NCAA

This is the national anthem singer at the College Football National Championship Game

The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will battle it out for the US national championship in Atlanta today.

Andrew Kelly

William Allen

British journalist and translator who joined Diario AS in 2013. Focuses on soccer – chiefly the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, the Liga MX and MLS. On occasion, also covers American sports, general news and entertainment. Fascinated by the language of sport – particularly the under-appreciated art of translating cliché-speak.

Update: Jan 20th, 2025 05:23 EST

The award-winning singer-songwriter Coco Jones is to perform the US national anthem in Atlanta today, before the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Who is Coco Jones?

A seven-time Grammy nominee, Jones was a winner at the music awards gala in 2024, taking home a gold-plated gramophone for Best R&B Performance, for her song “ICU”.

The 27-year-old, who grew up in Lebanon, Tennessee, is up for two more Grammys at this year’s edition of the ceremony in February: R&B Performance and Best R&B Song, for her track “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”.

Also an actor, Jones currently plays Hilary Banks on Bel-Air, a spin-off of the iconic 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As a child, she appeared on a number of Disney Channel series and movies, including Good Luck Charlie.

Who is singing “America the Beautiful”?

Jones, whose brother Mike plays for the NFL franchise the Atlanta Falcons, will sing the “Star Spangled Banner” in accompaniment with the musician Adam Blackstone. Before the national anthem, the Spelman College Glee Club will sing “America the Beautiful”.

The game that defines it all. #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/MgpBYcwLCy
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 20, 2025

Ohio State vs Notre Dame: how to enjoy the National Championship Game

Held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the National Championship Game is scheduled to be played today, Monday January 20, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

Viewers in the US will be able to watch the Buckeyes vs the Fighting Irish live on ESPN. You can stream the network’s coverage on fubo, which offers a free trial.

The 13-2 Buckeyes head into the National Championship Game as favorites to lift the title, with moneyline odds of -365, per Oddschecker.

High profile Buckeyes fans looking forward to Monday final

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The reason for the stickers on Buckeyes helmets

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