How To Watch on TV/Streaming Options: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

The College Football Playoff for the National Championship has come down to this: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. the Ohio State Buckeyes.

If you’re like the rest of us, we can’t come to Atlanta to go to the game, but we can watch it and stream it online.

How To Watch the 2025 College Football Playoff

• Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025
• Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
• TV channel: ESPN

A History: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

The football history between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish is rich and marked by some memorable matchups. While not as frequent as some other rivalries, their meetings have been important and often captivating, as both programs are among the most storied in college football.

Here’s a summary of the key moments and the history between the two teams:

Early Encounters

The first meeting between Ohio State and Notre Dame occurred on November 25, 1921, at the Columbus, Ohio, where Notre Dame won 21–13. This marked the beginning of a rare but significant series of games between the two prestigious programs.

20th Century Matchups

Throughout the 20th century, the two teams faced each other on a limited basis, as both programs primarily built their schedules around other regional and national powers. However, the games they did play were often competitive and saw both teams making their marks as elite football programs.

• 1935 Sugar Bowl: Ohio State and Notre Dame met in the Sugar Bowl (January 1, 1935), a major postseason game. The Buckeyes came out victorious 21–13, giving them an early sense of national prominence. This was one of the first major postseason encounters between the two schools.
• 1950s–1970s: There were occasional meetings, but both teams often had different conference alignments and varied levels of prominence in terms of national rankings. Notre Dame was an independent team, and Ohio State was part of the Big Ten Conference. However, even in this era, they occasionally met in bowl games or high-profile regular-season contests.

21st Century and the Resurgence of the Series

The rivalry between Ohio State and Notre Dame became more pronounced in the 21st century, as both teams’ programs returned to national prominence in the college football landscape.

• 2006 Fiesta Bowl: One of the most famous recent matchups occurred in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl, which was the BCS National Championship Game. The Buckeyes, led by head coach Jim Tressel and star quarterback Troy Smith, entered the game undefeated and as the #1 team in the country. However, Notre Dame was no slouch and was led by coach Charlie Weis and quarterback Brady Quinn. The game was highly anticipated, but Ohio State triumphed 34–20, securing their national championship appearance.
• 2023 Matchup: One of the most recent matchups between the two teams occurred in the 2023 season in a highly anticipated regular season game. This game was a primetime showdown and ended with a tight finish, in which Ohio State came out victorious, 17–14, in a thriller. The game saw intense defensive play and some spectacular individual performances.

Key Themes in Their Rivalry:

1. Coaching Legacies: Both teams have long-standing coaching legacies. Ohio State’s Woody Hayes, Earle Bruce, and Jim Tressel and Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne, Lou Holtz, and Brian Kelly have each shaped college football history.
2. National Title Implications: Some of the games have carried serious national title implications, especially in the BCS era, and both programs have national title aspirations, which raises the stakes when they meet.
3. Notre Dame’s Independence vs. Ohio State’s Big Ten Membership: The two teams don’t play each other regularly because of Notre Dame’s status as an independent, while Ohio State is in the Big Ten. This makes any matchups between the two highly anticipated, as they only meet on occasion in bowl games or scheduled non-conference games.
4. Prolific Players: Both schools have produced some of the most talented players in college football history. Ohio State has had players like Eddie George, Chris Spielman, and Chase Young, while Notre Dame has boasted players like Joe Montana, Tim Brown, and Rudy Ruettiger.

Statistical Overview:

• Series Record: As of the latest games, Ohio State leads the all-time series against Notre Dame in terms of wins, but the series is closely contested.
• Key Bowl Games: Several high-profile bowl matchups have been crucial moments, such as the 2006 Fiesta Bowl and other bowl games.

Future of the Rivalry

The rivalry is expected to continue in the coming years, with the teams scheduled for future non-conference games. The occasional crossover of schedules and the constant shift in college football’s playoff structure means that Ohio State and Notre Dame will likely meet again under high stakes.

In short, while the Ohio State–Notre Dame rivalry may not have the same regularity as some other college football rivalries, it has produced many memorable games and remains an important intersection of two of college football’s most prestigious programs.