Sept 23 | Ohio State

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Loy said a mystery recruit we really like will be visiting.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I have a bad feeling that there will be plenty of OSU fans.

I have the opposite feeling.

I think it's going to be a fairly typical away team turnout, nowhere near Nebraska or UGA as some fear.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I honestly believe that if OSU wasn’t going to take the stadium over, so if it was a 95% ND crowd, night game, with a wild & rowdy crowd…ND would be able to get to McCord and ND could handle OSU the same way ND has handled talented USC teams at South Bend night games.
This is the one game I really wish ND fans didn’t give up tickets.

A lot of clemson fans at ND stadium last year. Far too many. I would assume something similar for OSU. One big key is to keep the ND fans in it and try and get the OSU fans out of it early, just like vs clemson last year.

 

[Reaper97]

I have the opposite feeling.

I think it's going to be a fairly typical away team turnout, nowhere near Nebraska or UGA as some fear.

Even if they bring 20k, which is a distinct probability, that makes a huge difference over 5k.
I want it to be deafening, so 75k ND fans, when OSU has the ball.
I think McCord is ripe to crack under the pressure.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Even if they bring 20k, which is a distinct probability, that makes a huge difference over 5k.
I want it to be deafening, so 75k ND fans, when OSU has the ball.
I think McCord is ripe to crack under the pressure.

I think this is going to look more like ND-scUM '18 than anything like that.

There were still a good number of scUM fans, but NDS was still absolutely rocking.

ND fans show up when the hype warrants it. And there appears to be more than enough to warrant the hype for this game.

 

[NDMatt91]

Says it’s someone we haven’t spoken about and have an update about beasley

So if it’s someone we haven’t spoken about that basically rules out Beasley, Scott, Wingo, etc. Has Freeman changed the policy preventing players committed elsewhere from getting a OV?

 

[Reaper97]

I think this is going to look more like ND-scUM '18 than anything like that.

There were still a good number of scUM fans, but NDS was still absolutely rocking.

ND fans show up when the hype warrants it. And there appears to be more than enough to warrant the hype for this game.

The problem is the OSU tickets have been for sale on the secondary for 6 weeks.
OSU was running strategic, public campaigns to buy all of them up.
They had an official request on their site to make ND stadium more red than Nebraska & UGA.
So they have been buying up tickets since the summer.

 

[BilboBaggins]

McCord doesn't strike fear in me like the previous recent qbs Ohio St has had: Haskins, Fields, Stroud, etc. Know he has talent but just don't see it in relation to what they have recently had. What I've seen is yes he can complete passes. Not overly emotional nor athletic. A lot of dinking and dunking. If we are truly a title contender, we win this game.

McCord does have the best WR corp in the country to dink and dunk to, albeit going up against a very stout Irish DB corp. But OSU's WR corp is basically a cheat code.

This test will be just like the previous iterations against Clemson, Alabama, and USC when they're up: can ND run inside against a DL full of five-star talent, and can the ND WRs get separation in man coverage? Usually this does not happen, and ND is forced to run outside and dink and dunk to TEs...and then loses. Those teams didn't have a guy like Sam Hartman.

If this Irish team had one bona-fide stud WR, I'd feel a lot better about this match up. We haven't seen a WR take over a game, or really many plays that are obvious "yeah that guy just dominated a one-on-one matchup" with these WRs. And the inconsistent running against NC State wasn't inspiring. I know you get chunk plays against a team that is blitzing and pushing chips into the table, but it just seems OSU will be able to plug holes with six guys in the box (if ND repeats that performance, the ultimate college football variable) and Sam Hartman is going to have to go full blown King of Dublin on the Buckeyes to win this one.

 

[Fbolt]

No, but we do have several options. Tyree has busted a few plays, Greathouse has proven himself, TEs have shown capable, there's Thomas, and of course the RBs in check down. That's asking a lot of any D to cover all. If (big If) Hartman has time to go through progressions-game on.

 

[Luckylucci]

No, but we do have several options. Tyree has busted a few plays, Greathouse has proven himself, TEs have shown capable, there's Thomas, and of course the RBs in check down. That's asking a lot of any D to cover all. If (big If) Hartman has time to go through progressions-game on.

This is it for me right there. If the OL holds up in pass pro and play calling gives him enough chances to make plays. Hartman is going to find the points to win the game.

 

[Free Manera]

I’m gonna throw up if the pregame tweets show a sea of red like the UGA game

 

[Fbolt]

I'm gonna throw up on an Ohio State fan pregame. Drunk AF.

 

[Grahambo]

No, but we do have several options. Tyree has busted a few plays, Greathouse has proven himself, TEs have shown capable, there's Thomas, and of course the RBs in check down. That's asking a lot of any D to cover all. If (big If) Hartman has time to go through progressions-game on.

And when you look at the receiving stats, it’s pretty evenly distributed amongst a number of players. Hard for OSU to game plan against one or two.

Just please no safety blitzes inside the 20.

 

[NDFAN2008]

I’m sure there will be lots of red a lot of Ohio State fans are from this area

 

[BilboBaggins]

And when you look at the receiving stats, it’s pretty evenly distributed amongst a number of players. Hard for OSU to game plan against one or two.

Just please no safety blitzes inside the 20.

This game is going to tell us if that's because:

A) Hartman is a pro and can go through his progressions and find the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th guy and a defense just can't cover everyone well.

B) No WR can consistently get separation against the competition they've played, so the gameplan can't feed a #1 WR the ball by design.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

I can’t make much sense of OSUs offensive struggles early this season (sure, new QB, but with the WRs they have, it’s still surprising), but either way, it bodes well for us. Hopefully it keeps. That, coupled with how our offense has looked - it’s hard to argue that things aren’t trending up for us and down for them.

