The most anticipated game of the year kicks off on Monday when Ohio State (-8.5) and Notre Dame will meet in the CFP National Championship. The Buckeyes are known for their wealthy, commanding offense while the Irish are credited for their suffocating, adjustable defense.
Below, I've highlighted three player props for Ohio State vs Notre Dame, featuring Emeka Egbuka to lend a helping hand when Jeremiah Smith is smothered and Riley Leonard to be forced to throw the ball.
Prop #1: emeka egbuka OVER 55.5 Receiving Yards (-114)
Notre Dame's defense is what has got them this far, staying disciplined in the redzone and averaging 2.1 takeaways per game. So, it'll be all hands on deck for Ohio State. With over 1,200 yards, it's Jeremiah Smith who shines in the Buckeyes wide receiver room. In the semifinal, the Longhorns suffocated him to one receptions and three yards. I suspect the Irish to have close tabs on Smith on the field.
This is where Egbuka comes in. For a player averaging 68 receiving yards in the CFP, this line opens a tad too low--so I'm jumping on it. The senior snagged 81 yards against Tennessee and 72 yards against Oregon in the quarterfinals. He came just five yards short of eclipsing this line for three consecutive outings against Texas.
Desperate times lead to desperate measures and when Ohio State needs to get that first down, it's Egbuka's time to shine.
Prop #2: riley leonard OVER 27.5 passing attempts (-114)
I'm going against a trend here and listen up because it's a good betting lesson. To the blind eye, Riley Leonard's trend of averaging 22.8 passing attempts across his last five would immediately draw you to the UNDER. However, the meeting Leonard hit the OVER on 27.5 passing attempts was in the CFP first round against Indiana. With 16 rushing touchdowns, we all know Leonard as a mobile quarterback. But, the Hoosiers were a top three rush defense and the senior was forced to toss the ball, recording 32 passing attempts in that matchup.
Well, allowing just 62.3, Ohio State has an even better rush defense. Marcus Freeman has been forced to adjust his gameplan on the fly through the College Football Playoff. Opponents have and continue to be expecting that powerful ground attack, Leonard will have to continue honing his passing game.
prop #3: Jeremiyah Love OVER 41.5 Rushing yards (-114)
I'm reiterating my confidence on this prop from my National Championship preview. Averaging 89.7 rushing yards in his last five, Jeremiyah Love simply can't be stopped and always finds a way to get himself some yards. Love has surpassed 41.5 rushing yards in five of his last six outings with the lone exception being due to the injury he had in the Sugar Bowl, causing him to miss most of the second half.
Also recording touchdowns in 15 of his last 16, the Irish rely on the sophomore to lead them down the field and on the scoreboard. A testament to his athleticism was in the Orange Bowl, when Love refused to be tackled in the redzone and got Notre Dame its first lead vs Penn State.
