When Notre Dame and Ohio State kickoff Saturday night for NBC’s Big Ten Saturday in South Bend, it will be a colossal matchup between two of the most tradition rich programs in the history of the sport.
Entering the game, both programs are in the Top 5 in Heisman Trophy recipients, Consensus All-Americans, NFL Draft picks, overall appearances in the AP Poll, winning percentage, and overall wins.
In the series between the Irish and Buckeyes, it is the fifth consecutive Top 10 matchup between the teams with Ohio State coming into the matchup winning five consecutive against Notre Dame.
This year’s matchup has great star power on both sides of the ball.
Both sides possess legitimate Heisman Trophy threats with Sam Hartman for Notre Dame and Marvin Harrison Jr. for Ohio State.
Both sides on offense have elite characteristics when you look at Ohio State’s wide receiving core with Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, and Notre Dame’s offensive line with tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher along with power running back Audric Estime.
The fireworks aren’t reserved just for the offense as both defenses are in the Top 5 in total yards allowed per game, with Ohio State’s defense allowing the fewest points through three games since 1975.
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With so much at stake for both sides, what does a win mean for each side?
What A Win For Ohio State Means?
#3 A Much Needed Major Win For Ryan Day
By no means is Ryan Day on the hot seat at Ohio State, though one can argue his seat isn’t as cushy or comfortable that it once was.
Back-to-back losses to Michigan have significantly hurt and the disappointment against Georgia in the College Football Playoff Semifinal last season didn’t help matters.
Day enters this Top 10 showdown with Notre Dame with an overall record of 16-4 versus ranked opposition and 16-1 in true road games.
Ohio State last true out of conference ranked regular season road win occurred in 2016 at No. 14 Oklahoma (2019 win over No. 15 TCU was at a neutral site at AT&T Stadium).
A win at Notre Dame would give Day a much needed boost moving forward and quiet all critics.
#2 A Breakout By Marvin Harrison Jr. Will Build Momentum For Heisman Invite
Most NFL Draft analysts are describing Harrison as a can’t miss prospect at wide receiver and a generational talent.
This season, Harrison has been quiet with 14 receptions 304 yards and three touchdowns.
Harrison recently tied Ohio State legend Cris Carter with his ninth 100-yard receiving game for fifth all-time in school history.
With Harrison in consecutive weeks scoring on career long scoring receptions, a 71-yard reception vs. Youngstown State and a 75-yard reception vs. Western Kentucky, Harrison is poised to breakout on a national stage and set himself apart from the rest of the country.
#1 A Significant Statement to Penn State, Michigan, & Nation
Some analysts feel Ohio State is slipping in the grand pecking order of the Big Ten.
With back-to-back wins against the Buckeyes, most feel Michigan is stronger in key areas and the class of the Big Ten.
Some analysts feel with the high end talent at all levels, including at quarterback with Drew Allar, that Penn State has passed Ohio State, the same Nittany Lions that has not had a win against Ohio State since 2016.
While the Buckeyes will contend with the Nittany Lions at home October 21, and the hated Wolverines in the season finale in Ann Arbor November 25, a statement victory over Notre Dame will be a warning shot to both programs that Ohio State isn’t about to give up the conference.
For the rest of the nation, it will be a significant statement win that will jockey Ohio State into favorable playoff position early in the College Football Playoff race.
A loss to Notre Dame won’t eliminate Ohio State as the Buckeyes have plenty of chances to redeem themselves, it does reduce their margin of error to a very slim one.
What A Win For Notre Dame Means?
#3 Notre Dame Defense Is Elite
Ohio State enters the game with one of the more potent offenses in the sport, that has averaged 522 yards per game over the past two weeks and scoring 40.3 points per game this season.
For Notre Dame to win, it is going to have to rely on its defense to make key plays and slow down the Buckeyes offense.
This season Notre Dame’s defense is 14th in scoring defense at 11.8 points per game, fourth in the nation in total defense at 234.2 yards per game, and leads the nation in pass efficiency defense defense at 84.73.
Notre Dame’s ability to cause problems for opposing passing offenses will be key if the Irish would like to defeat Ohio State.
During Ryan Day’s time at Ohio State, only five times has the Buckeyes have been held to under 400 yards of total offense and one of those times was last season against the Irish when they held Ohio State to 395 yards of total offense.
#2 Hartman For Heisman
One of the major transfer portal victories this offseason was Notre Dame landing quarterback Sam Hartman from Wake Forest.
The initial returns for the Irish have been spectacular as Hartman has thrown 13 touchdowns, the most by any Notre Dame quarterback through the first four games of the season.
Hartman leads all FBS quarterbacks with 90 touchdown passes since the 2021 season, and he has a golden opportunity with the most visibility to make his Heisman case.
There has never been a time where Hartman has been surrounded with talent equal to his own that complements his game so well.
A win by the Irish will be fueled by Hartman’s arm that will pass him into every Heisman conversation moving forward.
#1 Freeman Is The Real Deal
While Marcus Freeman‘s start as Notre Dame head coach started off rocky with three consecutive losses – 2022 Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma State, at Ohio State, and then at home against Marshall, he has had an astonishing rebound winning 13 of his 15 games.
Last season Freeman won four games (4-2 overall) against ranked opponents, it was the most by a first year coach matching Terry Brennan‘s four ranked wins in 1954, and most ranked wins in a single season by a Notre Dame team since the 2018 season.
A win also gives Freeman more recruiting capital to be able to close elite prospects, something he had to endure losing a pair of five-star defensive talent in Keon Keeley and Peyton Bowen.
It would give Notre Dame firm footing on the road to the College Football Playoff and a favorable schedule with Southern California visiting South Bend October 14, with the last major obstacle for the Irish after being at Clemson November 4.
A loss for Notre Dame hurts them more than Ohio State, due to the fact Notre Dame does not play in a conference and the benefit of playing in a conference championship can overcome an early season loss.
The Irish also close their season out against Wake Forest and Stanford, not exactly note worthy games for the Committee when they are debating the last spots for the Playoff.
