Cam Newton, Stephen A. Smith debate which team needs to win national championship more

Monday’s national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State is obviously huge for both programs. Notre Dame is vying for its first national title since 1988, while Ohio State would love nothing more than to win it all after the way the regular season ended with a loss to Michigan.

ESPN analysts Cam Newton and Stephen A. Smith spoke on ESPN First Take Friday morning about which program needs to win the national title game more.

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It’s no surprise that the two differed on who has more at stake.

“I say Ohio State, and specifically because we had a discussion a couple of weeks back and Stephen A. was calling for Ryan Day’s job,” Cam Newton said. “Well, if Ryan Day does not win this game, as he is a favorite, now it puts him in question, is he capable of winning the big game?”

Newton doesn’t necessarily believe that the game means more for the Buckeyes, but he does believe that it is huge for Ryan Day and his future.

“Urban Meyer, he was known for winning these types of games,” Cam Newton said. “And I think this program needs it more, or more specifically, this coach needs it more. Being in this type of situation, given the circumstances of the teams that he lost to, as well as other things, too.”

As for Stephen A. Smith, he acknowledges that Ohio State and Ryan Day were under a ton of pressure before the CFP got underway. However, he believes Notre Dame is under more pressure to win the national title.

Smith’s reasoning is that the Buckeyes have a loaded roster and more NIL backing to get back to the national championship game soon, while there’s no telling when the Fighting Irish will have another chance to win a national championship.

“The answer is Notre Dame, because Ohio State being in the national championship game, having the personnel that they have, being in the Big Ten, as opposed to being an independent, stuff like that, you look at them and you expect them to be in this position,” Stephen A. Smith said.

“Notre Dame… if they were to win, oh my Lord, what this would do for the program, what this would do for college football. It would be very, very significant. If Ohio State does it, congratulations, but y’all are studs. You were supposed to do that anyway.”