Ohio State vs Notre Dame prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Saturday, September 3
Ohio State vs Notre Dame How To Watch
Date: Saturday, September 3
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Ohio State (0-0), Notre Dame (0-0)
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Ohio State vs Notre Dame Game Preview
Why Notre Dame Will Win
If it’s possible to go into a College Football Playoff type of showdown like this with little to no pressure, that’s what Notre Dame is dealing with.
Of course there’s pressure considering the way the team couldn’t close against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl – the debut of new head coach Marcus Freeman. Of course the program is supposed to be good enough to win games like this and not merely give it the old college try. However, it’s Ohio State that’s expected to get off the bus and roll with ease.
Even more than that, the weight of the world is on the shoulders of a Buckeye defense coming off a wildly disappointing 2021 – relatively speaking.
The D was fine by any normal standards, but rational and reason need not apply here.
Ohio State is supposed to play for the national title. It’s supposed to win the Big Ten Championship. It’s supposed to beat Michigan. None of those three things happened last season, and the defense caught a bulk of the blame.
Enter the Notre Dame offense. It’s great at receiver, has a whale of a tight end in Michael Mayer, and after a year of rebuilding and rebooting the line, the payoff is about to come.
On the other side, Freeman is a defensive coach, his coordinator Al Golden knows what he’s doing, and between the great minds in the coaching room, a strong secondary loaded with NFL talent, and a sensational linebacking corps, the defense that might be the storyline coming out of this might be wearing the road uniforms.
Why Ohio State Will Win
Again, the defense just wasn’t all that bad.
It struggled at the beginning and the end, but it was a few stops against Oregon away from probably getting into the College Football Playoff. It changed things up, the talent is there at linebacker, and the secondary should make a lot more big plays.
Yeah, yeah, yeah – the defense. It’s the Buckeye offense that’s going to be the problem for the Irish.
No one has Ohio State’s skill position talent, the offensive line is going to be a positive again. If CJ Stroud gets time and the attack is balanced, Notre Dame might not have the ability to keep up the production. Starting quarterback Tyler Buchner needs to have the game of his life, and …
What’s Going To Happen
The Irish defense should be able to hold on better than many might think.
Ohio State will win – the D really will be better – but it’ll take a little while before the dam breaks. Notre Dame will keep on bending without breaking for most of the game, but Stroud will find a groove on two good scoring drives to finally let everyone in the stadium breathe easier.
Ohio State vs Notre Dame Prediction, Line
Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 26
Line: Ohio State -16.5, o/u: 58.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3