Saturday Spotlight
(5) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at (2) Ohio State Buckeyes
Notre Dame: They would build up big leads and as the game went on, they would blow the lead and allow the opposition to climb back into the game. I always say when you have a sizeable margin on the scoreboard, you keep your foot on the gas and keep moving forward. I also remember saying this would catch up to them when and that is exactly what happened when they played the Cincinnati Bearcats last year. When Brian Kelly announced he was leaving South Bend for Baton Rouge to take the LSU job, a few candidates came to mind. Luke Fickell was one, Urban Meyer was the other (this opinion aged horribly) and staying in house with Marcus Freeman was the best choice and that would end up being the direction they would go in. The game is changing now, and younger coaches are in. I saw how hard his defense played for him last year. This will be a different looking group in 2022. Jack Coan is gone, as is Kyren Williams. Tyler Buchner will be the starting quarterback for the Irish. He is behind Ian Book and Coan, two different styles of quarterbacks and he knows this offense. He will have the services of the best tight end in the country, Michael Mayer. The defense should still be strong under Marcus’ watch. Though they lose Kyle Hamilton, Brandon Joseph came in from the transfer portal. Tonight, they will open the year in Columbus under the lights.
Ohio State: They’ve been the class of the Big Ten for some years now. It has become one of those things where you can automatically pencil them in to win the Big Ten East and appear in the conference title game. That is how consistent they have been. Last year however was a different story. After the early season loss to the Oregon Ducks, the Ohio State Buckeyes would go on to win their next nine games. The offense was clicking on all cylinders and that should not be a shocker to anyone. What hurt them was the loss in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines, a series they have dominated for over a decade. They still made a New Years’ Six Bowl and defeated the Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl. If there was ever a team that would play with a serious chip on their shoulder, it is them. They still have the bad taste of losing to the rivals to end the regular season and that will be a motivating force in 2022. C.J. Stroud is back for another year and comes in as one of the favorites to win the Heisman. Running back TreVeyon Henderson also returns. With Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson both in the NFL, Jaxson Smith-Njigba becomes the clear-cut number one receiver, and I cannot wait to watch what he does this year. If they want to bring a title back to Columbus, the defense must improve. They were awful against stopping the run. Tonight, they host that one team that plays in South Bend.
Notre Dame X-Factor: Isaiah Foskey– He had a breakout year in 2021. Ten sacks, 9.5 TFL (Tackles For Loss) and six forced fumbles. Isaiah is expected to build off that and pick up where he left off a year ago. At 6’5 and 260 pounds, Isaiah has one of the quickest first steps off the edge which is key to being a successful pass rusher. He is a disruptive force that can wreck the offensive gameplan if he is not attended to.
Ohio State X-Factor: Marvin Harrison Jr.– He’s the son of Hall of Fame wide receiver, Marvin Harrison. Marvin is an inside slot specialist, but he will be asked to do much more this year. He is a bigger version of his dad. It is the way he moves in and out of cuts, his shiftiness in space, the ability to move with the ball in his hands and much more. There is a lot of talent amongst these Buckeyes wide receivers.
Final Thoughts: What a legendary way to kick off a season. Two of college football’s blue bloods will face one another for just the sixth time ever. Many legendary names have played for both schools. This is a younger Notre Dame offense that will rely on the defense to get them the ball back. I am making Stroud run and extend plays because he is a pocket passer and if you sit back in coverage, he will look for ways to pick you apart. It will be crucial for the Irish to get a rush on C.J. early and often. In other words, it’s key for the Irish to dominate the line of scrimmage. Also, the Irish must control the clock and keep that Buckeyes offense on the sideline. Run the football. For Ohio State, they will pick up where they left off offensively. Stroud, Smith-Njigba and Henderson will do their norm. On the other side of the football, I’m anxious to see what Jim Knowles will do with a defense that struggled in 2021. I see this being a close game in the first half, then things will spiral out of control in the second half. The Buckeyes simply have too much talent across the board for the Irish.
Prediction: Ohio State 42, Notre Dame 27
