College Football Playoff title game picks, predictions: Will Ohio State or Notre Dame win it all?

The moment of truth is finally here.

The first iteration of the 12-team College Football Playoff has been whittled from 12 to eight to four and now just two worthy contenders. Ohio State and Notre Dame will meet Monday for all the marbles in the national championship game.

Ohio State is going for its first title since the end of the 2014 season. It's been much longer for Notre Dame; the Irish last won a championship in 1988 when the team capped a 12-0 season with a Fiesta Bowl victory over West Virginia.

So which team will be hoisting the trophy when it's all said and done on Monday night? Which players will be the difference in the outcome? Our college football team weighs in and make their picks below.

Ross Dellenger

The Buckeyes possess the most talented — and expensive — roster in college football, their coaching staff is calling more aggressively in the playoffs and their players are making the game-changing plays we’ve all expected from them. While the Irish employ one of the country’s toughest defenses, Notre Dame is limping to the finish line with a plethora of injuries. Give me the Buckeyes.

Dan Wetzel

Perhaps Notre Dame can turn this into a slog and keep the score in the teens, but Ohio State has more pathways to victory. Its defense has been exceptional almost all season long and if they clean up some mistakes, they are going to score a lot of points. The Ryan Day Redemption Playoffs end with a title.

Nick Bromberg

Ohio State has played like the most talented team in the country through its first three postseason games and I see no reason why that won't continue. A Notre Dame win would not surprise me; the Irish have the ability to lock down Ohio State's wide receivers like Texas did and could grind out a win. But I've got to go with Ohio State here. I don't think it'll be a blowout. But Ohio State pulls away in the fourth quarter for a 10-point win and a cover.

Caroline Fenton

Ohio State is an 8.5-point favorite but that’s just a little too rich for me. In fact, I think it’s going to be a much closer game than Vegas anticipates. Notre Dame will be able to capitalize on a Will Howard interception, but ultimately Ohio State’s depth and talent will prove to be too much for a banged-up Irish team.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Notre Dame take a page out of Texas’ playbook and double up Jeremiah Smith throughout the game, limiting his impact. But that’s the problem with Ohio State’s offense — if you want to sell out to stop one player, that opens up opportunities for the rest of their playmakers. So Emeka Egbuka, who has not gotten the credit he deserves in the postseason, will have a day while Smith gets more of the attention early.

Jay Busbee

Notre Dame is a patient team, waiting for the other side to make mistakes and then capitalizing on them. Unfortunately for the Irish, the Buckeyes aren’t making many mistakes these days. If Notre Dame keys in on Ohio State all-everything freshman Jeremiah Smith as expected, that leaves a very capable Egbuka free to cause havoc.

Jack Sawyer’s ability to blow up an offense is already a known quantity; Ohio State’s secondary should give him plenty of time to get into the backfield and cause damage. I see Ohio State getting up big early, and Notre Dame doesn’t have the horses to close the gap.

Jason Fitz

This game feels like fighting Mike Tyson in his prime. Ohio State got out to huge leads in their first two games and, were it not for self-inflicted penalties, the same looked likely in their win over Texas. Notre Dame simply isn't built for an explosive matchup, so it will be key that they survive the fast start that seems to be part of the Buckeyes' playoff personality.

Will Howard played a perfectly patient game in the semifinal and he will have to do the same against a Notre Dame defense that is so good at forcing turnovers. Unfortunately for the Irish, the weapons on Ohio State's offense combined with a defensive line that can apply plenty of pressure on Riley Leonard will simply be too much to overcome.