Notre Dame vs Ohio State: High Stakes Battle
As Notre Dame fans grind through the dog days of summer pondering what the squad may look like in 2023, one game has been talked about more than any other. You guessed it, the Ohio State game. Green jerseys, two northern brand name programs, warm South Bend weather, Marcus against his old team – the buildup is already occurring, and for good reason.
Is the media exaggerating this match-up? How much real “heat” is on Marcus Freeman in year 2 to attain better results? What about the pressure on Ryan Day? OSU fans aren’t too thrilled about back-to-back losses to Michigan and are looking for a major rebound in 2023.
Let’s examine a handful of reasons this game is all that it’s being built up to be and exactly what will be on the line for this dream match-up in South Bend.
Year 2 Pressure On Freeman
Year 1 for Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame was rough. He inherited a flawed roster, a tough schedule and then lost his starting QB before the Irish even completed 2 games. On top of these practicalities, Marcus was learning how to be a Head Coach on the fly. A tough task, and the results were mixed ultimately resulting in a 4 loss season.
It seems that most Irish fans and media members felt all considered Marcus did a decent job year one. There seemed to be some “leeway”, an understanding of the tough circumstances. But now it’s year 2. And Notre Dame has one of the most experienced and proven QBs in the country. Simply put. Irish fans will expect better results this year, tough schedule or not. The pressure is on.
1st Of The "Big 3"
Notre Dame has 3 marquee games on the schedule this year. The same 3 as last year. Ohio State, USC, and Clemson. The Irish went 1/3 in these matchups last year with the one win coming over Clemson. Irish fans want more in 2023. Can Notre Dame win 2/3 or even sweep these matchups? We shall see.
The reality is that the Ohio State game is the first of the Marque 3 for Notre Dame. Being such, assuming the Irish take care of business leading up to this game, the OSU result will dictate the trajectory of both teams moving into the meat of their schedules. Timing is everything. Which team will use this game as a springboard to a possible CFP run and which team will be asking itself some tough questions before September even ends?
The Nation Is Watching
As Lou Holtz once stated to his Irish team, “There’s one thing that we want more than anything else, and that’s respect, respect around the country”. The reality is, to get this level of desired respect, Notre Dame must start winning their biggest games against their best opponents. It’s the only way.
Brian Kelly won more regular season games than any other Notre Dame coach, but unfortunately, when the lights were the brightest on the biggest of stages, his teams repeatedly fell short and oftentimes in non-competitive fashion. How does that change? When does that change? A victory over Ohio State would be a great start to creating a new narrative for Notre Dame Football.
Recruits Are Watching
There is no better recruiting pitch than winning big games. It’s a very simple concept. The best high school players want to play college ball where elite winning takes place. This is basic human nature to a large extent. If the Irish want to open some eyes and gain some recruiting clout, winning this game is primetime would go a long way to helping this effort.
Aside from college football fans tuning in on NBC for this matchup, the recruiting visitor list should be extensive and impressive for this game. Great weather, green jerseys, a juiced up crowd and a win over a traditional northern power is just what the recruiting doctor ordered. The Irish must deliver on Sept 23rd to benefit from this dynamic.
History
Generally speaking, the further back you go in history the better the record gets for Notre Dame. This cannot be said for the Ohio State matchups. Believe it or not, the Irish’s last victory over the buckeyes came in 1936. Since then, OSU has emerged victorious 4 times at Notre Dame’s expense.
Can 2023 be the year Notre Dame gets back on the winning side of this quasi rivalry? Irish fans hope so. From memories of John Cooper to Jalyon Smith’s ACL injury, Notre Dame fans do not have fond recollections of this matchup. Will this change in 2023? Its past time.
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