Former Ohio State star Marcus Freeman will lead Notre Dame against his alma mater on Monday, Jan. 20, when the Irish meet the Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The CFP odds for the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame matchup at our soccer betting sites have seriously changed after the Bucs were 9.5-point favorites.
Ryan Day's team remains the favorite to win the College Football Playoff Championship, but the line has started to shift toward the Irish.
With the moneyline giving the Bucs a -350 on a win, the odds of them beating Notre Dame are 77.78%.
Odds for Ohio State vs Notre Dame: CFP National Championship game
Ohio State vs Notre Dame: Money Line Odds
(Best odds at our top sports betting sites)
| Moneyline | Ohio State | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| Opening moneyline | -400 (via BetMGM) | +328 (via Caesars) |
| Sunday moneyline | -350 (via BetMGM) | +310 (via bet365) |
| Monday moneyline | -350 (via BetMGM) | +285 (via FanDuel) |
Odds for the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame match: Spread
| Spread | Ohio State | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| Opening spread | -9.5 (-110 via bet365) | +9.5 (-110 via bet365) |
| Sunday spread | -8.5 (-110 via Caesars) | +9.5 (-115 via BetMGM) |
| Monday spread | -8 (-110 via Caesars) | +8.5 (-110 via BetMGM) |
Odds for Ohio State vs Notre Dame: Over/Under
| Spread | Ohio State | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Over/Under | Over: 45.5 (-110 via bet365) | Under: 45.5 (-110 via bet365) |
| Sunday Over/Under | Over: 45.5 (-115 via BetMGM) | Under: 46 (-110 via Caesars) |
| Monday Over/Under | Over: 45.5 (-115 via Caesars) | Under: 46 (-110 via bet365) |
Given Ohio State's dominance in the College Football Playoff, it's no surprise that the Bucs were the clear favorites to win the national championship.
However, the fact that they were favored by 9.5 points over a Notre Dame team that had won 13 straight games, including beating Indiana and Georgia by double-digit scores in the CFP, came as somewhat of a shock.
Obviously, bettors were surprised as well, with the line quickly moving 1.5 points down after the public started cheering for the Fighting Irish. According to the betting consensus for the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame matchup, 68% of bettors are taking the Irish to win.
That makes sense considering Notre Dame is 12-2-1 ATS this season, which equates to the highest coverage percentage in the country (85.7%). The team has managed to cover bettors in 10 straight games, including a 1-point win over Penn State in the CFP semifinals.
On BetMGM, even more bettors are backing a Notre Dame win, as 63% of bettors are betting on the Irish moneyline (+325).
As Douglas Farmer of Covers points out, Notre Dame has only been an underdog seven times when Freeman has led the team, and has managed 6-1 ATS and 4-3 straight-up results.
But only once during Freeman's tenure have the Irish lost by a two-point margin. That was against an Ohio State team when they played in 2022. In the season opener, the Bucs won 21-10 and Notre Dame won by a 15-point underdog.
While the Bucs are a respectable 9-6 ATS this season, including covering in all three CFP games, they are currently being offered odds of -8 or -8.5. That makes them a bigger favorite against Notre Dame in the championship game than they are against Tennessee (-7.5), Oregon (-2.5) and Texas (-6).
The line at our top sports betting sites could continue to move if the public continues to support Notre Dame this strongly. Covering an 8-point favorite in the most important game of the season is a very difficult task, even if Ohio State has looked like a completely different team in the postseason.
I think a more realistic spread for this game would be Ohio State -6.5, but I'm not sure that line will change that much by kickoff on January 20. And while I think Ohio State will come out ahead, I'd bet Notre Dame +8.5 right now, especially with College Football Insider's prediction of a 26-20 win for the Buckeyes.
CFP National Championship Game Information
When: Monday, Jan. 20
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
How to watch: ESPN
Weather: Indoors
Favorite: Ohio State -8 (-110 via Caesars)
