The Notre Dame football team lost their opener to No. 2 Ohio State Saturday night. Here are the Studs and Duds from the game.
Saturday night was a roller coaster of emotion for both Notre Dame football and the Ohio State Buckeyes as they battled it out inside the Horsehoe. Notre Dame came into this game with a noticeable chip on their shoulders and played like the better team in the first 30 minutes, holding a 10-7 halftime advantage.
Ohio State would bounce back in the second half and wear down the Notre Dame defense with several long drives, taking advantage of a lifeless Notre Dame offense, to win the game 21-10.
The Fighting Irish proved many people wrong in this game, really hanging in there with a team that would consider the year a disappointment without a national championship, while the Buckeyes reaffirmed the notion that they are Alabama’s biggest threat this season with a strong opening night win.
I’m going to look at 3 players on both sides that helped his team most, and 3 players from each side that could’ve played better. These are the Studs and Duds of week one.
Notre Dame football at Ohio State: Studs and Duds from Game No. 1
The Studs – Notre Dame
Tyler Buchner, QB
When a quarterback hasn’t started a game of football since his junior year of high school, it’s normal to expect that he will struggle in his first start in nearly three years, especially when that start is a road game against a top 2 team with over 100,000 fans in the stadium. \
Tyler Buchner was calm and collected and came out firing against Ohio State. He struggled after halftime, but the play calling was questionable at times. That will improve. Notre Dame football has found a quarterback that is going to be able to take them very far.
Simply put, Tyler Buchner is HIM.
Michael Mayer, TE
This one does not come as a surprise at all. Michael Mayer will be a top 15 pick in the 2023 NFL draft thanks to his monstrous frame, huge catch radius, and crazy strength and speed for a tight end. Mayer impressed all night, including a wild third down catch that saw him go full extension and make the catch, turn up field, and make corners and safeties miss tackles.
This guy is legit.
Howard Cross III, DL
Howard Cross III is a little known player on the Notre Dame defensive front, but he made himself heard in Colombus on Saturday night, sacking CJ Stroud, and making a tackle for loss from his defensive line position. Cross will be another problem for opposing offenses all year long.
Notre Dame football at Ohio State: Studs and Duds from Game No. 1
The Studs – Ohio State
CJ Stroud, QB
Wow. After watching 60 minutes of CJ Stroud, that’s all I have to say. This is a short analysis, because the only thing I really have to say about him in this game is that he was perfect. He made impossible throws look routine to extend drives, he put the ball perfectly on target downfield all night and tallied an 89.6 QBR against the top 5 Irish.
This year he could make a strong case to be not only the Heisman winner, but the number one pick as well.
Miyan Williams, RB
Miyan Williams is the backup to Henderson, but he sure took over the game in the fourth quarter. He was the feature back on a 14 play, 95-yard drive that essentially sealed the game. He looked absolutely unstoppable.
Tommy Eichenberg, LB
Tommy Eichenberg absolutely wrecked the ND offensive line. He read the offense like a book all night and was all over the field against Notre Dame. He tallied 2 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. He is simply incredible and is an incredible MLB for the Buckeye defense.
Notre Dame football at Ohio State: Studs and Duds from Game No. 1
The Duds – Notre Dame
The Running Backs
Audric Estime earned a surprise start against the Buckeyes and was largely ineffective. Chris Tyree checked in and was also, largely ineffective. Finally, Logan Diggs, who looked incredible last season, was probably the worst of the three as he finished with 4 carries for 9 yards.
These three guys need to be better as the season goes on, and I think they will be. Still it was a disappointing night for the ND running backs.
The Play Calling
Tommy Rees and Al Golden have some serious work to do. Rees has to call plays that win games, not plays that try not to lose them. There’s a difference, and Rees has to learn that quickly.
As for Golden and the defense, it is unbelievable that he was willing to blitz two safeties and leave our corners one on one in the red zone. That call led to a Stroud to Xavier Johnson touchdown to give the Buckeyes the lead. I don’t understand why he went away from the game plan so suddenly when it had been working to that point.
Cam Hart, CB
Cam Hart was supposed to be the lead CB against Ohio State in order to flash his first-round potential. He did not deliver. Hart was shaky at best in coverage and finished with only 3 total tackles and no passes defensed. I hope he recovers, and I believe he will. It is a long season.
Notre Dame football at Ohio State: Studs and Duds from Game No. 1
The Duds – Ohio State
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR
This is in no way Smith-Njigba’s fault, he simply was injured. He was supposed to be the main focus of the Ohio State offense and the team had to adjust around his absence, which was felt. I wish him a speedy recovery and I hope the injury is not severe.
Noah Ruggles, K
Ruggles is without a doubt one of the best kickers in the nation, and yet he missed a 39-yard field goal attempt in the first half that would have tied the game at 10 before halftime. It was an uncharacteristic miss from the usually reliable Ruggles.
Marvin Harrison Jr, WR
I’m grasping at straws here to find another Ohio State player who really struggled in this game. Harrison played well and finished with 5 receptions for 56 yards, I just expected more from him after Smith-Njigba went down injured in the first half.