A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Ohio State and Notre Dame are among the most recognizable brands in college football and two of the most winning programs in history as well. Now, tonight, they square off for a national title in the first championship game in the new 12-team playoff format. We're going to get a preview from NPR's sports correspondent, Becky Sullivan. So Becky, big game for college football because it's the last game. It's the championship game. It's also the first year in the playoffs at this level that has more teams in it. So that - does that make this a bigger event than it normally would?
BECKY SULLIVAN, BYLINE: I think you could say that for sure. I mean, certainly a big deal given the two teams that are in it. You know, not to use a word like iconic lightly, but Ohio State, Notre Dame, they really are. I mean, they've got 19 national - or 19 previous national championships between them - Ohio State, the last one in 2014, Notre Dame, the last time back in the '80s. A lot in common for these two Midwestern schools, and maybe nothing more so than that their programs are at such a stature that the pressure is sky-high every year for them, as Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman put it yesterday.
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MARCUS FREEMAN: Every season, you go into the season wanting to be national champions. You know, obviously, Ohio State has achieved that goal in more recent years than we have. But those are the expectations, to be at the mountaintop.
MARTÍNEZ: Becky, I wonder if these two teams are running on fumes. They both started the season August 31.
SULLIVAN: Yep. Yeah, these - not just, like, the season. I mean, for both teams, this is the 16th game, which is the longest season ever at this level of college football. The playoffs alone have been going on for more than a month now. This is each team's fourth game in the playoff. So I think for that reason alone for Ohio State and Notre Dame both, it's quite the achievement just to be here.
MARTÍNEZ: All right, so let's talk about both teams, what they're like and how they could win. So let's start with Notre Dame. How did Notre Dame get here?
SULLIVAN: Yeah, I mean, I think you got to start with coach Freeman. It's his third season as coach of the Fighting Irish. He's only 39 years old. This playoff run is making him a star. I'd be remiss not to mention that he is the first Black or Asian American head coach to reach the national title game at this level of college football. Obviously, that makes him the first or would be the first to win if the Fighting Irish can do it. He has deflected the attention around that, but it is really meaningful to his players, including star running back Jeremiyah Love, who talked about it this weekend.
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JEREMIYAH LOVE: It's great to see. It's inspiring. Coach Free is setting an example for people that look like us and just let them know that you can get to the big stage. You can make it far. Shoot, this game - we win this game - going to be a legend.
MARTÍNEZ: And actually, there's another great storyline for Freeman in this game, too.
SULLIVAN: Yeah, he is from Ohio, and he played linebacker at Ohio State, meaning he's going up against his alma mater in this game. Now, just to go back to your original question how - when it comes to how the Fighting Irish play football - maybe unsurprising given that Freeman is a former linebacker, but Notre Dame is a defense first team. They're in the top 10 nationwide at defending both third and fourth downs. And on offense, they focus on the run game. So look for stars Jeremiyah Love, like we mentioned, and then quarterback Riley Leonard, who's also a big runner. So they're a good tandem.
MARTÍNEZ: All right, that's the Fighting Irish. What about the Ohio State Buckeyes 'cause they're favorite to win, right? So what are they like?
SULLIVAN: They are. Yeah, I mean, they're favored because they have one of the best offenses in college football. I think that's the simplest thing to say. They scored 34 points in the first half against the top seed Oregon in the quarterfinal when they upset them on the way here. So when the Buckeyes are on, it's tough to stop. I've talked about their freshman star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, on this program before. But they have plenty other playmakers, too.
I think for them, the trick is going to be to limit turnovers. They lost only two games this season. The difference both times was turnovers. They had two fumbles in one, two interceptions in the other. That's costly against any team but against Notre Dame especially, who lead the country in takeaways and, on average, getting more than nine points per game on turnovers. So Ohio State's going to have to take care of the football to win.
MARTÍNEZ: Great offense versus a great defense, Becky. Something's got to give. I can't - oh, I can't watch it.
SULLIVAN: (Laughter).
MARTÍNEZ: I got to host tomorrow. So I'm going to be asleep.
SULLIVAN: Tough.
MARTÍNEZ: That's NPR's Becky Sullivan. Becky, watch for us, and thanks.
SULLIVAN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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