 

[OKCDomer23]

I can’t make much sense of OSUs offensive struggles early this season (sure, new QB, but with the WRs they have, it’s still surprising), but either way, it bodes well for us. Hopefully it keeps. That, coupled with how our offense has looked - it’s hard to argue that things aren’t trending up for us and down for them.

To me, it's as simple as their offense isn't near as good as last year's. Our's is light years ahead of last year's at this point with a stud qb. Game is at home under the lights. Know they have some dudes on defense, but imagine we'll still score.

Specifically, this game comes down to their dline (loaded) v. our oline. We must, minimally, draw even here.

 

[Crazy Balki]

The problem is the OSU tickets have been for sale on the secondary for 6 weeks.
OSU was running strategic, public campaigns to buy all of them up.
They had an official request on their site to make ND stadium more red than Nebraska & UGA.
So they have been buying up tickets since the summer.

And they're going to fail miserably.

ND fans have A LOT more incentive to buy rather than sell than they did for Nebraska or UGA.

Ohio State fans are going to be disappointed when they tune in and see a lot less red than they had hoped.

 

[Wild Bill]

And they're going to fail miserably.

ND fans have A LOT more incentive to buy rather than sell than they did for Nebraska or UGA.

Ohio State fans are going to be disappointed when they tune in and see a lot less red than they had hoped.

Why? In both ND v Nebraska and ND v Georgia it was ranked undefeated teams matched up, iirc. What incentive do fans have now that they didn't have in these two games?

 

[Crazy Balki]

Why? In both ND v Nebraska and ND v Georgia it was ranked undefeated teams matched up, iirc. What incentive do fans have now that they didn't have in these two games?

In 2000, ND was coming off a 5-7 season, and was barely ranked going into the Nebraska game, and was unranked going into the season.

In 2017, ND was coming off a 4-8 season, and was barely ranked going into the Georgia game, and was unranked going into the season.

In 2023, ND is coming off a 9-4 season, was within the top 15 and will be in the top 10 for this matchup.

So yeah, it's not comparable in the slightest. There's a pretty big difference between ND being 1-0 and #24 like they were in 2000 or 2017 and 3-0 and #9 like they are now.

 

[notredomer23]

the OSU staff writer went over to II yesterday for some game day advice and he said he knows very few people actually going to the game and he expects 8-10K OSU fans there. Time will tell but he’d know better than most.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Ohio state is replacing an OT that went in 1st round, their other OT that went in fourth and center that went in the 6th

They’re having some oline growing pains as expected and a first time starting qb
We’ll be in nickel all day vs osu

We just need to do a lot of packages out of nickel. Like freeman said, nd got complacent in man vs nc state because it was working and our secondary is good, then Armstrong got a little comfortable with his reads.

Vs osu is the game I’m hoping Marist really shines and creates a ton of havoc against an inexperienced oline and not a dual threat qb

 

[Irish#1]

Notre Dame -34 against CMU
Ohio State -27.5 against WKY

Both home games against vastly inferior opponents.

Assuming CMU and WKY are roughly comparable (I honestly don’t know), this may be an early tell that OSU will no longer open at -7 in South Bend (this was the line a few weeks ago).

Hell, last week we scored more, on the road, in unfavorable weather conditions against a quality defense than OSU did at home against an FCS school.

Starting to believe…

 

[IrishTusker]

There is obviously a big difference between 15-25% opposing fans and 40-50%. The former group includes Louisville 2014, Texas 2015, Cincinnati 2021, and Cal and Clemson last year, among others. I was worried about a Clemson takeover last year and it didn't happen, although I also think perceptions about the size of a 'takeover' are affected by the outcome of the games.

That said, OSU fans sort of 'invade' UM's stadium and they beat them there two years ago. And of course in Columbus last year.

I really hope that ND fans and the ND athletic department did not sell out the team/school for money again, like with Georgia. I wasn't at UM 2018 but somebody compared it to that, I hope so.

 

[Irish#1]

I see it's OSU week! lol

OSU fans are going to show up strong. They pretty much take over Memorial Stadium at IU every time they play there. The answer to the question about a big turnout lies in another question. "When was the last time OSU played at ND"? A: 1996

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I’m gonna throw up if the pregame tweets show a sea of red like the UGA game

Have a bucket ready.

 

[Wild Bill]

In 2000, ND was coming off a 5-7 season, and was barely ranked going into the Nebraska game, and was unranked going into the season.

In 2017, ND was coming off a 4-8 season, and was barely ranked going into the Georgia game, and was unranked going into the season.

In 2023, ND is coming off a 9-4 season, was within the top 15 and will be in the top 10 for this matchup.

So yeah, it's not comparable in the slightest. There's a pretty big difference between ND being 1-0 and #24 like they were in 2000 or 2017 and 3-0 and #9 like they are now.

Seems slightly comparable to me. I'm expecting to see a sea of red shitheads when we play them. Would happily come back here and eat crow if I'm wrong.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Fools and their money are soon parted.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Maybe it’s the fact that I hate pOSU greater than any other team….. but I believe most people that have season tickets have a much more passionate desire to want to watch ND vs pOSU than those two previous examples. I don’t think as many people will sell their tickets for a quick buck.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Take the points all day with ND while you can get them and throw some on the ML too.

I think ND shows out in this game. It's time ND does to them what scUM has done to them the last couple of years.

OSU's DC is fantastic and that D is loaded with talent. But ND's offense (despite not playing great on the OL) went on the road to NCST who has their own great DC and defense and put 450+ yards and 45 points on them.

Have some damn faith people! Lets ride! Go Irish!