2023 Week Four Prediction Poll: (6) Ohio State @ (9) Notre Dame

[laughingirish90]

McCord 38 Hartman 28
1. Ohio State has the best receivers in the country and McCord, while inexperienced, is becoming elite.
2. ND's defensive backs are good but the pass rush is mediocre. Nobody can stop their receivers if the Qb is given enough time.
3. Ohio State's Dline in pretty good and will eventually win the line of scrimmage unless Fisher, Spindler and Coogan play much better than they have lately.
4. Ohio State has some pretty good defensive backs and it's hard to see ND's receivers get separation, unless Colzie and or Merriweather play the game of their lives
5. The coaching staffs: Experience and excellent play calling vs inexperience but with potential.
6. In general, the talent level is much higher for Ohio State.

a huuuuuge lol to a post from somebody who i'm guessing hasn't seen our irish play once this.

 

[NDQuebec]

a huuuuuge lol to a post from somebody who i'm guessing hasn't seen our irish play once this.

I've watched every game and a huuuuuuge lol and slobber to your pic. Now if you want to say what parts of my post gives you a huuuuge lol, go for it.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Is this not the most important game in the last 3 or more years????

I am the eternal doubter and pessimist....but how can you not be a "Homer" on this one. ND going away.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I really think it will come down to the fact this game means more to ND than it does to OSU. I'm pretty confident that ND has put more time into their game plan for Saturday. For one, OSU hasn't really had the luxury of doing that because they have had to feel out a new QB and can't yet easily game plan around his strengths and weaknesses.

 

[NDQuebec]

Is this not the most important game in the last 3 or more years????

I am the eternal doubter and pessimist....but how can you not be a "Homer" on this one. ND going away.

I hope you are right. If so, let's have a virtual drinking party and include laughing Irish's girl.

 

[Reaper97]

I've watched every game and a huuuuuuge lol and slobber to your pic. Now if you want to say what parts of my post gives you a huuuuge lol, go for it.

The part that lost me was McCord becoming elite.
He is nowhere near great, let alone elite.
This time last week, there was legitimate discussion that Brown might get the start vs WKU.
He was below average week 1.
He was mediocre week 2.
And he was good week 3.
He is nowhere near great yet, & you are saying he is becoming elite?

 

[NDQuebec]

The part that lost me was McCord becoming elite.
He is nowhere near great, let alone elite.
This time last week, there was legitimate discussion that Brown might get the start vs WKU.
He was below average week 1.
He was mediocre week 2.
And he was good week 3.
He is nowhere near great yet, & you are saying he is becoming elite?

Check his stats, check his recruiting status. He is considered to be the 9th best QB in football today (Hartman is ranked 6th). So, I don't think that saying that he is becoming elite is much of a stretch. Brown was also a very highly ranked QB so the discussion as to who would get to start was sort of irrelevant. They are both very very good QBs.

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[indianamouse]

35-21 irish. Score only that close due to a garbage time td from the suckeyes.

 

[WilliamWallace]

I've watched every game and a huuuuuuge lol and slobber to your pic. Now if you want to say what parts of my post gives you a huuuuge lol, go for it.

Gotta admit, @laughingirish90 is gorgeous, nothing funny about her, all slobber.

 

[Reaper97]

I have two things:

1) I know everyone wants to score a lot because we have Hartman, but I would do the same gameplan as last year.

A) OSU had Stroud & elite receivers, & only had 7 points late in the 3rd Q at home.
This year they don’t have Stroud & are on the road.

B) ND had Buchner, making first start. ND’s OL wasn’t meshing at all yet.
Running game also was not good yet.

C) ND was up 10-7, with the ball multiple times & just didn’t do anything.
It was that way until under 2 minutes to go in the 3rd.
Give me the ball, with Hartman, at home, up 3, late 3rd Q. I will take it.

So basically I would do the exact sane thing you did last year, but this time at home, with Hartman, a running game, & the opposing QB not a Heisman front runner.
It would still be low scoring, but Hartman would score on half of ND’s possessions.
So a 27- 23 type game.

2) What I think will happen.

A) OSU is going to come out running the ball. On the flip side ND comes out throwing.

B) I always trust running over throwing. And ND’s DL is ripe to get ran on by OSU.
OSU’s Jim Knowles will throw things at ND’s OL that outside of Alt, will confuse them.

C) I think OSU will Notre Dame, Notre Dame.

