Did Notre Dame-Ohio State make the cut as a top-10 showdown?
SOUTH BEND — For the first time in the Marcus Freeman era, Notre Dame football will play host to a top-10 matchup when Ohio State visits on Saturday night.
Notre Dame (4-0) remained at No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 after a workmanlike 41-17 win over Central Michigan. Ohio State (3-0) also saw its No. 6 ranking hold steady after a 63-10 runaway victory over Western Kentucky.
Notre Dame moved up two spots to No. 9 in the US LBM Coaches Poll while Ohio State remained at No. 4.
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Last year Freeman became the first Notre Dame coach since Terry Brennan in 1954 to debut with four wins over ranked opponents. That included a 35-14 upset of fifth-ranked Clemson last Nov. 5 at Notre Dame Stadium for the unranked Irish.
Fifth-ranked Notre Dame fell 21-10 at second-ranked Ohio State in the 2022 season opener.
Freeman was Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator the last time two top-10 teams met at Notre Dame Stadium. Seventh-ranked Cincinnati, where Freeman previously worked, beat the No. 9 Irish 24-13 to end a 26-game home winning streak on Oct. 2, 2021.
On Nov. 7, 2020, with the crowd limited to 11,011 due to COVID-19 restrictions, fourth-ranked Notre Dame toppled top-ranked Clemson 47-40 in double overtime at Notre Dame Stadium.
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Notre Dame, then ranked No. 8, blasted seventh-ranked Stanford 38-17 on Sept. 29, 2018 in the other top-10 matchup at Notre Dame Stadium in recent history.
Saturday's meeting with Ohio State will mark just the fourth top-10 showdown at Notre Dame Stadium since the infamous "Bush Push" game on Oct. 15, 2005. Top-ranked USC scored a controversial touchdown with three seconds remaining to edge ninth-ranked Notre Dame, 34-31.
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings won’t be released until Oct. 31. Those are the only rankings that hold significance leading up to Selection Sunday on Dec. 3.
Other 2023 Notre Dame opponents to land in this week’s AP rankings: No. 5 USC, which visits on Oct. 14; and No. 18 Duke, which plays host to Notre Dame to close out the month of September.
Clemson, which Notre Dame visits in early November, is listed first among schools also receiving votes in the AP rankings.
Follow Notre Dame football writer Mike Berardino on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Will Notre Dame and Ohio State officially count as a top-10 matchup?
