The national championship game is here. Tonight, Notre Dame and Ohio State battle to see who is the #1 team in all of college football.

“I mean, when you think about Notre Dame and you think about playing football at Notre Dame, you play for nights like Monday night,” Irish center and life long Notre Dame fan Pat Coogan explains. “You train, you compete for nights like Monday night, and that’s why you come to Notre Dame, because you know you have the opportunity. You know you’re surrounded by the guys that have what it takes to play for games like a National Championship.”

What a journey it’s been for Notre Dame to get here. After being stunned by Northern Illinois in week 2, Notre Dame has won 13 games in a row as they head into the College Football Playoff National Championship Game as an 8-point underdog.

“Obviously it’s everyone’s dream being a football player, coming to the biggest stage, the National Championship,” says Irish wide receiver Jordan Faison who won a national championship with Notre Dame in lacrosse in May. “To get here, it’s crazy. It doesn’t fully hit you when you’re not here, but then when you get up here and see all the stuff that’s going on, you’re like, dang, you’re really playing for a National Championship. You know, it’s awesome.”

Notre Dame last played for a national championship in 2012 but were crushed by Alabama in that game. The Irish, winners of 11 national titles, haven’t won it all in 36 years.

“When you think about Notre Dame, you think about the history and tradition and the folklore of the program, and so as of late we haven’t had that, right. It’s been a long time,” Irish captain and linebacker Jack Kiser says. “So I think that’s motivation for this team to get Notre Dame back to what it used to be, get back to the promised land, to the top of the pedestal. It’s a lot of motivation for us to understand there’s so much history and tradition behind us and knowing that we’re not only playing for ourselves but we’re playing for all that.”

While Kiser is playing in his record setting 70th and final game in his 6th season at Notre Dame, quarterback Riley Leonard has only been with Notre Dame a year. And how wild his journey is in that, his 2023 was season derailed by an injury suffered against Notre Dame. 15 Months later, he’s leading the Irish into the national title game.

“Isn’t it crazy? I was telling people, you break it, you buy it. So they broke me, and then they paid for my surgeries,” Leonard says. “No, whenever they took me out, that was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t want anything to do with Notre Dame after that game. Shoot, here we are. It’s a crazy story. I can’t even believe it. After getting to this place, I know it’s a huge brand and everything, but once you get into this place and realize the people that you’re always around every single day, you start to realize how much like home it feels like. So these guys are great.”

Ohio is home for Irish tight end Mitchell Evans. While he didn’t grow up an Ohio State fan, facing the biggest school from his home state for the biggest prize is a big deal.

“Obviously, just playing for a Natty itself is a pretty surreal experience but playing Ohio State, the state that I’m from, it’s kind of like a full circle moment,” Evans says. “It’s surreal to me. I still feel like it isn’t real yet until I get the pads suited up, and I’m out on the field. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This being my last game in college, let’s go out with a bang. No better way to do that than to win the National Championship game.”

No question, the Irish players know the significance of what delivering a national title would mean to their fans.

“I think it would mean a lot,” Irish captain and safety Xavier Watts says. “Obviously the last time we won was 1988 so it’s been a really long time. So just be a really good moment for this program to go out and do something special, a special moment for the team, players, everyone involved, fans. Really cool moment.”

And for the South Side Chicago Irish Catholic, Coogan—well this would be a storybook ending.

“It’s been something I’ve always dreamed of and something I’ve worked for and prayed for and competed for,” Coogan says at the thought of hoisting the national championship trophy. “So that moment would be one of a kind, for real. And while it is a huge moment and a huge game, it also is football at its finest. So that’s what I’m really excited for.”

Notre Dame and Ohio State will kickoff just after 7:30pm Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Atlanta.