Notre Dame will enter Monday night’s national championship game in Atlanta as an extended shot. A team few expect to win. An 8.5-point underdog against Ohio State.
Since 2013, the one team that was a much bigger underdog in the game’s final game was TCU two years ago, and the Horned Frogs were hammered by Georgia in an unpleasant one-sided title game.
Ohio State is predicted to win and win big. On the other hand, few predicted the Irish would get so far, particularly after that stunning Sept. 7 loss to Northern Illinois in South Bend as a 28-point favorite.
They haven’t lost since, carrying a 13-game winning streak into Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After a simple opening-round victory over No. 10 Indiana, seventh-seeded Notre Dame ousted SEC champion and No. 2 seed Georgia, then knocked off Big Ten runner-up Penn State, the sixth seed.
In each contests, the Fighting Irish looked overwhelmed early, only to search out their footing after a shaky start.
In addition they showed grit in that win over the Nittany Lions, scoring the sport’s final 10 points in a seesaw affair.
There’s some team of destiny magic with the Irish.
Despite quite a few injuries to key players, despite that shocking early-season loss, they’re certainly one of the last two teams standing. They won’t be in awe of heavily favored Ohio State.
The Post takes a take a look at other storylines for the large game below:
Can Notre Dame run the ball?
Ohio State is an elite run-stuffing defense, third within the nation against the run at 89.9 yards per game.
Notre Dame loves to maintain it on the bottom, averaging 210.8 yards, which was 14th best within the country.
Three different players — quarterback Riley Leonard and tailbacks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — ran for a minimum of 733 yards and 7 touchdowns.
It’s the Irish’s offensive identity, controlling the road of scrimmage and organising the pass off the run.
However the Buckeyes held Oregon, Texas and Tennessee to a combined 187 rushing yards in three playoff wins, rebounding well after getting mauled up front by Michigan in that stunning Thanksgiving weekend loss in Columbus, Ohio.
Hired guns excel under center
This might be a primary — two first-year quarterbacks at recent schools meeting within the national championship game.
The transfer portal has definitely worked out for Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard (Duke) and Ohio State’s Will Howard (Kansas State).
Ohio State, in truth, had some interest in Leonard, although he wound up committing to Notre Dame pretty early in the method. Howard also heard from the Irish initially.
Satirically, the 2 quarterbacks were roommates on the Manning Passing Academy this past summer.
They’ve taken an analogous road so far, each performing well for lower-level programs, transferring up and playing their solution to the head of the game.
They’ve overcome setbacks, and a few doubted their ability to steer their teams so far.
However the duo have also come up big within the playoff, combining 11 total touchdowns and five interceptions.
Freshman versus Freshman
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith can wreck this game.
He obliterated Tennessee and Oregon in the primary two rounds of the playoff, producing 13 catches for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns, before he was shut down by Texas within the semifinals.
For the season, he has 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns, all Buckeyes records for a freshman.
But Notre Dame has a first-year stud of its own in cornerback Leonard Moore, the National Freshman Defensive Player of the 12 months, as voted on by the Football Writers Association of America.
He led the Irish defense with 10 pass breakups together with 43 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Smith and Moore could see a variety of each other on Monday night.
Marcus Freeman against his old-fashioned
You’re going to listen to a ton in regards to the Notre Dame coach in the approaching days.
He’s facing the varsity, Ohio State, he played for from 2004-08, and is trying to lead Notre Dame to its first title since 1988.
Only 39 years of age, Freeman recently inked a four-year contract extension through the 2030 season.
He’s been capable of do what his predecessor, Brian Kelly, couldn’t — win big games.
Freeman already owns 14 victories over top-25 opponents in only three seasons, and expertly navigated that ugly loss to North Illinois. Now, he has to get past his alma mater.
Notre Dame will enter Monday night’s national championship game in Atlanta as an extended shot. A team few expect to win. An 8.5-point underdog against Ohio State.
Since 2013, the one team that was a much bigger underdog in the game’s final game was TCU two years ago, and the Horned Frogs were hammered by Georgia in an unpleasant one-sided title game.
Ohio State is predicted to win and win big. On the other hand, few predicted the Irish would get so far, particularly after that stunning Sept. 7 loss to Northern Illinois in South Bend as a 28-point favorite.
They haven’t lost since, carrying a 13-game winning streak into Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After a simple opening-round victory over No. 10 Indiana, seventh-seeded Notre Dame ousted SEC champion and No. 2 seed Georgia, then knocked off Big Ten runner-up Penn State, the sixth seed.
In each contests, the Fighting Irish looked overwhelmed early, only to search out their footing after a shaky start.
In addition they showed grit in that win over the Nittany Lions, scoring the sport’s final 10 points in a seesaw affair.
There’s some team of destiny magic with the Irish.
Despite quite a few injuries to key players, despite that shocking early-season loss, they’re certainly one of the last two teams standing. They won’t be in awe of heavily favored Ohio State.
The Post takes a take a look at other storylines for the large game below:
Can Notre Dame run the ball?
Ohio State is an elite run-stuffing defense, third within the nation against the run at 89.9 yards per game.
Notre Dame loves to maintain it on the bottom, averaging 210.8 yards, which was 14th best within the country.
Three different players — quarterback Riley Leonard and tailbacks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — ran for a minimum of 733 yards and 7 touchdowns.
It’s the Irish’s offensive identity, controlling the road of scrimmage and organising the pass off the run.
However the Buckeyes held Oregon, Texas and Tennessee to a combined 187 rushing yards in three playoff wins, rebounding well after getting mauled up front by Michigan in that stunning Thanksgiving weekend loss in Columbus, Ohio.
Hired guns excel under center
This might be a primary — two first-year quarterbacks at recent schools meeting within the national championship game.
The transfer portal has definitely worked out for Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard (Duke) and Ohio State’s Will Howard (Kansas State).
Ohio State, in truth, had some interest in Leonard, although he wound up committing to Notre Dame pretty early in the method. Howard also heard from the Irish initially.
Satirically, the 2 quarterbacks were roommates on the Manning Passing Academy this past summer.
They’ve taken an analogous road so far, each performing well for lower-level programs, transferring up and playing their solution to the head of the game.
They’ve overcome setbacks, and a few doubted their ability to steer their teams so far.
However the duo have also come up big within the playoff, combining 11 total touchdowns and five interceptions.
Freshman versus Freshman
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith can wreck this game.
He obliterated Tennessee and Oregon in the primary two rounds of the playoff, producing 13 catches for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns, before he was shut down by Texas within the semifinals.
For the season, he has 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns, all Buckeyes records for a freshman.
But Notre Dame has a first-year stud of its own in cornerback Leonard Moore, the National Freshman Defensive Player of the 12 months, as voted on by the Football Writers Association of America.
He led the Irish defense with 10 pass breakups together with 43 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Smith and Moore could see a variety of each other on Monday night.
Marcus Freeman against his old-fashioned
You’re going to listen to a ton in regards to the Notre Dame coach in the approaching days.
He’s facing the varsity, Ohio State, he played for from 2004-08, and is trying to lead Notre Dame to its first title since 1988.
Only 39 years of age, Freeman recently inked a four-year contract extension through the 2030 season.
He’s been capable of do what his predecessor, Brian Kelly, couldn’t — win big games.
Freeman already owns 14 victories over top-25 opponents in only three seasons, and expertly navigated that ugly loss to North Illinois. Now, he has to get past his alma mater.
