3 reasons why Ryan Day has a better chance to win against Marcus Freeman in CFP national championship 

While the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is a legitimate opponent who has earned its way all the way to the CFP title game, there's no doubt that the Ohio State Buckeyes is a solid favorite on Monday.

The Buckeyes have been substantial favorites since the end of the quarterfinal round and have done nothing to hurt their cause. Ohio State is the more talented and experienced team in the CFP final.

While anything can (and probably will) happen in this new 12-team College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes are deserving of favorite status.

Here's a closer look at three reasons why Ryan Day and the Buckeyes should best the Fighting Irish and Marcus Freeman at Mercedez-Benz Stadium on Jan. 20.

3 reasons Ryan Day and OSU should best Marcus Freeman and ND in CFP

Ohio State's defense was the hero against Texas and could be again in the Notre Dame matchup. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

#3. Red zone defense

Ohio State's ferocious defense is well-known. After all, the Buckeyes are first in FBS both in scoring allowed (12.2 ppg) and yardage allowed (251.1 ypg). But what doesn't get as much publicity as it should is the brilliant work of Ohio State's red-zone defense.

Opponents who drive into Ohio State's red zone (20-yard line) score points just 61.1% of the time (second best in FBS, behind only Army). Moreover, those opponents come away with touchdowns just 41.67% of the time (second again, this time just two-tenths of a percent behind Penn State).

A red-zone stop against the Texas Longhorns was the difference in the CFP semifinal. Even if Notre Dame can hang around the Buckeyes, good luck turning drives into points against a historic red-zone defense.

#2. Lack of elite Notre Dame receivers

Challenging Ohio State is probably a one-dimensional affair because of Notre Dame's offense lacks elite wide receivers to challenge the OSU secondary. Notre Dame has no receivers with 40 catches or 500 receiving yards. Their top receiver in catches is tight end Mitchell Evans. The yardage leader, Jaden Greathouse, has more games with under 10 yards receiving (4) than 100 yards receiving (1).

Notre Dame's running game is legitimate, but without top passing targets to stretch Ohio State's defense, the Buckeyes will crowd the box and create defensive havoc.

#1. A massive talent gap

How big is the talent gap? It's just a matter of metrics. Here's one – a recent top 50 NFL draft board by The Athletic included five Ohio State players among the top 50 prospects for the upcoming 2025 NFL draft. How many Notre Dame players? None.

Or consider this. In a comparison of On3 recruiting rankings, Ohio State's starting lineup is expected to include seven five-star recruits. Notre Dame's will include none.

At the end of the day, all the scheming in the world can't offset a massive talent gap. That's why the Buckeyes should be CFP champions.

Who do you think will win when the Ohio State Buckeyes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off in the College Football Playoff national championship game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.