Jan 1 | Fiesta Bowl vs Ohio State

[Kingbish01]

I love that we are playing OSU in the Fiesta, sure I was rooting for the Peach Bowl (because it's in my backyard) and FSU....BUT...This match up is the only program changing match up outside of the playoffs. You beat a program like OSU (coming off a championship) on New Years Day...We can all finally put those Weis, Ty, and Davie years behind us.

Beating Houston, or the 3rd best ACC team doesn't do that for us.

 

[NDohio]

Call me Chicken Little, but I think that ND will need to play mistake-free on offense in a shootout to win this game. I think that if ND wins, it will be a 52-49 game or some such score.

Everyone says "stop Elliot" and "Barrett isn't as good as Hogan, so make him beat you."

Well, I have no doubt that we can put a plan in place to stop Elliot. I have great confidence in this after seeing how our defense handled McCaffrey. But even with that plan in place, Elliot is going to find a lane running the outside zone at some point and break a long one, no matter how well you defend him. He's just a special player.

On the flip side, Barrett isn't going to need to play like Hogan, even if we take Elliot away. Hogan had to push the ball down field and let his big guy make plays. Barrett won't need to do that, because we'll be watching Farley and Butler trying to cover Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller as they run underneath and over the middle. I do not like that matchup.

The last thing is that even if you take away Elliot (which we can do), and even if Farley and Butler show up (which I think they can, but it will be tough for both to have success for the entirety of the game), then you still have to deal with Barrett the athlete... that means stopping the zone-read and spying him. I do not want to see Sheldon Day and Romeo Okwara standing up in a zone blitz or to spy Barrett because our MLB isn't athletic enough to do it on his own... but I fear that this is what will happen. We will do everything right, but Barrett will hurt us because we can't spy him with just one guy.

And so, DeShone is going to need to take charge and answer whenever OSU makes plays. And I think he can do it. OSU's defense is good, but not elite. They chewed Michigan up because Michigan made it easy by trying to pound it straight at them (and even then, Michigan made plays on 3rd down, which is a good sign for us). Bosa and Washington are problems, but I have faith that our OL will be up to the task, and that Brown, Carlisle, Alize, Smythe, Hunter, etc. will find some room to make plays while OSU keys on Fuller. And even if they key on Fuller, I think Vonn Bell makes at least one bone-headed error that results in a looooong Fuller touchdown.

The question is whether or not we turn the ball over. If we don't, I think we win in a shootout. If we do, we will need OSU to help us out with some mistakes of their own. It will also help if we shut Elliot down on his first 5 carries, and Warriner/Hinton decide to forget that he exists just like when they played Sparty.

Braxton Miller has less than 350 receiving yards on the season. His impact on this offense has been next to nothing. He is not a very good receiver. When he runs the wildcat he has around 200 rushing yards. He has struggled this season.

Jalin is really good across the middle but they haven't been able to get him the ball in space like they did last year. Devin Smith's loss from this offense has been huge. Jalin just doesn't have the room he had last year without Devin spreading the field.

They have really become one dimensional this year. I really think we can put together a defensive game plan to minimize the weapons they do have.

 

[Cackalacky]

I wasn't excited to see the matchup against OSU.

1) They can be damn good.
2) Lots of OSU shittalkers in my neck of the woods.

But after reading all the posts here I now absolutely agree.

To be the best you have to beat the best.

BK said that November is where you separate the contenders from the pretenders.

The same holds true in December and January.

GO IRISH!

Right. A few posters have touched on it and it needs to be the case. BK also has said that to validate our season, we need to beat an elite team in an elite bowl. Things build from there. Confidence grows. The culture changes. The team changes. It all follows from victory against top notch opponents.

I don't know that we will win, but I do know that we can win. That is not something I have regularly thought over the last decade or two with regards to bowl games. Especially BCS level bowls in the past. This will be NDs first playoff level bowl game and we need to win it.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I hope Jaylon and Shumate and Day and Okwara are ready to play their final game donning the ND gear. They need to show up locked in and make plays.

