Who are the announcers for the National Championship Game between Ohio State and Notre Dame?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State will get one more night in the spotlight.

When the Buckeyes play Notre Dame for the national title on Monday, the game will be broadcast on ESPN. And, there will be some familiar announcers on the call.

Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will be on the call for the game, the fourth-straight time for Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. It will be Notre Dame’s first time with that broadcasting crew this playoffs.

There will also be alternate broadcasts, for those looking for a different viewing experience.

ESPN2 will broadcast Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show, while ESPNU will showcase the Command Center, ESPNews will show SkyCast in 4K, and the ESPN App will have the All-22 feed with hometown radio broadcast, including pregame and halftime marching band shows.

Alums of Chicago’s Marist High School will play National Championship for both Notre Dame, Ohio State

CHICAGO (CBS) — Next week’s College Football National Championship will have a decidedly Midwestern flair, as Notre Dame and Ohio State vie for the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff title.

Marist High School in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood has a strong rooting interest for both the Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes.

Ron Dawczak was head football coach at Marist from 2017 through 2023. When Notre Dame and Ohio State take the field Monday night in Atlanta, Dawczak will be locked in on the action.

“I’m going to have just a tremendous amount of pride,” said Dawczak. “I’m going to have a huge smile on my face watching these kids compete.”

During Dawczak’s time at the helm, he coached Pat Coogan—who is now starting center for Notre Dame. Dawczak also coached two Ohio State players—starting wide receiver Carnell Tate, and sophomore reserve wideout Nolan Baudo.

“These three players—great players for us, you know, in their time at Marist; great kids too that worked really hard,” Dawczak said. “For them to be able to play in the biggest game of the college football season on a national stage, it’s just so awesome.”

Coogan has really seemed to embrace the national stage part of it, with his fiery, emotional pregame speeches even going a bit viral.

Was Coogan a pregame speech guy back at Marist?

“A little bit different,” Dawczak said. “If something needed to be said, he wasn’t afraid to say it, but he’s expanded his leadership role as he’s moved on to Notre Dame.”

As for Tate on Ohio State, he transferred to IMG Academy during the COVID year of 2020. But before that, he started at Marist as a freshman—and was the only player to do so in Dawczak’s time there.

“He was just so advanced physically at the wide receiver position. He came in as a 6’2″, 180-pound freshman—just a really natural ability; smooth route runner; a really good understanding of the game,” Dawczak said. “Really mature too—I mean, that’s a hard thing for a 14-year-old to go up and compete with guys that are 17, 18 years old, so he had the physical ability, and also the mental maturity to be able to handle that.”

With players representing both sides, the question must be asked—who will Dawczak and the Marist community be rooting for Monday night?

“We’re rooting for an offensive explosion,” Dawczak said. “I’m hoping that Pat moves the ball, creates some running lanes for the running game, and protects the quarterback, and that Carnell continues to run great routes and contribute in the passing game for Ohio State.

Dawczak is still a teacher at Marist, though he stepped down as the RedHawks’ football coach. He said he is particularly proud of how Coogan handled not starting for Notre Dame at the beginning of the season before finally getting his opportunity due to injuries.