Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban isn’t changing his tune on the Ohio State Buckeyes ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Atlanta.

Ryan Day’s team has drawn consistent praise from Saban all throughout the postseason, even before the Buckeyes blasted the Tennessee Volunteers 42-17 in the first round of the playoffs in Columbus.

From his spot on the set of ESPN’s “College GameDay,” which broadcast live from inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Saban picked the Buckeyes to finish off an incredible postseason run and defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the national championship.

When picking the Buckeyes, Saban said:

“I love Notre Dame’s team chemistry. I love their togetherness, I love the job that Marcus Freeman has done with them as a group with the way they bounced back after a tough loss. They represent everything I believe in as a coach. But I just think Ohio State has too much firepower, too many weapons on offense, too many players on defense to effect the quarterback and stop the run.

“I just think Ohio State’s got too many good players for (Notre Dame) and I’m picking Ohio State.”

Earlier in the broadcast, Saban outlined what he thought was Notre Dame’s best chance at pulling an upset:

“I think the key to this game for Notre Dame is they’ve got to be able to keep the ball away from Ohio State’s offense. They’ve got to run it, they’ve got to shrink the game, which is kind of how Michigan played them. They shrunk the game. Ohio State didn’t have the ball very much. They hit a pop-up play here or there to keep it a close game and be able to win it at the end, and I think that’s what Notre Dame needs to do.”

Ohio State is seeking its ninth national championship in school history and the Buckeyes’ first since 2014. Notre Dame is seeking its 12th, but the Irish haven’t won a title since 1988.

The Buckeyes defeated Texas, 28-14, in the Cotton Bowl to get to the championship game. Notre Dame defeated Penn State, 27-24, in the CFP semifinals at the Orange Bowl.

The College Football Playoff National Championship Game can be seen on ESPN.

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