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The Marcus Freeman era in South Bend is about to start this coming Saturday, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish play their first game under their new head coach against the no. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. This is a heavyweight battle between two ranked teams, with no. 5 Notre Dame football also looking to score a massive road victory that will give their College Football Playoff chances a huge shot in the arm. With that said, here are four predictions for Notre Dame football against the Buckeyes.
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4. Tyler Buchner picks up more rushing yards than CJ Stroud
Buchner knows the pressure that comes with being the starting quarterback of a program like Notre Dame, and there is surely no better way for him to gain confidence to kick off his first year in that role than completely outplaying Ohio State star QB CJ Stroud. Needless to say, that is going to be easier said than done. Stroud was the preseason favorite to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Flanking him are a couple of teammates in running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba who also carry considerable Heisman Trophy hypes. Between the two quarterbacks, it's easy to see which is making NFL scouts salivate more.
But Buchner might just have what it takes to shock the college football world right off the bat. There is an element of mystery with regard to Buchner, as he took just 46 passing attempts in 2021 as the main backup of Jack Coan. There is relatively little tape on his college football play for the Buckeyes to review. But one thing the Buckeyes must be aware of is that Buchner is very much capable of moving the chains with his legs. Despite the limited action he was in his freshman year in South Bend, Buchner racked up more rushing yards than anyone on the team outside of running back Kyren Williams, who is now with the Los Angeles Rams. Buchner's got the tools and a solid offensive line to help him have an explosive start this season against the Buckeyes.
3. Notre Dame comes away with two defensive interceptions
Notre Dame football's secondary took a hit over the offseason with star safety Kyle Hamilton getting taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The good news for the Fighting Irish is that they still have defensive studs downfield like senior cornerback Cam Hart and junior cornerback Clarence Lewis. They will have work cut out for them in Week 1 against the Buckeyes, though, considering the level of talent Ohio State has on its offense. That's not to mention the fact that Stroud is an incredibly accurate passer. Last season, Stroud topped the Big Ten with a 71.9 completion percentage, which was also third overall in the entire FBS. Then again, Notre Dame's not going to be pushovers defensively.
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Apart from key holdovers like Hart and Lewis, Notre Dame football has also found a terrific replacement for Hamilton in the safety position with Northwestern Wildcats transfer Brandon Joseph. Joseph is arguably the best safety in the nation this year. Like Hamilton, he could be a top-10 pick in the NFL himself in 2023. He comes to South Bend after collecting nine interceptions in his final two seasons with the Wildcats. He will be a fantastic weapon against the pass for the Fighting Irish, who were 23rd nationally in 2021 with a 3.5% defensive interception rate.
2. Isaiah Foskey will be the game-changer
Notre Dame football edge rusher Isaiah Foskey might just be the biggest hero for the Fighting Irish against the Buckeyes. Foskey led Notre Dame in 2021 with 11.0 sacks, tied for 10th-most in the nation. Having him back for another season is a tremendous boost for the Fighting Irish and don't be surprised if he put up a clinic in Columbus.
For one, he will be facing a newcomer in the trenches, with the Buckeyes introducing freshman Paris Johnson Jr. at the left tackle spot, a position he is just learning to adapt to. He played right tackle last season for Ohio State but with Nicholas Petit-Frere no longer around, the Buckeyes have made the adjustment of giving Johnson the responsibility of guarding Stroud's blind side. Foskey should be licking his chops over the prospect of wreaking havoc opposite Johnson.
1. Notre Dame football beats the Buckeyes by more than 10 points
How about an extremely bold prediction because why not? The Buckeyes are heavily favored to win this game for a number of reasons. They have the best team on paper with at least three potential future NFL superstars. They are the home team. This is a great setup for Ohio State to score a victory against a ranked opponent right out of the gate. Notre Dame comes into this matchup opening as 15-point road underdogs.
The last time they played away from South Bend, they lost to the Oklahoma State Cowboys during last January’s Playstation Fiesta Bowl to the tune of a 37-35 score.Crazy things happen all the time in sports, as the cliche goes. And it’s often crazier in college football. The Fighting Irish have a chance here to start the new chapter in their storied program’s era with a win in head coach Marcus Freeman’s debut.
If you’re the betting type, here are some trends to make encourage you to at least pick the side of Notre Dame football to cover: the Fighting Irish are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games away from home; they have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games overall; lastly, they are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six games versus a team from the Big Ten. In addition to that, the Buckeyes are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five outings versus teams outside of their conference.