If ND can’t stop the run, which I’m very afraid of, & ND tries to throw all over, OSU wins by more than a TD.

This is a game I wish Freeman was calling the Defense. I think he would fine ways to confuse McCord without sending 6 every play.
With OSU’s receivers, I think if Golden blitzes like crazy, McCord will just throw it up & let them make plays.

 

[IrishEyesAreSmiling]

31-28 ND! Game winning field goal in regulation after Hartman gets a drive into field goal range. We drill it with 3 seconds left. Marcus tells the entire state of Ohio to bow down to the king

 

[irishff1014]

Is this not the most important game in the last 3 or more years????

I am the eternal doubter and pessimist....but how can you not be a "Homer" on this one. ND going away.

About time you jumped aboard the Freeman train.

 

[Reaper97]

Check his stats, check his recruiting status. He is considered to be the 9th best QB in football today (Hartman is ranked 6th). So, I don't think that saying that he is becoming elite is much of a stretch. Brown was also a very highly ranked QB so the discussion as to who would get to start was sort of irrelevant. They are both very very good QBs.

2025 College Football Season Leaders Total QBR | ESPN

Visit ESPN to view College Football Total QBR for the current and previous seasons

www.espn.com

I don’t care one bit about recruiting rankings if you are in your third year on campus.
What McCord does in college trumps HS.
Hartman had 3 offers, only one was P5.

Elite is Caleb Williams.
Maybe Drake Maye.
McCord is not anywhere near “elite.”
He’s “good.”
Hartman is not elite. He is very good to great.

 

[Gold1]

I don’t care one bit about recruiting rankings if you are in your third year on campus.
What McCord does in college trumps HS.
Hartman had 3 offers, only one was P5.

Elite is Caleb Williams.
Maybe Drake Maye.
McCord is not anywhere near “elite.”
He’s “good.”
Hartman is not elite. He is very good to great.

Hartman is every bit as good as Maye and Williams passing the ball. So far, Hartman is an elite QB, just not as athletic and proficient at running as Williams or Maye. Big deal, Tom Brady nor Payton Manning ran the ball well either but were still elite QBs.

 

[arrowryan]

I have two things:

1) I know everyone wants to score a lot because we have Hartman, but I would do the same gameplan as last year.

A) OSU had Stroud & elite receivers, & only had 7 points late in the 3rd Q at home.
This year they don’t have Stroud & are on the road.

B) ND had Buchner, making first start. ND’s OL wasn’t meshing at all yet.
Running game also was not good yet.

C) ND was up 10-7, with the ball multiple times & just didn’t do anything.
It was that way until under 2 minutes to go in the 3rd.
Give me the ball, with Hartman, at home, up 3, late 3rd Q. I will take it.

So basically I would do the exact sane thing you did last year, but this time at home, with Hartman, a running game, & the opposing QB not a Heisman front runner.
It would still be low scoring, but Hartman would score on half of ND’s possessions.
So a 27- 23 type game.

2) What I think will happen.

A) OSU is going to come out running the ball. On the flip side ND comes out throwing.

B) I always trust running over throwing. And ND’s DL is ripe to get ran on by OSU.
OSU’s Jim Knowles will throw things at ND’s OL that outside of Alt, will confuse them.

C) I think OSU will Notre Dame, Notre Dame.

If ND can’t stop the run, which I’m very afraid of, & ND tries to throw all over, OSU wins by more than a TD.

This is a game I wish Freeman was calling the Defense. I think he would fine ways to confuse McCord without sending 6 every play.
With OSU’s receivers, I think if Golden blitzes like crazy, McCord will just throw it up & let them make plays.

Interesting way to look at it. I can’t see ND just airing it out. Would be very uncharacteristic of them.

 

[notredomer23]

Interesting way to look at it. I can’t see ND just airing it out. Would be very uncharacteristic of them.

We’re gonna see Hartman keep the ball much more this game I feel. That alone will open up lanes for the RBs. Even if Sam only is ripping 3 yards then sliding, moving forward is all the matters to keep them honest.

 

[laughingirish90]

I've watched every game and a huuuuuuge lol and slobber to your pic. Now if you want to say what parts of my post gives you a huuuuge lol, go for it.

well for starters you talk about our pass rush being bad when we are getting to the QB as much as anybody even though it doesn't show in sacks. coach Freeman said at his presser this week that we have the best pass efficiency defense in the nation and that he'll take that any day over sacks. OSU won't have as easy of a time passing the ball as you think.