Players make plays and it's time we see it. Let's hope BVG has something cooked up.

On offense, Deshone needs time to deliver the ball, I believe our OL can give him enough. We need to see all of our WRs produce and not let passes get by.

Smythe back. Prosise back. Jones back. We'll be running a rotation on the inside that includes Jones, Cage, Tillery and Sheldon Day. We should be able to force some negative plays and get some hits on the QB.

I'm amped up about this game. And I hope we finally see Alize get his first TD.

 

[IrishLax]

Braxton Miller has less than 350 receiving yards on the season. His impact on this offense has been next to nothing. He is not a very good receiver. When he runs the wildcat he has around 200 rushing yards. He has struggled this season.

Jalin is really good across the middle but they haven't been able to get him the ball in space like they did last year. Devin Smith's loss from this offense has been huge. Jalin just doesn't have the room he had last year without Devin spreading the field.

They have really become one dimensional this year. I really think we can put together a defensive game plan to minimize the weapons they do have.

Here's my problem... yeah, their offense hasn't been that great. It's ranked 26th in FEI, and 14th in S&P+. However, much like last season where OSU was very pedestrian for the majority of the season and then turned it on at the end by having their offense evolve, they played a phenomenal game against a very good Michigan defense. I mean they absolutely destroyed them on the ground. And Michigan is better than Notre Dame.

You're correct that they're one dimensional... when they run the ball they win, when they can't they lose... but Stanford was also a one-dimensional team. And we let their terribad WR get open deep all game, even without having to seriously account for designed runs from their QB.

Our offense is better than their offense, on paper. But in actuality, that matchup is very even. Where things are NOT even is on defense where we have played progressively worse as the year has gone on, and they have a top 10 group. By all measures, ours is somewhere outside the top 25 AND we don't have KVR, which directly led to at least one score against Stanford... more importantly, it showed HUGE issues with our nickel personnel.

So I'm skeptical we even keep this game close, much less find a way to win. We're not going to shred Ohio State's defense like we were able to Stanford's or USC's. I expect 45-24 type of game.

 

[NDohio]

Here's my problem... yeah, their offense hasn't been that great. It's ranked 26th in FEI, and 14th in S&P+. However, much like last season where OSU was very pedestrian for the majority of the season and then turned it on at the end by having their offense evolve, they played a phenomenal game against a very good Michigan defense. I mean they absolutely destroyed them on the ground. And Michigan is better than Notre Dame.

You're correct that they're one dimensional... when they run the ball they win, when they can't they lose... but Stanford was also a one-dimensional team. And we let their terribad WR get open deep all game, even without having to seriously account for designed runs from their QB.

Our offense is better than their offense, on paper. But in actuality, that matchup is very even. Where things are NOT even is on defense where we have played progressively worse as the year has gone on, and they have a top 10 group. By all measures, ours is somewhere outside the top 25 AND we don't have KVR, which directly led to at least one score against Stanford... more importantly, it showed HUGE issues with our nickel personnel.

So I'm skeptical we even keep this game close, much less find a way to win. We're not going to shred Ohio State's defense like we were able to Stanford's or USC's. I expect 45-24 type of game.

And I am OK with that. Your skepticism often leads to ND playing a great game...

 

[PANDFAN]

Yes Chris ash Will still be def cor for game...koon--- it's a1pm kickoff time eastern standard time

 

[Bugzly21]

I can't comprehend how so many are hesitant with this match up. If you're scared of this match up then you have no business ever wanting ND in the playoffs. This match up is the best game outside the playoffs ND could ask for to validate any status in the college football landscape

 

[Woneone]

Here's my problem... yeah, their offense hasn't been that great. It's ranked 26th in FEI, and 14th in S&P+. However, much like last season where OSU was very pedestrian for the majority of the season and then turned it on at the end by having their offense evolve, they played a phenomenal game against a very good Michigan defense. I mean they absolutely destroyed them on the ground. And Michigan is better than Notre Dame.

