Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes in Atlanta ahead of College Football Playoff National Championship

ATLANTA — Ohio State and Notre Dame arrived in Atlanta on charter flights Friday as the teams moved closer to the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night.

ABC7 Chicago’s Dionne Miller is in Atlanta to the big game, and she will have live reports this weekend and Monday on ABC7.

Notre Dame alum and NFL Hall of Famer Tim Brown with ABC7 Chicago’s Ryan Chiaverini on Saturday about his excitement ahead of the National Championship on Monday.

The full interview can be viewed in the video player above.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The Buckeyes are big favorites but the Fighting Irish might have an advantage. Coach Marcus Freeman’s team has previously played in Atlanta – and in Mercedes-Benz Stadium – this season.

In a game that strengthened Notre Dame’s playoff hopes, the Fighting Irish beat Georgia Tech 31-13 on Oct. 19 as quarterback Riley Leonard ran for two touchdowns.

Is the familiarity with the stadium an advantage for Notre Dame?

“We hope so,” Freeman said at the Atlanta airport. “Now we are on the other side of the field and in a different locker room, but we have played here. We know what it’s like. Each team will have two opportunities to go into the stadium and practice so by the time Monday gets here I think both teams will be comfortable with the environment.”

The Buckeyes opened as 9.5-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Atlanta is the home of the College Football Hall of Fame and is the self-proclaimed “Capital of College Football.” The city hosts the Peach Bowl, Southeastern Conference championship game and such other high-profile games such as the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game.

Atlanta is a short drive from Athens and the University of Georgia, which won the 2021 and 2022 national championships. The South’s claim to be the base of power in the game is up for debate as Ohio State could give the Big Ten its second consecutive national champion and Notre Dame also traveled from the Midwest.

Michigan beat Washington in last year’s title game to give the Big Ten its first national championship in football since Ohio State’s last title in 2014.

Notre Dame (14-1) and Ohio State (13-2) survived the first 12-game playoff to reach the championship game.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he believes his team prepared well for the long season.

“We talked about it all year,” Day said minutes after exiting the plane. “I think we are. Our energy actually picked up week in and week out. I feel the momentum. You know, when you have momentum, you’ve got to keep it. I feel like we’ve continued to get stronger as the season’s gone on.

“We’ve had a plan on how we are going to do that. And so now again, we have to be at our best. The whole plan has been to get to this point right now. And so we have got more days to get prepared to go do it. “

Freeman said the playoff schedule included “a lot of meaningful games.”

“You don’t play in the national championship every week,” Freeman said. “We know that. But we’ve played in a lot of meaningful games and we understand what the expectations are. Monday will be different. We know the excitement and the lights will be brighter.”

ABC7 Chicago contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Rubio arrives in Brussels for NATO talks amid unease over Trump’s agenda

Rubio Visits Brussels for NATO Discussions as Concerns Grow over Trump’s Plans

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew…
‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: Back in Bosch-ness

Recap of Episode 1 from Season 3 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ – Returning to the World of Bosch

In the first season of “Bosch: Legacy,” Maddie Bosch, portrayed by Madison…
Female fencer takes a knee and walks out against transgender rival, as she tells ref: 'I will not fence against a man'

Female Fencer Boycotts Match Against Transgender Rival, Refusing to Compete Against a Man

A female fencer was disqualified from her tournament after taking a knee…
Motorcyclist dragged in road rage incident in Southern California caught on video

Video captures road rage incident in Southern California where a motorcyclist is dragged

In Riverside, California, a motorcyclist’s helmet camera captured a frightening incident of…
When Do New Episodes Of ‘The Pitt’ Come Out on Max? Episode 14 Premiere Time and More

Release Date for New Episodes of ‘The Pitt’ on Max? Episode 14 Premiere Schedule and Details

Last week, an all-new episode of MAX’s show, The Pitt, took Dr.…
Myanmar's military declares a ceasefire to ease quake relief as the death toll tops 3,000

The military in Myanmar announces a pause in fighting to help with earthquake relief efforts as the number of deaths exceeds 3,000

A temporary ceasefire was declared by Myanmar’s ruling military in the midst…
Chicago comedian Leah Eva suffers heart attack, now warning others of the signs of cardiac arrest, heart disease | ABC7 EXCLUSIVE

Chicago Comedian Leah Eva Warns Others About Signs of Heart Attack After Personal Experience | ABC7 Exclusive

CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago comedian’s near-death experience is no laughing matter.…
What Time Is ‘Doctor Odyssey’ On Tonight? How To Watch Ava Phillippe, Paris Jackson, And Charlotte Lawrence’s New Episode

When Does ‘Doctor Odyssey’ Air Tonight? Ways to Watch the Latest Episode Starring Ava Phillippe, Paris Jackson, and Charlotte Lawrence

Time to set sail for another episode of Doctor Odyssey, this time…
American Airlines passengers evacuate flight on wing of plane after landing in Georgia, video shows

Video shows American Airlines passengers evacuating flight onto wing after landing in Georgia

Passengers onboard an American Airlines plane evacuated the aircraft from its wings…
Trump's Treasury Secretary issues blistering six-word warning to countries threatening tariff revenge

The US Treasury Secretary warns countries considering retaliatory tariffs in a fierce six-word statement.

Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, cautioned other countries against taking hasty actions…
NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he's leaving Democratic primary to run for re-election as a independent

New York City Mayor Eric Adams switches from Democratic primary to run for re-election as an independent

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he will run his re-election…
Rubber ducks take center stage at this unique store!

Rubber ducks are the main attraction at this distinctive shop!

SAN FRANCISCO — If you’re in search of the ultimate rubber duck…