Who is singing the national anthem at 2025 CFP national championship game?

All eyes in the college football world are on Atlanta for Monday's national championship game, the culmination of a season unlike any other.

The 11th and final College Football Playoff game in the new 12-team format features two teams who wouldn't have made the field under the previous structure. Notre Dame rallied from an early-season loss to Northern Illinois, winning three consecutive playoff games behind impressive defensive effort.

Ohio State, meanwhile, hit rock bottom with an upset loss to rival Michigan in November but finally harnessed its talent and is favored to win its first national title in a decade. 

Before the Fighting Irish and Buckeyes settle it on the field, the festivities will begin with a heartfelt moment on a meaningful day for the country.

Here's what you need to know about who's singing the national anthem before Monday's national championship. 

MORE: Watch the CFP national championship game live with Fubo

Who is singing the national anthem at the national championship game?

R&B singer-songwriter and actress Coco Jones will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" before kickoff in Atlanta on Monday.

The national anthem is just one part of the pregame festivities before Ohio State and Notre Dame take the field. "America the Beautiful" will be performed by the Spelman College Glee Club, and Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., will participate in the pregame coin toss on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

A pregame tribute to Dr. King will include “I Have a Dream” imagery and quotes from the legendary activist, ESPN announced.

A tribute to America is standard before any college football game, but this one comes with some added significance. Not only is the game being played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but it's also being played on Inauguration Day in America.

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The national anthem should also carry some special meaning after the College Football Playoff was marred by a national tragedy during the quarterfinals. A terror attack in downtown New Orleans forced the postponement of the Sugar Bowl from New Year's Day to Jan. 2, when fans at the Superdome stood united in the wake of tragedy. 

ESPN received backlash for not airing the national anthem before the rescheduled Sugar Bowl, forcing the network's president of content, Blake Magnus, to publicly apologize. "At the end of the day, that was just a horrible error that was made by a group of really well-intentioned people who feel terrible about it," Magnus told Sports Business Journal.

Monday's anthem performance and pregame festivities are expected to be aired in full on what is a meaningful day for the United States in more ways than one. 

Here's what you need to know about Jones as she takes center stage before kickoff.

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Who is Coco Jones?

Jones is a 27-year-old R&B singer who grew up in Tennessee. She is actually the daughter of former NFL defensive lineman Mike Jones, who spent nine seasons in the league from 1991-99.

Jones first launched her career after appearing on a Radio Disney competition, and she made appearances on three Disney Channel shows in the years that followed. While she has continued to act, Jones has focused on music in recent years and released her latest extended play in November.

Jones won her first Grammy Award for "Best R&B Performance" in 2024 and received two more nominations ahead of this year's awards.

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What time does the CFP national championship game start?

• Date: Monday, Jan. 20
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

The College Football Playoff national championship game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 20.