The minus-20 wind chill didn't deter some fans from celebrating Notre Dame football's return home from Atlanta on Tuesday.

Why is Notre Dame not in a conference for college football? Here's what to know as the Irish are set to compete in the CFP championship game on Monday:

With the news that Notre Dame football defensive coordinator Al Golden was taking the Cincinnati Bengals DC position, it left the Irish with a fairly sizable hole that needed to be filled.

Then, for the biggest play of the game, Notre Dame decided to leave Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on an island. It was third and 12 and the Fighting Irish would get the ball back with a stop with a chance to tie the game. Smith completely burned his defender and he was wide open for a huge gain, and he iced the game.

Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman won a major award after leading the Fighting Irish to the National Championship game

The Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish 34-23 to win the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, their first national championship since the 2014 season

SportsLine's model simulated Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 CFP National Championship game 10,000 times

The expanded College Football Playoff resulted in some increased ratings across the board, culminating in a huge number of fans tuning in to watch Ohio State wi

The Marcus Freeman-led Fighting Irish have become a force to be reckoned with, boasting an impressive 14-1 record. Their road to the National Championship game included wins against Indiana, Georgia, and most recently, a nail-biter 27-24 victory over a talented Penn State Nittany Lions team.

On Monday night, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in top-level college football’s national championship game.

It's down to this. Notre Dame and Ohio State meet in the College Football Playoff championship game. Who will prevail? Our experts make their picks.