You're correct that they're one dimensional... when they run the ball they win, when they can't they lose... but Stanford was also a one-dimensional team. And we let their terribad WR get open deep all game, even without having to seriously account for designed runs from their QB.

Our offense is better than their offense, on paper. But in actuality, that matchup is very even. Where things are NOT even is on defense where we have played progressively worse as the year has gone on, and they have a top 10 group. By all measures, ours is somewhere outside the top 25 AND we don't have KVR, which directly led to at least one score against Stanford... more importantly, it showed HUGE issues with our nickel personnel.

So I'm skeptical we even keep this game close, much less find a way to win. We're not going to shred Ohio State's defense like we were able to Stanford's or USC's. I expect 45-24 type of game.

But I think their defensive stats are a bit misleading.

I would venture to guess the best two offensive teams they played were Indiana and Michigan State. Indiana had a hobbled Sudfield and Howard, and still gave up 27. They played Michigan State without their All-American QB and got beat.

We will be, by a very large margin, the best offense they've seen all year. I don't think we score 50, but I don't think we're held under 30 either.

Edit: Actually Sudfield got knocked out of that game against OSU, because I remember the Diamonte kid throwing that last desperation pass. Combine that with VT and Michigan State, and you're talking about 3 of the "better" teams on their schedule not finishing the game with their starting QB's.

 

[IrishLax]

But I think their defensive stats are a bit misleading.

I would venture to guess the best two offensive teams they played were Indiana and Michigan State. Indiana had a hobbled Sudfield and Howard, and still gave up 27. They played Michigan State without their All-American QB and got beat.

We will be, by a very large margin, the best offense they've seen all year. I don't think we score 50, but I don't think we're held under 30 either.

The advanced stats are opponent adjusted, but I do get what you're saying. Neither MSU nor Michigan are good on offense, but OSU throttled their rushing attack the past two weeks. What I'm most interested to see is how they deal with a spread attack, because they basically haven't been tasked with defending a good one for the entire year.

 

[IrishLion]

Braxton Miller has less than 350 receiving yards on the season. His impact on this offense has been next to nothing. He is not a very good receiver. When he runs the wildcat he has around 200 rushing yards. He has struggled this season.

Jalin is really good across the middle but they haven't been able to get him the ball in space like they did last year. Devin Smith's loss from this offense has been huge. Jalin just doesn't have the room he had last year without Devin spreading the field.

They have really become one dimensional this year. I really think we can put together a defensive game plan to minimize the weapons they do have.

LAX pretty much hit my rebuttal word-for-word, minus the score prediction (I think we are better than Michigan, and I think our offense can give OSU problems consistently), but I will add that Mitchell on the outside is wayyyy under-utilized, and Luke should be able to handle him. But, he's also a guy that you have to account for, because Barrett plays great football in spurts. So you've got a defense that needs to stop Elliot, and somehow Farley and Butler will need to contain their athletes underneath on short/middle stuff, and you ALSO need to keep Barrett from killing you with his legs.

With a physically over-matched MLB, defensive linemen that are asked to play out of position to try and mix things up, and with safeties that haven't gotten it together all year, I just don't see how we keep OSU from scoring. They will find a way to score points, because our defense is too limited and stretched too thin.

I AM more confident than Lax that our offense can hold up their end of the deal. I'd actually like to see BK and the offensive staff utilize the gameplan that Sparty used. Roll Kizer out with run/pass options, maybe mix in that patented super-counter play that's almost a reverse, and then try to open it up at times just to keep OSU's defense honest when flowing.

 

[rocket66]

Oh boy. LAX is in "the sky is falling" mode again. Gonna be a long month.


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[gkIrish]

Oh boy. LAX is in "the sky is falling" mode again. Gonna be a long month.


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Was he (and everyone else who thought we would lose) right about Stanford? Y'all act like we aren't a flawed team. If we were just going to spend the next month talking about how we are going beat OSU's ass then this wouldn't be much of a forum.

