This month’s College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinals were some this season’s best matchups. Texas and Ohio State faced off in an instant classic at the Cotton Bowl, while Penn State fell to Notre Dame in an Orange Bowl matchup filled with stout defensive play.
But tonight, the 2025 college football season comes to an end with the season’s biggest game. Whether you’re hoping for Ohio State to fulfill its destiny or Notre Dame to eke out one more win, here’s what you need to know to watch Ohio State and Notre Dame in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship.
When is the college football playoff national championship game?
The stout Texas Longhorns defense finally made Ohio State sweat out a game in the postseason. But thanks to a dramatic Jack Sawyer scoop-and-score, Ohio State left Jerryworld with a win, and they’ll look to close out their strong postseason after one more matchup.
As for Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish gritted their teeth through injuries and sacks against Penn State in a close 27–24 win. But their elite defense matches up well against the Buckeyes offense in a matchup of strength against strength.
The CFP national championship game will be tonight on Monday, January 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
What channel is the college football national championship game on?
ESPN is the broadcast home of the College Football Playoff (CFB). The CFB National Championship kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. ESPN subscribers can also watch on the ESPN mobile app. But unlike the regular season, you can’t watch the national championship game on ESPN+, as it’ll exclusively be on ESPN.
ESPN also runs a slate of national championship alternative feeds across other ESPN channels as part of its CFB championship MegaCast simulcast event:
How to watch ESPN MegaCast for CFP National Championship: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame 2025
ESPN channel | Programming |
---|---|
ESPN | Main game broadcast |
ESPN2 | Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show |
ESPNU | Command Center |
ESPNews | SkyCast (4K) |
ESPN Radio | National radio broadcast |
ESPN Deportes | Spanish-language telecast |
ESPN app | All-22 feed, team Hometown Radio broadcasts, pregame/halftime marching band shows |
Data effective as of post date.
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How can I watch the College Football national championship game for free?
Want to watch the college football national championship game for free? If you’re already paying for a standard cable TV plan, you’ll be able to watch ESPN and tune into the national championship game for free. Otherwise, you’ll have to sign up for a streaming service to watch or stream Ohio State vs. Notre Dame legally.
Services including YouTube TV, Fubo, Sling TV, and Hulu + Live TV (which earned our Editor’s Choice award) have ESPN and are available on nearly every streaming device. If you want to stream the college football national championship for free, many of these services also offer free trial periods.
Ready to watch or stream the CFP national championship game? Check out our Best Streaming Services for Sports guide for a full breakdown of each service.
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2025 college football national championship preview: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
The 2025 college football season wraps up tonight with a doozy of a matchup between two teams with opposing play styles and equally elite defenses. Here are our biggest questions about Ohio State vs. Notre Dame and the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame by the stats
Stat |
![]() Ohio State |
![]() Notre Dame |
---|---|---|
ESPN FPI | 1st | 2nd |
Passing yards per game | 265.1 (25th) | 194.3 (102nd) |
Rushing yards per game | 163.2 (66th) | 210.7 (14th) |
Points scored per game | 37.4 (8th) | 38.5 (6th) |
Passing defense | 161.1 (1st) | 165.3 (2nd) |
Rushing defense | 89.9 (3rd) | 133 (41st) |
Points allowed per game | 12.2 (1st) | 14.3 (2nd) |
Ohio State remains the team to beat
Ohio State went on a tear through much of the postseason but encountered some rough patches in the Cotton Bowl against Texas. As Ryan Day pointed out after the game, a number of these wounds were self-inflicted, but the Texas defense still managed to throw wrenches into Ohio State’s offense. Their rushing game went for less than 100 yards, receiver Jeremiah Smith had only a single catch for three yards, and the offense managed only four explosive plays.
Notre Dame’s elite secondary can also force Ohio State to work for every passing yard—they’ve allowed only one non-garbage-time passing touchdown this postseason and didn’t allow a catch from Penn State’s receivers.
