Two of the National Club Football Association’s most successful teams are set to meet in the 2025 NCFA National Championship Game.
No. 1 Ohio State, winner of national titles in 2019, 2021 and 2024 is set to take on No. 2 Coppin State, which took home back-to-back national championships in 2012 and 2013. The two teams have met four times in league history, splitting the matchups. Every year the two teams have met, the winner has gone on to win the national title, a trend that is guaranteed to continue in 2025.
The Eagles won the first two matchups against Ohio State, outscoring the Buckeyes by a combined score of 61-6 in 2012 and 2013. The two programs would not meet again until the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship Game, which the Buckeyes won, 35-0. The two teams met again last season, with Ohio State taking home a 52-0 win in the 2024 NCFA Semifinals.
A lot has changed since last season, however. Both programs enter the title bout with identical 8-0 records, marking the first matchup of undefeated teams in the big game since 2017, when Sacred Heart and Fort Lauderdale slugged it out for the national championship. Coppin State won its seventh conference title by way of forfeit after both Mid-Atlantic North champion Clarkson and division runner-up Sacred Heart both declined an invitation to the conference title game in Baltimore. It was the first conference championship win for Coppin State since 2017, when it advanced to the NCFA Semifinals before losing to Fort Lauderdale. This will mark the first national championship game appearance for the Eagles since last winning it all in 2013.
On the other side, the Buckeyes are making their league-record sixth straight national championship game appearance. Ohio State is 3-2 in the title game, breaking a two-game losing streak last year with a 20-13 win over Clayton State. After recording zero postseason appearances from 2012-17, the Buckeyes have qualified for the NCFA postseason each year since, reaching the national championship game every year after a 2018 loss in the conference championship game.
Ohio State enters the game led by Niko Pappas, who is just three touchdowns away from breaking the NCFA league record for total touchdowns in a single season. The record is currently held by 2021 George Mason quarterback Chase Soper, who posted 39 total touchdowns en route to the Patriots first national championship appearance. Pappas has put together a stellar season in which he leads the NCFA in passing touchdowns (24), rushing touchdowns (13), completion percentage (62.58), completions (97) and is tied for the league lead in rushing yards with 685. He is second in the NCFA in passing yards with 1,331 which is fourth-most in a single season in team history.
Pappas has had plenty of weapons surrounding him all season. Starting wide receivers Ricardo Washington, Charlie Harlow and Desean Bonte are the top three receivers in the NCFA in receptions. Washington leads the league in all major receiving categories, including receptions (29), receiving yards (460) and receiving touchdowns (10). Harlow ranks second in the league in receptions with 25 to go along with 276 yards and a pair of scores. Bonte has hauled in 20 passes for 343 yards and seven touchdowns, which is good for second in the league behind Washington.
While Pappas leads the team and the league in rushing, the Buckeye run game has been supplemented by three stellar running backs who are coming off of the best rushing performance of the season. Milan Jackson, Ethan Young and Lucas Fenstermaker have combined for 127 carries, 717 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Paving the way has been an offensive line that despite a number of different rotations, has been solid all year. The Buckeye offensive line features four seniors, including Cam Fries who is set to start his third straight national title game at center for Ohio State.
Defensively, linebacker Tyler Siegel is on pace to be the third straight freshman to lead Ohio State in tackles as he has posted 51 total stops in seven games this season. Senior defensive end Trey Jones has provided the pass rush this season, collecting 6.5 sacks this year, making him the program leader in career sacks with 24.5. Veteran linebacker Christian Allen, the programs all-time tackles leader, needs 11 total tackles to be the first in team history to reach 200 for his career. He has collected 32 tackles in six games this year to go along with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
In the defensive backfield, Ohio State has been led primarily by a stellar freshmen class. Cornerback Tommy Roberts III has proven to be an elite tackler, and has accumulated 35 total tackles to go along with 12 pass breakups and an interception. His 12 pass breakups are good for second in the NCFA this season and his five pass breakups against Michigan State in the conference championship game tied him for the most in a single game in team history. Despite a 49-9 win over the Spartans in the conference title game, the Buckeyes did not record an interception or a sack, breaking significant streaks dating back to last season.
On the opposite sideline, Coppin State is led offensively by quarterback Tariq Clarida II. A true freshman, Clarida has completed 58-of-101 passes for 677 yards and 11 touchdowns to six interceptions. His best performance came when his team needed him the most, in a one-point win over Columbus State in what many would consider the NCFA’s Game of the Year. Against the Cougars, Clarida completed 14-of-23 passes for 148 yards and a pair of scores while not turning the ball over. He also recorded a five touchdown performance against Williamson Trade School, throwing four touchdown passes and adding a rushing score. He was named the NCFA’s Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Williamson Trade.
His top target this year has been big-play threat Bajzhiir Reese, who has hauled in 14 passes for 282 yards and five touchdowns in just four games. Out of the backfield, Tyshuwn White leads Coppin State. The NCFA’s fourth-leading rusher, White has amassed 429 yards on 66 carries to go along with four touchdowns. He has also proven to be a prolific receiver, hauling in 10 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Eagles are led by Kalee Winder Jr., who has been a terror for opposing QBs all season. Winder has 8.0 sacks on the season, the second-most in the NCFA. He collected 4.0 sacks in the season opener and another 2.5 sacks against George Mason in the regular season finale. The Coppin State secondary has hauled in 10 interceptions this year, and are led by Siddiq Oglesby who has three interceptions this season to go along with 20 total tackles.
The game, set for Dec. 6, will take place at the Glass Bowl at the University of the Toledo. The Buckeyes are 4-0 all-time in the Glass Bowl with two regular season wins against the Rockets and two wins in the last two NCFA Semifinals with wins over Sacred Heart in 2023 and the Eagles last year.
Tickets for the 2025 NCFA National Championship Game must be pre-purchased online. The game will also be live-streamed on the NCFA’s streaming service, CCSM.TV.
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