The national championship is here as the Notre Dame football team will go up against Ohio State on Monday night with everything on the line. These teams have had very different paths to the national title, and while the Fighting Irish are the higher seed in the College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes are huge favorites coming into this game. Ohio State is loaded with weapons all over the field, and it's going to take a special performance from Notre Dame to come away with a win in this one.

Former Alabama football head coach Nick Saban discussed the matchup on Monday, and he knows that the Notre Dame football team has a chance. However, they will need to play a certain style of game if they are going to come out on top.

“I think it… who can play their game? Which team allows the other team to play their game? You know, if Notre Dame is going to win the game, they're going to have to play ugly,” Nick Saban said. “You know that they can't get in a three-point shootout if it's a basketball game, you know, with Ohio State to make explosive plays to win the game, because Ohio State has too many weapons.”

Ohio State's most reason loss came to rival Michigan, and it was certainly an ugly contest. The Wolverines had pretty much zero passing attack in the game, but they were still able to win. They made Ohio State uncomfortable, and they didn't let them play their game. That's what Notre Dame has to do.

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“But if they can make the game ugly, kind of like Michigan did, you know, they ran the ball. They kept it away from Ohio State. They made the plays they needed to make,” Saban continued. “They got some turnovers. Play good defense. Don't let them get explosive plays. I think anybody can win the game, but I think the team that's going to win is going to be able to play their game.”

If Notre Dame is giving up big plays through the air, they just aren't going to be able to keep up. The Fighting Irish aren't built for a shootout, but if they can establish the run and get pressure on Will Howard on the other side of the ball, they will have a fighting chance.

The Fighting Irish and Buckeyes will get the national title started at 7:30 ET on Monday from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and the game will be airing on ESPN. Ohio State is currently favored by nine points.