonymous with success.
The Fighting Irish celebrate names from coach Lou Holtz and quarterback Joe Montana to coach Marcus Freeman and quarterback Riley Leonard. They wear gold helmets that shine in any environment, particularly under the backdrop of Touchdown Jesus, the large mural that has become a campus landmark.
Yet throughout the programs’ presence in a sport more than a century old, Monday brings something that’s never been seen before.
Ohio State and Notre Dame will meet in Atlanta to compete in a national championship game.
In a season filled with new, college football will see a pair of iconic teams compete head-to-head for the first time in this setting.
How Ohio State and Notre Dame got to Atlanta
College football changed its postseason format ahead of the 2024 season. Instead of four teams making the College Football Playoff, the field expanded to 12.
In the past, perfection was often the standard for reaching the sport’s pinnacle. That changed this season, and Ohio State and Notre Dame were at the forefront of the new landscape.
The Fighting Irish reached the final round by beating Indiana, Georgia and Penn State in the playoff. However, making the postseason seemed like a tall task in September.
Notre Dame, a week after an impressive win at Texas A&M, lost as a massive home favorite against Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference, which features teams such as Kent State and Akron.
That defeat would often plummet a season. In the final CFP rankings, the Fighting Irish were fifth, suggesting they wouldn’t have had a chance to play for a national title in previous seasons.
Ohio State football is seeking its third win vs. Notre Dame in as many seasons.Getty Images
Ohio State certainly wouldn’t have been in the field in previous years.
The Buckeyes opened their season with five straight wins before losing at Oregon on Oct. 12. The one-point loss didn’t hurt Ohio State’s résumé much.
If the Buckeyes handled business, they’d likely get a rematch with the Ducks in the Big Ten title game, with the winner advancing to the CFP.
Matters changed severely on Nov. 30 when Ohio State, as a three-touchdown favorite, lost at home against Michigan. With a 10-2 record, the Buckeyes would not have had a chance to win a national title in the four-team era.
But this season was different, giving Day and Freeman a chance to prove their teams belong at college football’s pinnacle.
“I do think the new format has allowed our team to grow and build throughout the season,” Day said. “As much as losses hurt, they really allow us as coaches and players to take a hard look at the issues and get them addressed.”
What a win would mean for Notre Dame
Before he was Notre Dame’s head coach, Marcus Freeman was a linebacker for Ohio State football.The Plain Dealer
Notre Dame last claimed a national title in 1988. The Fighting Irish have since battled inconsistency in their race to get back to the top, with Freeman — a former Ohio State linebacker (2004-08) — serving as the program’s fifth head coach since Holtz retired after the 1996 season.
Under coach Brian Kelly (2010-21), Notre Dame reclaimed some of its glory.
The Fighting Irish made the BCS National Championship Game – a previous postseason format that selected the top two teams from the regular season to play in a title game – in the 2012 season. They also made a pair of CFP appearances (2018, 2020) in the four-team era.
However, when Notre Dame made it to the big stage, it often delivered a poor showing. Freeman, in winning three playoff games this season, has started to shift the narrative.
A win against his alma mater would cement an impressive rise up the coaching ranks for someone in only his third season at the helm.
“Every year the aspirations are to win a national championship,” Freeman said. “That’s why all these players choose to come to Notre Dame, one of the reasons is to be a part of a program that can win a national championship.”
What a win would mean for Ohio State
Ohio State has rarely been blown out in big games, but Day has earned a reputation similar to Kelly’s at Notre Dame.
The Buckeyes have been the face of consistency in college football. They’ve won at least 10 games in 12 straight seasons, excluding the 2020 pandemic campaign in which OSU only played eight contests.
Day is the only active coach in the country to lead his team to at least four CFP appearances since 2019 – the year he took over as full-time head coach.
Amid the success, Ohio State has not won a national title since the 2014 season when Hall of Fame coach Urban Meyer was at the helm.
Only two active head coaches (Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Georgia’s Kirby Smart) have won national championships. Failing to reach that goal hasn’t served as an inditement on Day as a poor coach.
However, when paired with four straight losses against rival Michigan, Day’s tenure has sparked frustration from the Ohio State fanbase. A chance to change that narrative awaits at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – the home of the Atlanta Falcons.
“You’ve got to leave no doubt, that’s it,” Day said. “Whether it’s a game or a season, that’s it. We’ve got to finish this thing the right way. Whether you’re talking about the foundation and building what you wanted to get done this season and finishing it the right way or leaving no doubt, I mean, all those things come into play. It was all … for this moment right here.”
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