The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have reached the College Football Playoff national championship game, but they appear to need a miracle on Monday night to upset the heavily favored Ohio State Buckeyes and claim the title. ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel conducted interviews with 10 NFL scouts and coaches, and none were willing to predict a Notre Dame victory. Most believed Ohio State holds a clear talent advantage and would win “handily.” “The 10 coaches and NFL scouts/executives whom ESPN interviewed for this breakdown all picked Ohio State to win the national title,” Thamel reported for ESPN on Monday.
He noted, “Notre Dame’s run through the CFP has been fueled by opportunistic special teams, a ferocious defense tied for the FBS lead in defensive touchdowns (6), and an offense that has adjusted well to muster enough success to advance.” The Irish enter as 8.5-point favorites after a magical playoff journey featuring victories over the Indiana Hoosiers, Georgia Bulldogs, and Penn State Nittany Lions. However, NFL scouts believe this success stems more from a hot streak and luck than from the team’s inherent talent. “They are like a basketball team on one of those magical NCAA tournament runs right now,” remarked a veteran NFL scout.
One assistant coach who has analyzed both teams expressed skepticism about Ohio State losing unless they make significant mistakes. “I can’t see Ohio State losing, unless Ohio State beats themselves,” he told ESPN. “If Ohio State goes out there and stays steady, doing what they do, and doesn’t turn the ball over, they should beat them pretty handily.” This sentiment aligns with the perspective of three-time national champion head coach Urban Meyer, who commented earlier this week that Ohio State possesses far more talent than Notre Dame.
Meyer acknowledged, “Remember, Notre Dame lost either three or four really good players on defense. Al Golden, the defensive coordinator, is a phenomenal coach. They have great players on defense. But, remember, they’ve lost four players on defense. Offensively? This is not a talent-equated game on paper. It’s not. And, on film, I would say it’s not.” He also pointed out that games aren’t played on paper, allowing for the possibility that Notre Dame could pull off an upset. However, he noted the significant reasons behind Ohio State’s status as heavy favorites: “I say that with respect, that things happen…Things happen,” Meyer added. “But when I saw that point spread? Vegas, you know, is not wrong very often. This is a non-equated talent game, and I know that watching it and looking at – I watched the film before I said that and I also did the study of the personnel.”
As kickoff approaches, it seems Notre Dame may need a touch of the miraculous—or the luck of the Irish—to overcome Ohio State.
