Ohio State Football: 3 Bold predictions for the ND game
![Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day shakes hands with Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman following a game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day shakes hands with Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman following a game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/255dc31ee4dc87893aeb94957e4a73eb013810e9d16a5fdcc1cbaa6ffc43426b.jpg)
The Ohio State football team takes its 3-0 record to South Bend for a clash with Notre Dame. Here are three predictions for the big game.
The Ohio State football team got things rolling at the right time last weekend when they whooped Western Kentucky 63-10. With a huge game on the road this Saturday in South Bend, it was great to see this team put a complete game together.
But Notre Dame also comes into the game riding high on a 4-0 record, including a 41-17 victory over Central Michigan last Saturday. To say that this isn’t the most highly anticipated early-season road game for Ohio State in a very long time is an understatement. This game is massive for both Ohio State and Notre Dame in terms of hoping to reach the College Football Playoffs in 2023.
Here are three predictions for the big game.
No. 1) Ohio State has a hard time stopping the run.
For all the worry about Sam Hartman at quarterback, and rightfully so as he’s one of the better passers in all of college football, it’s the Notre Dame running attack that could win this game for the Irish. Most notably Audric Estime has rushed for 521 yards and five touchdowns thus far this season.
But it’s his 8.3 yards per carry number that has me worried. This guy is an elite back and has an excellent offensive line in front of him opening holes. The path for Marcus Freeman to pull the upset victory is clear. Limit the Buckeye’s possessions, eat the clock, and run the ball down Ohio State’s throat.
Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they haven’t seen a rushing attack like this yet. And I think it may stifle them. Look for Notre Dame to hand the ball to Estime early and often as he and this Notre Dame rushing attack put up 200 yards on the ground in this game. But is it enough to pull the upset?