 

[thekid33]

31-24

Go Irish!

 

[KPENN]

I go back and forth between cocky and distraught

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I have two things:

1) I know everyone wants to score a lot because we have Hartman, but I would do the same gameplan as last year.

A) OSU had Stroud & elite receivers, & only had 7 points late in the 3rd Q at home.
This year they don’t have Stroud & are on the road.

B) ND had Buchner, making first start. ND’s OL wasn’t meshing at all yet.
Running game also was not good yet.

C) ND was up 10-7, with the ball multiple times & just didn’t do anything.
It was that way until under 2 minutes to go in the 3rd.
Give me the ball, with Hartman, at home, up 3, late 3rd Q. I will take it.

So basically I would do the exact sane thing you did last year, but this time at home, with Hartman, a running game, & the opposing QB not a Heisman front runner.
It would still be low scoring, but Hartman would score on half of ND’s possessions.
So a 27- 23 type game.

2) What I think will happen.

A) OSU is going to come out running the ball. On the flip side ND comes out throwing.

B) I always trust running over throwing. And ND’s DL is ripe to get ran on by OSU.
OSU’s Jim Knowles will throw things at ND’s OL that outside of Alt, will confuse them.

C) I think OSU will Notre Dame, Notre Dame.

If ND can’t stop the run, which I’m very afraid of, & ND tries to throw all over, OSU wins by more than a TD.

This is a game I wish Freeman was calling the Defense. I think he would fine ways to confuse McCord without sending 6 every play.
With OSU’s receivers, I think if Golden blitzes like crazy, McCord will just throw it up & let them make plays.

Agreed.

Hartman has spread his passes around and all the receivers have been up to the task. Now they’re facing elite DBs who will play in the league. Can they get off press coverage? Can they get any separation in space?

Knowles surely saw Hartman’s accuracy affected after he went down in the CMU game when the DL twisted his leg. Even his TD throw to Staes was off target but Holden made a one hand grab. I think Knowles focuses on the guards to get to Hartman and hit him enough to where he‘s looking down more when he’s back for a pass.

I hope Hartman can put two hands on the ball when he’s flushed. That’s another thing Knowles will see both last season & this season. I think Hartman lost 3 fumbles vs Duke last season alone. He lost the one at NCST b/c he didn’t protect the ball either.

ND front > OSU OL
OSU front > ND OL

 

[IrishBoognish]

I go back and forth between cocky and distraught

This is me exactly.

 

[WilliamWallace]

63-24 OSU- Keeping my prediction train rolling!

You can’t be serious, but then you voted as such. Have you no confidence at all? There’s no prize in losing the worst!

 

[Irish#1]

Is this not the most important game in the last 3 or more years????

I am the eternal doubter and pessimist....but how can you not be a "Homer" on this one. ND going away.

Absolute lock for POY.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

You can’t be serious, but then you voted as such. Have you no confidence at all? There’s no prize in losing the worst!

To be fair, I picked us to lose to TSU.

 

[WilliamWallace]

To be fair, I picked us to lose to TSU.

Oh my, I have more faith in you than this.

 

[WilliamWallace]

To be fair, I picked us to lose to TSU.

You’re my neighbor, we should talk about this. Maybe we can meet over mowing grass and talk about your f$&@“ed up feelings? I’ll bring the beer. You drink bud light? 🤣

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Oh my, I have more faith in you than this.

If I pick us to win be afraid, be very afraid.

 

[WilliamWallace]

I’m just kidding

 

[SeekNDestroy]

I go back and forth between cocky and distraught

Welcome to my life…

 

[NDQuebec]

I'll give Rees a little leeway. I've said this before (I believe in this thread), it's a "lateral" move, but he is working under the greatest of all time coaches.

TB, on the other hand...when one transfers, it's usually to lock-in a starting a role or to advance in the depth chart. Buchner transferred and essentially took a demotion. It was just a horrible, horrible, horrible move. He also really left ND in a bind. God forbid something should happen to Hartman, you're left trotting Angeli or Minchey out there. You're also left to hit the transfer portal again at the conclusion of the season.

well for starters you talk about our pass rush being bad when we are getting to the QB as much as anybody even though it doesn't show in sacks. coach Freeman said at his presser this week that we have the best pass efficiency defense in the nation and that he'll take that any day over sacks. OSU won't have as easy of a time passing the ball as you think.

OK, I agree with that one. It's true now and hope it will still be true on Saturday night.