The Fighting Irish will be looking to end two droughts when Notre Dame takes on Ohio State in the final game of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. First and foremost, it’s been 36 years since the last time they won a title in the sport.
But it’s the first time since 1936 that a Notre Dame team has defeated the Buckeyes. This version of the scarlet and gray seems to have peaked at the ideal time, as Ohio State passes through Tennessee, Oregon and Texas on its way to Atlanta.
Slowing down the Buckeyes won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible. Three keys could determine Notre Dame’s chances of winning a national championship on Monday.
Play like you have nothing to lose in the red zone
jack sawyer’s Buried Texas with a sack fumble and subsequent scoop and score. He won the Cotton Bowl and clinched a national championship berth for Ohio State in the process. But that moment was just a glimpse of the incredible red zone defense the Buckeyes have played all season.
This season, Ohio State has allowed just 15 touchdowns on 36 red zone trips, and Ohio State’s 41.7% percentage is second among FBS defenses. The only better red zone defense was Penn State, which shot 41.5 percent and scored 17 touchdowns on 41 red zone chances.
Two of those red zone touchdowns came courtesy of Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. Riley Leonard’s 3-yard end zone carry capped off a 75-yard drive early in the third quarter, giving the Fighting Irish a much-needed boost after scoring just three points in the first half.
“You have nothing to lose. You’ve already come this far.”” Leonard expressed Ireland coach Marcus Freeman’s message. “‘If you just go out there and play your game and hit the ball, you can live with no regrets.'”
Jeremiah Love followed suit with a 71-yard drive to the goal line for a go-ahead touchdown. Those possessions ended in the kind of emphatic fashion that Notre Dame left on the board in its playoff-opening win over Indiana, but if that were the case, that win would have been more lopsided. It would be.
Every scoring opportunity is valuable against Ohio State. The Irish have no choice but to move into the top 20 and pick up seven points. In that respect, they have everything to lose in the red zone.
At the same time, the message that they have nothing to lose against Ohio State’s talented defense will be key for Notre Dame to take advantage of the opportunity.
Create key points
December 20, 2024. Notre Dame, Indiana, USA. Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Joshua Burnham, 40, and cornerback Leonard Moore, 15, attack Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Myles Price during the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Tackle (4 year old). Required Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images notre dame cathedral Successfully generated sales throughout the season. The Fighting Irish average a plus-1.13 turnover margin per game, ranking fifth in the FBS ahead of Monday’s national championship game. Regardless of whether they win anything against Ohio State, they will finish the season with the most total points in the nation.
“This shows what we’re capable of as a defense, being able to rise to the occasion in big moments and make stops when we need to,” cornerback Leonard Moore said.
Coming up with a big stop at Notre Dame is often synonymous with generating sales. Against Ohio State, the magic number could be two.
Just winning the turnover battle wasn’t necessarily the formula for winning against the Buckeyes. For example, in the first round of the playoffs, they defeated Tennessee in a landslide, but ended up with a negative turnover differential.
But of the five games in which Ohio State committed multiple turnovers this season, two were losses against Oregon and Michigan.
Irish fans may wince at being asked to emulate their team’s rival Wolverines, who forced two turnovers against Ohio State with an interception by Will Howard. The University of Michigan provides a blueprint for the Golden Dormers.
Notre Dame’s outstanding turnover generation begins with a deep and talented secondary that boasts a variety of playmakers skilled at picking off passes. Moore is one of four Irish defenders to be named multiple times this season, making up a group of four led by Xavier Watts’ six.
The line between jumping a route for an interception and opening the door for one of Ohio State’s better big-play receivers to make a devastating catch is especially thin. Notre Dame also needs consistent pressure on Howard from its front seven, which is the third key to winning the Irish championship.
Newcomer steps up on the biggest stage
Notre Dame defensive lineman Riley Mills, 99, during the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. can be helped to be removed from the field. Check out USA TODAY’s sports images in photos. Injuries are a fact of life in football, especially in a long season as the unprecedented back-to-back series between Notre Dame and Ohio State ends Monday. However, the Fighting Irish suffered a rash of injuries en route to Atlanta that could have ended their season sooner.
On defense, both lines have particular challenges, having lost Jordan Botello in September, talented freshman Boubacar Traore in October, and Riley Mills, who lost to Indiana in the first round.
Return of Howard Cross III Inside, much-needed relief was provided. Veteran Gabriel Rubio, who replaced Mills, played two of the most productive games, defeating Georgia State and Penn State in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl.
Now it’s the offense’s turn to put their contributors on the ultimate stage. Freeman announced that left tackle Anthony Knapp will be out. Redshirt freshman Charles Jagusa could play the most important role in the Irish offense against an Ohio State defense that features edge rusher JT Tuimorow, who has nearly 20 tackles for loss on the season.
