Comparing Ohio State and Notre Dame's most recent championship teams

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Monday's national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame is fast approaching. A title drought will end for one of these programs.

The Buckeyes could bring fans a national title in the first year of the 12-team playoff format. Ohio State's last title a decade ago was in the first four-team playoff. The Fighting Irish aim for an upset to break a 36-year streak without a championship, having last won it all when poll voters selected the champion.

Although Ohio State's 2014 championship team and Notre Dame's 1988 championship team were in vastly different eras, both had legendary coaches and monumental wins over legendary programs.

Let's compare the most recent title-winning teams of Ohio State and Notre Dame:

Coaches

Both these squads had Hall of Fame coaches entering their third seasons with their respective schools. Urban Meyer, who had won two national titles with Florida, was looking for postseason improvements for Ohio State in 2014 after the 2013 season ended with back-to-back postseason losses.

Leading on the sideline for the 1988 Fighting Irish was Lou Holtz, who Meyer worked under as a receivers coach in 1996. Holtz was rebuilding Notre Dame after a 5-6 record in his first year in 1986 and an 8-4 record in 1987. To continue the path upward, he added coordinators Jim Strong for offense and Barry Alvarez for defense.

Holtz, now 88 and a pregame show analyst, critiqued current Ohio State coach Ryan Day for his team lacking physicality before the 2023 regular season game against the Irish. After Ohio State won 17-14 on a last-second touchdown, Day exclaimed, "I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now."

Rosters

Ohio State's 2014 roster was among the greatest it has ever assembled. Senior quarterback Braxton Miller led a deep quarterback room, but he suffered a season-ending injury in August to put freshman J.T. Barrett in as the starter.

Surrounding Barrett on offense were playmakers including Ezekiel Elliott, Curtis Samuel, Devin Smith and Michael Thomas. Leading the offensive line was tackle Taylor Decker, now a starter for the Detroit Lions.

On defense was Joey Bosa, one of Ohio State's best pass rushers ever, alongside a secondary that included Eli Apple and Vonn Bell. All three are now in the NFL.

Notre Dame's 1988 team had over a dozen future NFL draft picks, but the main attraction was quarterback Tony Rice and running backs Raghib Ismail and Ricky Watters. Linebacker Michael Stonebreaker and defensive end Frank Stams led a defense with multiple All-Americans.

Together, they formed a talented Notre Dame roster that received the No. 13 ranking in the preseason Associated Press poll, while Ohio State was ranked No. 5 going into week one.

Regular season

The Buckeyes suffered a shock with a Week 2 loss to Virginia Tech 35-21 in their home opener. Barrett threw three interceptions, and the doubt this team could win a title crept in.

Ohio State then rattled off four straight dominant wins where the offense averaged 56 points. Wins over Penn State and Illinois still weren't enough to put Ohio State in the top 10 -- until an upset at No. 7 Michigan State 49-37 when Barrett accounted for five touchdowns.

Ohio State met Michigan on a 10-game winning streak and won comfortably 42-28. The win was soured when Barrett suffered a leg injury early in the fourth quarter. This meant third-stringer Cardale Jones was pinned to start the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin with playoff hopes in doubt.

What the 1988 Fighting Irish did in the regular season rivals any in college football history. It began with a 19-17 win over No. 9 Michigan to firmly put Notre Dame in the top 10. The team was 5-0 before meeting No. 1 Miami in the "Catholics vs. Convicts" game. The Irish won 31-30 to snap Miami's 36-game regular-season winning streak.

Holtz's now No. 1-ranked team faced an even bigger game to end the regular season against No. 2 USC in Los Angeles, beating the Trojans 27-10 to leave them one win away from the championship.

Postseason

No one knew what to expect going into the Big Ten championship in regards to both Ohio State's play and how the playoff committee would pick the first four-team bracket.

Jones entered the game in Indianapolis with big questions, and he answered all of them in a 59-0 win over Wisconsin. The Buckeyes entered the game ranked fifth in the playoff poll but jumped into fourth for the final playoff spot, sending them to the Sugar Bowl against No. 1 Alabama.

The Crimson Tide were heavily favored with a roster that had tons of NFL talent, including Derrick Henry, Amari Cooper and Jonathan Allen. But Ohio State won 42-35, capped by an 85-yard touchdown run from Elliott. The running back then scored four touchdowns in the national title win over No. 2 Oregon 42-20 in Arlington, Texas.

Times were simpler in 1988 as Notre Dame needed one Fiesta Bowl win over No. 3 West Virginia to be the consensus champion. They beat the Mountaineers 34-21 to end the season with wins over teams ranked No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 for the program's 11th national championship.