The first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff comes down to two contenders: Notre Dame and Ohio State.
The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and eighth-seeded Buckeyes will meet in the AT&T-presented CFP National Championship on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Whichever team wins will end the championship drought. Notre Dame is aiming for its first championship since 1988. Ohio State's lull hasn't been that long since the Buckeyes won their first CFP title a decade ago, but considering their consistently elite level, it seems like it's been a while.
Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman and Ohio State's Ryan Day are also targeting their first championships as head coaches, and Freeman's past will be in the spotlight. Freeman and the Irish lost to the Buckeyes and Day each of the past two seasons. But after a stellar coaching job this season, Freeman will now face his alma mater — Ohio State, where he was the top Big Ten defender under coach Jim Tressel — with everything at stake. Day, meanwhile, could secure top goals for a team that fell short of its previous targets but never stopped swinging.
Here's your first look at the championship showdown and what to expect in ATL. ——Adam Littenberger
when: January 20 at 7:30 pm ET. television: ESPN
What we learned in the semifinals: Notre Dame's toughness and situational awareness/execution are undoubtedly its signature traits and can propel the team to a championship. The Irish have overcome injuries all season long and did it again against Penn State. They also erased two deficits and maintained their advantage in the "middle eight" (the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half) while holding third down on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame can rely on quarterback Riley Leonard, running back Jeremiah Love and linebacker Jake Kizer, but can also rely on backup quarterback Steve Angeli, wide receiver kicker Jaden Getthouse and kicker Mickey Jeter. These Irishmen are aggressive and difficult to defeat.
X factor: Greathouse came into Thursday's game underwhelming -- 29 catches, 359 yards, one touchdown -- and had just three catches for 14 yards in the first two CFP games. But he set career highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (105), and tied the game with a 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 left. Notre Dame's offense needs more receivers, especially up front, and could lean more on Greathouse, who has eclipsed his catch totals through the first five games but may find himself at the perfect time the best condition. He also excelled in clutch situations, recording all but six receiving yards in the second half.
How Notre Dame won: The Irish won't have the talent advantage in Atlanta, in part because they've lost several stars to injuries, but they have the attributes to compete with any opponent. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock urged Notre Dame to contribute in all three phases and must continue to run the ball downfield. They finally started to see results against Penn State. The Irish probably can't afford to lose turnover margin, although they can help themselves by replicating their third-down brilliance in Penn State's win -- 11 of 17 conversions on offense and 11 on defense. 3 times. -- Rittenberg
What we learned in the semifinals: The Buckeyes have a defense with championship grit, led by senior defensive end Jake Sawyer, who produced one of the greatest defensive performances in Ohio State history. On fourth-and-goal with just over two minutes left in the game, Sawyer sacked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing him to catch the ball and rush 83 yards for a touchdown to push Ohio State. toward the national championship. The Buckeyes weren't perfect in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, struggling offensively against a talented Texans defense for much of the night. But Ohio State also later showed why its defense is arguably the best in college football.
X factor: Sawyer's tackle sealed the victory just two minutes into the game. On second-and-goal from the Ohio State 1-yard line, little-known senior safety Lathan Ransom outran the incoming blocker and dropped Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner for a 7-yard loss. The Longhorns were forced into desperation mode on their fourth touchdown drive with just over two minutes remaining after an incomplete pass. All-American safety Caleb Downs deservedly made all the headlines in Ohio State's secondary when he was intercepted on Texas' ensuing drive. But the Buckeyes have other great veterans on defense, like Ransom.
How Ohio State won: Texas took away Ohio State's top playmaker and true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who had just one catch for 3 yards on three targets. As highlighted in the first two playoff games, the Buckeyes offense is at its best when Smith catches the ball early and often. Notre Dame will certainly follow Texas' blueprint and position defensive backs to challenge Smith. Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly must develop a plan to deal with that and find a way to get the ball in Smith's hands no matter what the Fighting Irish do. ——Jack Trotter