Notre Dame football: Reasonable expectations against Ohio State
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team takes on Ohio State on Saturday night, and here are some realistic expectations for the Irish in Week 1.
On Saturday night, the Notre Dame football team will face the toughest task on their 2022 schedule, as they head to Ohio Stadium to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Widely considered a national title favorite, the Buckeyes have one of the more complete teams in the country, so you can expect the Irish to be in for a big-time battle in Week 1.
Here, we look at some reasonable expectations for Notre Dame football going into this crucial early-season matchup.
Notre Dame football: Reasonable expectations against Ohio State
They will get to CJ Stroud
Earlier this week, we listed CJ Stroud as one of the key Buckeyes the Irish have to stop, as he is a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. Stroud burst onto the scene in a big way in 2021, becoming one of the best young quarterbacks in college football, and could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
However, he goes up against a very tough Irish defense Saturday night, one that is going to put the pressure on him all game long. Al Golden and Marcus Freeman should be able to dial up a solid gameplan against Ohio State, leading to a few mistakes by Stroud under pressure.
Tyler Buchner won’t be overwhelmed
Making his fist collegiate start, it won’t be easy for Tyler Buchner, who performed well as a true freshman behind Jack Coan last season. With Coan gone to the NFL, it is Buchner’s turn to take the lead of this program, and he becomes the third different starting quarterback in Week 1 for the Irish in the last three years.
Buchner may only be a true sophomore, but he has nerves of steel, and against the Buckeyes, he won’t be overwhelmed. He showed last season that he can come up big in big spots, and while the Ohio State defense may be one of the best in the country, Buchner should be able to stand in there and deliver a solid performance in start No. 1.
It won’t be a blowout as expected
The Irish are big-time underdogs in this one, as some lines have them all the way up to +17.5, but I do not believe that is going to be the outcome of this game. Ohio State is an elite team, and a likely College Football Playoff contender, but this is an Irish team that has as many as five possible 2023 first-round picks on it.
The Irish may come out on the short end of the stick in this matchup, but a blowout is likely not going to be the outcome. In fact, I believe the Irish will keep it close the entire way, and in a matchup between two prestigious programs like these two, you never know what can happen if that is the case.
Buckle up Irish fans!