 

[IrishLion]

I can't comprehend how so many are hesitant with this match up. If you're scared of this match up then you have no business ever wanting ND in the playoffs. This match up is the best game outside the playoffs ND could ask for to validate any status in the college football landscape

I disagree. A lot of college football (and winning championships) is about the matchup. Michigan State and Oklahoma are both elite football teams. But I'd much rather play MSU than Oklahoma. It's a better matchup for our depleted defense. Look at Bama/MSU... Bama might get beat by Oklahoma, but instead, they get to see MSU, which is a much better matchup. Will it be any less impressive if they win? No, because it's still an elite team. But it was a better matchup for their playing style.

We had success against Clemson earlier this season, but it helped that they went into a shell for the basically the entire second half. When they tried to open it up, our guys made plays. OSU isn't going to need to go into a shell in this game. They can just keep spreading us out and force our defense to pick-and-choose who/what to account for. I hope that I am completely wrong, but I think OSU has too many weapons. If their coaches are on their game, the Buckeyes will score points. But we will too.

 

[rocket66]

Jan 1 | Fiesta Bowl vs Ohio State

Was he (and everyone else who thought we would lose) right about Stanford? Y'all act like we aren't a flawed team. If we were just going to spend the next month talking about how we are going beat OSU's ass then this wouldn't be much of a forum.

I also thought we'd lose to Stanford, but I hardly think the outcome of that game is worthy of patting myself on the back over it. If anything, that game proved this team can be gritty and is able to move the ball on anyone. You see the brand "osu" and automatically assume ND has no shot. That team has done nothing this year to warrant some 3 score ass-beating in my mind. But that's me.


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[gkIrish]

I also thought we'd lose to Stanford, but I hardly think the outcome of that game is worthy of patting myself on the back over it. If anything, that game proved this team can be gritty and is able to move the ball on anyone. You see the brand "osu" and automatically assume ND has no shot. That team has done nothing this year to warrant some 3 score ass-beating in my mind. But that's me.


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Not patting anyone on the back. Just saying he only predicted 3? losses IIRC. It's not sky is falling rhetoric, he just calls it like he sees it. So do I. That's what everyone should be doing.

 

[rocket66]

Jan 1 | Fiesta Bowl vs Ohio State

Not patting anyone on the back. Just saying he only predicted 3? losses IIRC. It's not sky is falling rhetoric, he just calls it like he sees it. So do I. That's what everyone should be doing.

Maybe. Obviously it's a tough game/matchup. I understand going the opposite extreme because we've been conditioned to ass-beatings on a big stage. I think that is more of the thought here than actual 2015 teams of OSU and ND. My point is that osu has not been overly impressive all year other than the Michigan game. I've also thought Michigan was somewhat of a fraud this year and easily could have been a 5-6 loss team so I'm not even sure what to take from that game. Harbaugh's game plan sucked as well. I'm interested in seeing how osu handles a spread team with athletes in space. BK isn't going to try to line up and run it at them like Harbaugh did.


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[NDohio]

LAX pretty much hit my rebuttal word-for-word, minus the score prediction (I think we are better than Michigan, and I think our offense can give OSU problems consistently), but I will add that Mitchell on the outside is wayyyy under-utilized, and Luke should be able to handle him. But, he's also a guy that you have to account for, because Barrett plays great football in spurts. So you've got a defense that needs to stop Elliot, and somehow Farley and Butler will need to contain their athletes underneath on short/middle stuff, and you ALSO need to keep Barrett from killing you with his legs.

With a physically over-matched MLB, defensive linemen that are asked to play out of position to try and mix things up, and with safeties that haven't gotten it together all year, I just don't see how we keep OSU from scoring. They will find a way to score points, because our defense is too limited and stretched too thin.

I AM more confident than Lax that our offense can hold up their end of the deal. I'd actually like to see BK and the offensive staff utilize the gameplan that Sparty used. Roll Kizer out with run/pass options, maybe mix in that patented super-counter play that's almost a reverse, and then try to open it up at times just to keep OSU's defense honest when flowing.

