In the lead-up to this showdown, Adam Breneman of Yahoo! Sports laid out the challenge Ohio State faces on the “College Football Power Hour” podcast. “The Ohio State run game is probably the biggest key to the game,” he said. “You think about Notre Dame’s style of play and how they play on defense—they’re probably most similar to Michigan, who beat Ohio State 13-10, and Penn State, who held Ohio State to 20 points. Notre Dame’s total defensive talent is probably on par or exceeding Michigan and Penn State.” It’s a chilling comparison for Ryan Day, still haunted by those bruising battles from earlier in the season. Now, Marcus Freeman looms, ready to replicate the formula.
The insider explained further. “Notre Dame’s defense is without a doubt capable of a history books-type performance against Ohio State and surprising everyone,” he added. He wasn’t exaggerating. The Fighting Irish enter the game allowing just 165.3 passing yards per game, the second fewest in the nation.
Led by a ferocious front seven and a secondary that’s as opportunistic as it is disciplined, Freeman’s defense has throttled every opponent it’s faced. For Ohio State, the challenge is simple on paper: find a way to move the pigskin on the ground and sustain drives. In practice, though, that task feels Herculean.
Making matters worse for Ryan Day is the mounting injury crisis within his squad. The Buckeyes are limping into this matchup without several key contributors, particularly on the offensive line. Zen Michalski is out due to injury and the transfer portal. Seth McLaughlin and Josh Simmons are banged up. And that’s just the trenches. Outside of the line, standout wide receiver Reis Stocksdale and running back Rashid SeSayare unavailable, while star cornerback Denzel Burke remains questionable. For a team whose success hinges on rhythm and execution, these absences aren’t just inconvenient—they’re potentially catastrophic.
Day’s play-calling will come under the microscope as he attempts to outmaneuver Freeman’s defensive game plan. Notre Dame, as Breneman highlighted, won’t just rely on its own film. “Notre Dame is going to take everything they possibly can from Michigan and Pennsylvania defensively, and it’s up to Ohio State to prepare for that,” he said. The blueprint to stymie the Buckeyes is clear: load the box, force quarterback Riley Leonard to make throws under duress, and dominate the line of scrimmage. And given the injuries on Ohio State’s offensive line, Notre Dame has every reason to believe it can control the trenches.
But there’s a twist. For all the adversity, Ohio State still boasts game-changing talent. Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Judkins can flip a game script with one explosive run. Freshman Jeremiah Smithremains the most dangerous wide receiver in college football, a player capable of torching even the stingiest secondaries. And Ryan Day, for all his critics, has shown a knack for dialing up surprises when the odds are stacked against him. This isn’t just a test of schemes; it’s a battle of wills.
McFarland on how to beat Ohio State and Ryan Day
Booger McFarland thinks Notre Dame’s pathto shocking the world and upsetting Ohio State in the final is a narrow one—but it’s there. During an appearance on Andy & Ari On3, the ESPN analyst broke down exactly how the Fighting Irish could pull off the upset against a Buckeye team stacked with talent. Spoiler alert: it’ll take a near-perfect effort.
“To me, it’s really simple,” McFarland said. “It’s Will Howard, a couple of turnovers. It’s Chip Kelly and Ryan Day kind of getting away from the things that got them here, which is being explosive, getting the ba-l to those receivers.” ND’s best shot lies in OSU outthinking itself.