Ohio State’s biggest weakness Notre Dame must exploit in CFP title game
There’s been a common trend in Ohio State’s two losses and close games this season
Notre Dame football is trying to claim its first national title since 1988 against a red-hot and heavily favored Ohio State team. Head coach Marcus Freeman has elevated this program back to its first appearance in this game since 2013. On the other side of the field, Ryan Day has led his program back into the National Championship for the first time since 2021. The Buckeyes head coach is also looking for his first title at the college football juggernaut.
There are a ton of things Ryan Day’s team is among the best in the nation at. Specifically on defense, where Ohio State leads the country in points (12.2), passing yards (161.1) and is third in rushing yards allowed per game (89.9). This unit has very few weaknesses, and Notre Dame’s offense must be unpredictable to keep Ohio State’s defense on its toes.
The Fighting Irish have a run-heavy approach led by quarterback Riley Leonard and star tailback Jeremiyah Love. The two lead an offense averaging 210.7 yards per game on the ground throughout the year. Leonard, in particular, has been crucial with his legs, picking up multiple clutch first-downs in the Fighting Irish’s 23-10 win over No. 2 Georgia. Against the Nittany Lions at the Orange, Notre Dame football had to show another side to its offense as Penn State outgained Marcus Freeman’s team on the ground by almost 100 yards.
Riley Leonard ultimately hit his highest passing yard total since October 12, including an electric 54-yard touchdown to Jaden Greathouse late in the fourth quarter. That versatility will be essential and plays into the ultimate key of this game. Should Notre Dame follow this blueprint, we could be in for a thriller that comes down to whoever has the last possession. However, if the Fighting Irish cannot take advantage of the Buckeyes’ biggest weakness, things could get ugly quickly for Marcus Freeman and company.
The key to the game
Ohio State has two losses during the regular season. The first was in a 32-31 thriller at Oregon. The second was in a shocking 13-10 defeat at home to Michigan. While there are elements that the Ducks exploited with the Buckeyes that the Fighting Irish could potentially explore, realistically, the Wolverines’ path to victory is the more practical one for the heavy underdogs. What Michigan exposed about Ohio State’s offense factors into the overall key to the National Championship game. Time of possession.
Led by a physical rushing attack, the Wolverines’ offense was on the field for 33:35 minutes, seven more than the Buckeyes. Keeping quarterback Will Howard and the Ohio State passing attack is ultimately critical for opponents. Ryan Day’s team has many weapons on the outside, including freshman superstar Jeremiah Smith, who can break out any time. Allowing this unit to be on the field for over 30 minutes is not a winning strategy.
In addition, there have been times, like in the Michigan game, where Ohio State’s defense has shown a little wear and tear when they are on the field against physical ground games. That is exactly the kind of setup Marcus Freeman’s team would love to have going into this matchup, and it feeds into Ohio State’s weakness.
Ohio State’s rushing offense is its weakness
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium.