I am not sure who that is. Michael Thomas is their best deep threat and he has two 100+ yard games on the year.

I am not saying that I think ND is going to have an easy time in this game. I do see the threat of tOSU putting it all together for this game and that would be bad. But, their passing game has not been good this year.

I think LAX was referring to Michigan's defense vs ND's defense.

I know the eye test can be really deceiving, but I have watched a lot of tOSU this year and every single game I came away with the feeling of how can this much talent look so bad(I enjoyed that). The only game they looked like a good team was against Michigan.

 

[ThePiombino]

I am not sure who that is. Michael Thomas is their best deep threat and he has two 100+ yard games on the year.

I am not saying that I think ND is going to have an easy time in this game. I do see the threat of tOSU putting it all together for this game and that would be bad. But, their passing game has not been good this year.

I think LAX was referring to Michigan's defense vs ND's defense.

I know the eye test can be really deceiving, but I have watched a lot of tOSU this year and every single game I came away with the feeling of how can this much talent look so bad(I enjoyed that). The only game they looked like a good team was against Michigan.

I kind of agree, I recall getting a USC-like vibe from OSU this year - either mailing it in or playing with extreme apathy for a lot of the season assuming their skill differential would propel them. Will be interesting to see now that they don't have a natty or a Rose Bowl to play for.

 

[Bugzly21]

I disagree. A lot of college football (and winning championships) is about the matchup..

If you want to be a championship caliber team you have to look forward to any match-up any time. Do you think Bama wouldn't look forward to playing any of the other 3 teams in the playoff? Before Stanford people were saying ND could play with anybody. Now they can't?? Outside of ND's normal "rivals", I probably despise OSU the most. I'm overly excited about this match up

 

[woolybug25]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Don't you guys just ever enjoy the moment? We have a good team this year and get to play a good bowl game against an exciting opponent. You guys over analyze everything to the point of unbearable.

 

[IrishLion]

I am not sure who that is. Michael Thomas is their best deep threat and he has two 100+ yard games on the year.

That's who I meant. They don't target him nearly enough. It's actually amazing how inefficient they've been at trying to mix things up in order to open up their entire offense.

I am not saying that I think ND is going to have an easy time in this game. I do see the threat of tOSU putting it all together for this game and that would be bad. But, their passing game has not been good this year.

And this is what worries me. OSU is going to have an extended period of time to figure out how to maximize the stress that they put on our defense. They are going to see Sheldon and Romeo dropping into zone coverage to help account for certain deficiencies in the middle of our defense. They are going to see DB's that struggle to make plays when they don't have help. So even if we focus on Elliot, OSU is going to know how to target our LB's and DB's. Their passing game doesn't need to be good to take advantage of the matchups that our depleted defense offers.

I think LAX was referring to Michigan's defense vs ND's defense.

Yeah I misunderstood. Their defense is better than ours overall. But after seeing BVG's plan for McCaffrey, I have hope that we stop their run. It's the fact that they don't even need to be great at passing the ball to make us pay for focusing on Elliot that has me worried.

I know the eye test can be really deceiving, but I have watched a lot of tOSU this year and every single game I came away with the feeling of how can this much talent look so bad(I enjoyed that). The only game they looked like a good team was against Michigan.

I agree with you. They've been unimpressive against a trash schedule, and looked like garbage themselves much of the time. But they also put their potential on display against scUM. I know that's "The Game" for them, they had extra motivation, etc. etc. But Barrett has the potential to play extremely well running the option and using his legs, and he doesn't need to be a world beater when throwing against us.

I think we will score plenty of points ourselves. Hopefully I'm wrong about our defense and their offense finding answers.

 

[IrishLion]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Don't you guys just ever enjoy the moment? We have a good team this year and get to play a good bowl game against an exciting opponent. You guys over analyze everything to the point of unbearable.

I am thoroughly enjoying this. I hope we beat the sh*t out of OSU. I essentially grew up in a Buckeye household, and two of my best friends are stereotypical obnoxious OSU fans. I will talk sh*t before, during, and even after the game, win or lose. And I love the fact that BK is going to have a chance to chew Urban up with a month to prepare.

