A Buckeyes win would give the Big Ten back-to-back national champions for the first time since 1942, when the league was called the Western Conference. Paul Brown-coached Ohio State went 9-1 that year and was the third straight national champion from the conference. Voters crowned Minnesota in 1940 and ’41.

Notre Dame and Ohio State are set to compete in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Marcus Freeman’s 14-1 Fighting Irish will face Ryan Day’s 13-2 Buckeyes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday,

In a battle of heavyweights, No. 7 Notre Dame (14-1) and No. 9 Ohio State (13-2) will play Monday at 7:30 p.m. in New Orleans (ESPN) in the College Football Playoff title game — the first in the 12-team playoff era.