NCAA football: a championship between two historic programs

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a historic program, finds itself in the national final on the NCAA football scene, seeking its first championship since 1988. The order promises to be immense against the Ohio State Buckeyes, who haven’t been crowned since 2014 and are established as favorites by more than a touchdown. To immerse yourself in the American national university championship on Monday evening (7:30 p.m.) in Atlanta, here are the forces present for the two teams, dissected position by position.

Quarterbacks

Will Howard, center of Ohio State, was not having an exceptional season until the unexpected defeat against Michigan at the end of the campaign triggered an electric shock in him. He threw six touchdown passes in three playoff games, with a high completion percentage (73.9%). His Notre Dame counterpart Riley Leonard is doing well, but he is more of a threat on the ground than through the air. He is not the focal point of Notre Dame’s offense, having only three touchdown passes in the playoffs and 171 yards on average. AVANTAGE: Ohio State

The ball carriers

It’s difficult to determine who has the advantage, since both opponents rely on excellent tandems to run with the ball. Notre Dame relies more on the ground game than anyone, with a 57% run ratio in their play choice. Jeremiah Love can explode for a home run at any time, but with the exception of his 98-yard run early in the playoffs, Notre Dame gained just 3.3 yards per carry. The fact remains that he and Jadarian Price are dangerous, not to mention the contribution of quarterback Leonard. Watch for TreVeyon Henderson for Ohio State. He has only 24 carries in three playoff games, but has four touchdowns and an average of 9 yards per carry. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame

The receivers

This is where the advantage is clearest for Ohio State and it’s not even close. Despite being shut out of the Longhorns’ offense last week, rookie Jeremiah Smith is the most dangerous and explosive player on the field. Notre Dame favors man-to-man coverage, which Smith excels against. Emeka Egbuka will be a high pick in the upcoming draft and Carnell Tate is a good third option. Jaden Greathouse is the receiver to watch for Notre Dame, even though he has only two touchdowns on 36 receptions this season. He shined in the semifinals against Penn State. AVANTAGE: Ohio State

On the fronts

Even with high-quality players like blocker Josh Simmons and center Seth McLaughlin out of action, the Buckeyes are banking on good depth at the offensive line. Defensively, on the front, Ohio State’s power is even more marked. General and leader Jack Sawyer, with the key play in the game against Texas in the semifinals, seems on a mission with 4.5 sacks in the playoffs. His friend JT Tuimoloau, who is less talked about, but who is as dominant if not more, claims 5.5. The Buckeyes defense is only giving up 3.9 yards rushing. Notre Dame’s offensive line excels mostly on the ground, but less in pass protection. Their defense only gave up 14.3 points per game and inspires respect… almost as much as Ohio State’s! AVANTAGE: Ohio State

The tertiary

Without talking about weakness on the Ohio State side, if there is one element where Notre Dame stands out, it is in its game against the pass. Safety guard Xavier Watts, one of the best in the United States, covers a lot of ground. Leonard Moore, a rookie player, is more than holding his own, but the challenge facing Ohio State’s receivers will be enormous. Notre Dame has only allowed 165 air yards per game this season. For the Buckeyes, cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun do the job and safety Caleb Downs can hit from everywhere, he who is used in all sauces. Keep an eye on number 2 in defense! ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame

PREDICTION : Ohio State 31 Notre Dame 17