I just don't think our defense will have enough answers. It will be a shootout. But saying that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying this, nor the fantastic season that this team has had.

 

[yankeeND]

All I know is that I want ND to beat Ohio State. Can't do that unless we play them. Here is our opportunity. Let's go!

 

[dublinirish]

I am thoroughly enjoying this. I hope we beat the sh*t out of OSU. I essentially grew up in a Buckeye household, and two of my best friends are stereotypical obnoxious OSU fans. I will talk sh*t before, during, and even after the game, win or lose. And I love the fact that BK is going to have a chance to chew Urban up with a month to prepare.

I just don't think our defense will have enough answers. It will be a shootout. But saying that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying this, nor the fantastic season that this team has had.

ND/BK needs to come out aggressive in this one from the off. Trick plays/misdirection whatever you need to do. The score at the end of the day is irrelevant but Notre Dame needs to show it's gonna throw some punches and is not going to play timidly. Really need to banish some of those '12 ghosts.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Color me optimistic. A month to heal and prepare, I think ND does alright. Perhaps the red zone woes can be managed and the defense can regroup. If so, I believe OSU will be the team in for a long day. Not ND.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Don't you guys just ever enjoy the moment? We have a good team this year and get to play a good bowl game against an exciting opponent. You guys over analyze everything to the point of unbearable.

I am thoroughly enjoying this. I hope we beat the sh*t out of OSU. I essentially grew up in a Buckeye household, and two of my best friends are stereotypical obnoxious OSU fans. I will talk sh*t before, during, and even after the game, win or lose. And I love the fact that BK is going to have a chance to chew Urban up with a month to prepare.

I just don't think our defense will have enough answers. It will be a shootout. But saying that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying this, nor the fantastic season that this team has had.

I can't wait for this game. This is why you become a fan, to follow a team through the offseason then through an injury-prone season and finally to a great bowl matchup where many believe you are the underdog.

Time to go out and show out. This is seriously the best possible matchup if we want to prove we can compete with the top tier. tOSU has proven it by only tallying two losses in two seasons, let's hand them a 3rd.

 

[koonja]

Our OL will be as healthy as it's been. It'll be a great matchup against their front, but we have the healthy horses to go to work. If CJ is at full strength, I like our chances.

Side note - OSU DBs hold like crazy and I've seen it consistently all year. They're very well coached in grabbing and hiding. They're like the Seahawks from a few years ago. Will be interesting to see how it's officiated. If the officials watch film ahead of time of the teams to look for tendancys, and they're competent, could be a factor.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Here's my problem... yeah, their offense hasn't been that great. It's ranked 26th in FEI, and 14th in S&P+. However, much like last season where OSU was very pedestrian for the majority of the season and then turned it on at the end by having their offense evolve, they played a phenomenal game against a very good Michigan defense. I mean they absolutely destroyed them on the ground. And Michigan is better than Notre Dame.

You're correct that they're one dimensional... when they run the ball they win, when they can't they lose... but Stanford was also a one-dimensional team. And we let their terribad WR get open deep all game, even without having to seriously account for designed runs from their QB.

Our offense is better than their offense, on paper. But in actuality, that matchup is very even. Where things are NOT even is on defense where we have played progressively worse as the year has gone on, and they have a top 10 group. By all measures, ours is somewhere outside the top 25 AND we don't have KVR, which directly led to at least one score against Stanford... more importantly, it showed HUGE issues with our nickel personnel.

So I'm skeptical we even keep this game close, much less find a way to win. We're not going to shred Ohio State's defense like we were able to Stanford's or USC's. I expect 45-24 type of game.

I get your point and would agree, but...

Name the best offense osu has played this year? Indiana?

 

[T Town Tommy]

I get your point and would agree, but...

Name the best offense osu has played this year? Indiana?

Indiana minus their best offensive player iirc.