Oller: What gives? Fan volume barely audible for titanic Ohio State vs. Notre Dame tilt
No offense to Indiana, Youngstown State and Western Kentucky, but the Ohio State preseason is approaching its completion. The Buckeyes were expected to win their first three games and unless the Hilltoppers somehow find a way to scramble some eggs, those chickens have hatched.
Next up is the featured attraction: Notre Dame, and everything that goes with it. Touchdown Jesus. Awaken the Echoes. Gold-flecked helmets. Arrogance.
So where is the buzz? All I hear is the gentle hum of a nervous fanbase.
Sure, this isn’t 2022, when Ohio State opened at home against an ND team coached by former OSU linebacker Marcus Freeman, whose incendiary comments about his alma mater added cayenne to the kickoff countdown.
Freeman this season mostly has avoided insulting the Buckeyes. The closest he came to raising scarlet and gray eyebrows was last May when a recruit said Freeman focused his recruiting pitch on the comparison between Notre Dame's and Ohio State's academics. Also during the summer, Freeman said of last year’s 21-10 OSU win, “Listen, it’s a lot tougher to play a game in Notre Dame Stadium. We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
Still, even with the Fighting Irish coach mostly keeping his mouth shut, there should be way more heated discussion taking place over the Sept. 23 tilt in South Bend.
This week I participated in the “Pod of Gold” podcast, hosted by South Bend Tribune reporters Mike Berardino and Tom Noie, to discuss the 7:30 p.m. nationally-broadcast power struggle between the Big Ten’s most recognizably dominant program and the northern Indiana school that has stiff-armed the Big Ten for decades.
How excited is Buckeye Nation for this game, the hosts wanted to know.
What I said:
The energy doesn’t match last year’s matchup, but not only because in 2022 Ohio State fans had an entire off-season to rev themselves into a frenzy for the opener. Other factors also come into play.
— Already covered this, but worth mentioning again that Freeman has avoided verbal fireworks. Fans love exploding in manufactured anger over bulletin board material almost as much as do coaches, but Freeman has refused to relight the fuse.
— You know how the days immediately prior to vacation often feel like the hardest work week of the year? That has been OSU’s experience through much of spring practice, into fall camp and through the first three weeks of the season.
— How can the Buckeye faithful get overly excited about Notre Dame when present struggles sap enthusiasm for what comes next?
Ohio State is 2-0, and likely about to go 3-0, but it hasn’t been all lollipops and rainbows. The offensive line has offered a mix of mental miscues and lack of muscle on run plays. O-line coach Justin Frye said Wednesday his hogs need to “execute at the point of attack,” meaning they must beat the guy in front of them, especially in short-yardage situations. The Buckeyes have a power success rate of only 12.5% (1 of 8) on rushes when needing 2 yards or fewer for a first down or touchdown.
Adding to the angst has been the quandary over what to do at quarterback. Kyle McCord eventually won the job over Devin Brown, but not before the competition dragged into the regular season, which gave fans another distraction to deflate anticipation for Notre Dame. And not just distraction, but also distress.
Part of the reason Notre Dame is on the back burner is due to not knowing just how good OSU is, much less how strong the Irish are. If the Buckeyes were clicking on all cylinders, fans would be foaming for a chance to see their team win its sixth in a row against the Golden Domers. (The all-time series stands at 5-2.) Instead, offensively Ohio State has underwhelmed, scoring 23 points against Indiana and 35 against Youngstown State. Many thought they would score 58 points in one game, not two.
Defensively? Hard to tell. The Buckeyes certainly look the part on that side of the ball, having limited IU to three points and YSU to seven. But a truer test comes Saturday against Western Kentucky, which ranked second in passing yards per game (358.6) in 2022, second in total passes completed (401) and third in passing attempts per game (44.5).
We’re about to find out how good OSU’s pass defense is, both in coverage and in getting to the quarterback. In that way, WKU is the perfect opening act for Notre Dame. If things go well against the pass-happy Hilltoppers, there will be fewer questions about whether Ohio State can successfully defend a Fighting Irish offense loaded with talent.
But until then, fans will hold back on getting overly hyped for the trip to South Bend. It only makes sense that you want to see your own house in order before getting jazzed to enter one of the richest and most famous homes in college football.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football vs Notre Dame fans yet to make thunderous boom