Texas had a great game plan to limit Jeremiah Smith. A lot of coverages that kept a safety overtop of him.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) January 11, 2025
Many reps were similar to this one. pic.twitter.com/TuxlUhwvvX
Who’ll be on Notre Dame’s offensive line?
Notre Dame’s roster is likely grateful for the lengthy turnaround between the Orange Bowl and the CFB National Championship. Left tackle Anthonie Knapp will be out against Ohio State, while players including guard Rocco Spindler, running back Jeremiyah Love, and quarterback Riley Leonard either played injured or got injured against Penn State.
The Fighting Irish must lock down their offensive line unit ahead of facing a tough Ohio State pass rush. They allowed five sacks to Penn State, which almost doubled their total sacks allowed for this year.
THE RILEY LEONARD SACKpic.twitter.com/ecHPXPmaZD https://t.co/f7b07oiaDN
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) January 10, 2025
CFP national championship prediction: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
Ohio State and Notre Dame have claimed their share of trophy wins this postseason, but expect the national championship game to come down to the difference between Elite and Very Good. Ohio State’s been the odds-on favorite to win it all in this year’s CFP Playoff. But could Notre Dame derail the Buckeyes’ hot streak?
Game prediction source | Game pick |
---|---|
Point spread | Ohio State by 8.5 |
ESPN Matchup Predictor | 55% chance Ohio State wins |
CFB Insiders | 64% chance Ohio State wins |
Ohio State’s roster has lived up to the hype in the postseason, as they’re currently sitting at first place nationally in offensive and defensive expected points added (EPA) margin. The Buckeyes’ offensive line and ground attack are prone to off games, but Ohio State’s dominant wins over Tennessee and Oregon illustrate their roster’s sky-high ceiling.
Notre Dame’s secondary is right in the mix with Ohio State’s as one of the nation’s best—they’re first nationally in passing defensive success rate and second by points and passing yardage allowed. In the postseason, Riley Leonard’s generally been efficient enough for Notre Dame’s passing game, although his stat lines have been a roller coaster. Leonard bookended 200-yard passing games against Penn State and Indiana with a 90-yard game against Georgia. He’s also taken more than 10 carries in Notre Dame’s past three games but averaged less than three yards per carry twice.
If Ohio State’s receivers can crack the Notre Dame secondary and make Riley Leonard play catchup, expect the Buckeyes to comfortably take Monday’s national championship game. But if Notre Dame wants to pull the upset, they’ll need to pull a few cues from Michigan and Texas’s playbooks: turn the game into a defensive rock fight, make Will Howard fight for every passing yard, and keep things close enough for the Notre Dame ground game to grind out a win.
How to watch the College Football Playoff National Championship FAQ
What time and channel is the college football national championship game?
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game time will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, January 20.
Where is the national championship game 2025?
The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. The stadium is home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’s Atlanta United.
What channel is the national championship on?
The network that will carry the college football championship game is ESPN. This year’s college football national championship will air exclusively on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Who is favored to win the college football national championship game?
Ohio State is currently favored over Notre Dame by 8.5 points in the 2025 College Football National Championship Game.
Where can I watch the college football national championship for free?
You can watch the CFP championship game on ESPN. We recommend Fubo as a free way to get ESPN because of the streaming service’s wide availability and seven-day free trial.
How do I watch the college football national championship game?
To watch the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship, you’ll need a TV plan with ESPN. Virtually every streaming and cable TV plan has ESPN, but you can also watch it for free with a Fubo trial.
Where is the Notre Dame–Ohio State game?
This year’s national championship game will be held in Atlanta, Ga.
Who won the 2024 college football championship?
Michigan won last year’s college football national championship. This year’s matchup will be between Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Why you should trust us
Our sports experts analyzed this season’s college football postseason schedule to confirm the College Football Playoff National Championship’s kickoff time and broadcasting details. We then selected our top TV provider recommendations for watching the game, focusing on channel availability, cost-effectiveness, and comprehensive championship coverage.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.