Ohio State vs Notre Dame Predictions: Our Expert Picks for the CFP National Championship Game

It all comes down to this.

Everything is at stake, as no. 7-seeded Notre Dame and no. 8 seed Ohio State will square off in the College Football Playoff National Championship today at 20:00 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In the CFP semifinals, the Fighting Irish survived no. 6 seed Penn State, 27-24, in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter made a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left in regulation after a fourth quarter that featured two ties and three lead changes.

It was a different story for the Buckeyes in their semifinal as Ohio State cruised to a third straight double-digit win, outscoring Texas 14-0 in the fourth quarter in a 28-14 victory over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

One of the main stories in this title game is Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, who played linebacker at Ohio State for three seasons from 2006-08 before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

While Ohio State is aiming for its second championship in the last decade, it’s been a long time coming for Notre Dame, which hasn’t won a title since 1988.

Can the Fighting Irish finally end their 36-year title drought, or will the Buckeyes reign supreme and win their ninth national championship in school history?

Here are our staff picks for who will play the CFP National Championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame:

Bert Bainbridge

Notre Dame 24, Ohio State 21: Against the odds with a nearly four-decade title drought and being significant underdogs in the game itself, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman finds a way and gets his revenge by beating his alma mater on a walk-off field goal to win the national championship .

Chris Iseman

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 21: While the Fighting Irish are certainly talented, the Buckeyes are the better all-around team. Plus, they’ve looked like a team on a mission ever since the loss to Michigan.

Art Stapleton

Notre Dame 21, Ohio State 17: The Fighting Irish will get big defensive efforts from safety Xavier Watts and Jersey boys up front, Howard Cross III and RJ Oben. But the story of the game will be RB Jeremiah Love going for two touchdowns, including the game winner late.

Brian Marron

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 17: The Fighting Irish are solid enough defensively to keep this game close going into the fourth quarter, but Riley Leonard and the passing attack aren’t strong enough to knock off the Buckeyes. The overall talent advantage ultimately wins out for Ohio State.

Bob Jordan

Ohio State 48, Notre Dame 20: Large point spreads mean likely blowouts in the CFP National Championship. The biggest line for the championship game occurred two years ago when Georgia was favored by 13½ over TCU and won by 58; Four years ago, Alabama was favored by nine over Ohio State and won by 28. Ohio State looks to be the 8- or 9-point favorite here.

Dave Rivera

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 16: After losing to Michigan four straight, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is finally getting off the hot seat — until he faces Michigan again next season.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Notre Dame vs Ohio State Predictions: Our Expert Picks for the CFP National Championship