“6 Things To Know” about Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship on ESPN
ESPN’s main telecast will headline the signature MegaCast production, as ESPN offers 11 different presentations of the CFP National Championship Game across ESPN platforms.
Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) will put an exclamation point on one of the most expansive and exciting seasons in the history of the sport. As ESPN prepares to present its signature MegaCast production, here are “6 Things To Know” about the pinnacle of the 2024-25 college football campaign:
1. New Open for a New Era: ESPN’s National Championship open celebrates a title game matchup that features the return of two of college football’s most historic programs, Ohio State and Notre Dame. Their rich history cemented by the accomplishments of past Buckeye and Irish legends such as Knute Rockne, Woody Hayes, Joe Montana and Archie Griffin. The players and coaches taking the field in this National Championship game have dreamt about this moment and joining the sport’s heroes of the past. Whether they wear the gold helmet of the Fighting Irish or the Buckeyes’ scarlet and grey, each player understands the gravity of this moment, the return to championship football for both programs and the expectations of generations of Ohio State and Notre Dame fans.
2. Full 4K Presentation: For the first time ever, the entire National Championship will be presented in 4K. In previous years, a 4K feed was offered with the SkyCam view only. The 2025 edition – similar to ESPN’s 4K Game of the Week during the regular season – will be available on Comcast, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Optimum, Sling TV, Verizon and YouTube TV.
3. Roof Cam Captures Creative Viewpoints: A view made popular by the social/digital team of the Atlanta Falcons, ESPN will take advantage of a 4K overhead camera with a cinematic lens at the Falcons’ home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It offers tighter looks of replays and has 8x Super Slo-Mo capabilities, pushing new vantage points that aren’t often available in our regular season coverage. Director Jimmy Platt, Sr. Associate Producer Chris Matthews and team tested this angle during the SEC Championship Game at the stadium and are excited to utilize this camera as part of the championship coverage.

4. ESPN Makes Its Mark with Marketing and Social Activations: ESPN is enhancing the excitement around the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T with three dynamic player and fan-focused initiatives:
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- The ESPN Hype Tunnel will surprise and inspire players with fan-submitted messages displayed on large banners near the player tunnels at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. These messages, collected by our Marketing and Social teams, will encourage players to pause, interact and soak in one of the most thrilling moments of their athletic careers as they enter and exit the field. Player reactions will be highlighted in real-time on studio shows, game feeds and social media.
- Additionally, ESPN is bringing back its Big Rings initiative for a second year, celebrating the expanded 12-team playoff format. This year’s rings feature a dozen crest stones for each playoff team, 133 stones representing every FBS team, and a central diamond symbolizing the National Champion. The winning team will display the rings on the field postgame, while fans can engage with this special activation at Playoff Fan Central (Jan. 18–20) at the Georgia World Congress Center.
- ESPN’s Champion Black Businesses program is teaming up with Adam J’s Grilled Cheese Food Truck for the CFP’s Taste of the Championship event. From 7-10 p.m. at the Georgia Aquarium on Sunday, Jan. 19, Adam J will serve up his famous food truck menu, which includes different takes on the classic grilled cheese with marinara dipping sauce.

5. Storylines and Sidelines:
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- With this year’s CFP National Championship being played in Atlanta on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, pregame coverage on ESPN will feature “America the Beautiful” and the National Anthem, along with MLK-themed content, including “I Have a Dream” imagery and quotes. ESPN will also share footage from a community outreach event at Hope Hill Elementary in Atlanta, hosted by the CFP and conference commissioners, as well as include shots from additional impactful landmarks.
- Live shots from bars packed with Notre Dame and Ohio State fans are planned at The Linebacker in South Bend and at the family restaurant of OSU captain Jack Sawyer at Buckeye Lake.
- Key storylines include: Marcus Freeman – a former Ohio State standout linebacker (2004-08) – aiming to become the youngest coach to win since 1982 – against his alma mater; both teams trying to cement a storybook ending to seasons that once seemed in disarray; Notre Dame seeking their first title since 1988; and quarterbacks Riley Leonard (Notre Dame) and Will Howard (Ohio State) – former Manning Camp roommates – vying to become the first transfer quarterback to win a national title.
6. Halftime Highlight: College football’s biggest night is nearly here, and the competition is heating up. Halftime of ESPN’s presentation features a special guest who is going to make an unforgettable appearance. Fans won’t want to miss this.
From cameras to credentials, let’s take a look at some of the numbers that go into showcasing every angle of Championship Monday.
Colin Bradley and Katie Callahan also contributed to this post