The Ohio State football team takes on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a heavyweight shown in Columbus on Saturday night. Here’s a preview:

Ohio State versus Notre Dame is one of the premier matchups of the 2022 college football season. It’s a Top 5 heavyweight fight and only the 11th time in the AP Poll era that’s happened in both teams’ respective season openers. The anticipation leading up to this game is off the charts, and it will live up to the hype. 

 

Ryan Day and his Ohio State Buckeyes have major College Football Playoff aspirations this season as they look to rectify last year’s struggles defensively and balance the high-octane offense. The Buckeyes expect to have the top unit in the country again in 2022 and will have it on full display Saturday night in The Horseshoe. 

Ohio State Offense

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was Ohio State’s leading receiver in a room that produced two top 15 NFL Draft picks a year ago. He’ll line up alongside a sophomore star in the making, Marvin Harrison Jr, Emeka Egbuka, and Julien Fleming. Expect Harrison Jr to have a big showing against Notre Dame. The Irish will try to take away JSN, which will be no trouble to Ohio State, given the plethora of weapons in the arsenal. 

 

In the same breath, the Buckeyes will look to establish the running game early and often, especially in the red zone. The restricted area has been a weak spot for Ohio State in recent years due to the simplicity of the rushing attack. The offense will feel Justin Frye’s on the ground with an approach using more gap schemes and downhill running behind a solid offensive line. 

 

Notre Dame’s defensive line is slightly undersized, allowing CJ Stroud to remain calm and poised in the pocket as he looks to dissect the Irish defense. For Ohio State to take the step to the next level and become an elite football team, Stroud needs to step up as a true leader and not be afraid to take off running or scramble when necessary. All signs point to him being prepared to do so, which will be an interesting wrinkle to watch in the offense, given it’s loaded with talent. 

The Silver Bullets

Flipping to the defensive side of the ball, Jim Knowles’s name has probably been mentioned more times than Ryan Day’s and CJ Stroud’s this off-season. Day brought Knowles in from Oklahoma State to remedy an average unit. His scheme is primarily a 4-2-5, but he likes to show multiple looks and disrupt the quarterback. 

 

Jack Sawyer and JTT will lead a defensive line looking to reclaim its position as one of the premier units in the country under legendary coach Larry Johnson. The secondary will also be strong this year on the backend for the Silver Bullets. However, the linebacking corps led by Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers will be the key to the Ohio State defense. 

Notre Dame

The Irish enter the game with a first-year head coach in Marcus Freeman, a former Ohio State linebacker, as well as a new quarterback and center. That trio is difficult to replace, especially when opening the season on the road in a hostile environment. 

 

Notre Dame has a talented roster and team and is undoubtedly a respectable opponent. The Irish have been one of the most consistent programs in the sport as they are 44-7 in the last couple of seasons. Notre Dame avoids getting upset, as they struggle to win the marquee matchups, with the lone win in recent years coming against Clemson at home. 

Prediction

I think Notre Dame has a lot to overcome to walk away with a victory in Columbus. The game will be a war, especially early. Ohio State has too much firepower on offense, and if the defense is as advertised, it could be a long day. Still, the Irish are a solid, Top-5 opponent worthy of their ranking. I like the Buckeyes to win a great game 38-24 to catapult the 2022 campaign.