Notre Dame will enter Monday evening’s nationwide championship recreation in Atlanta as an extended shot. A workforce few count on to win. An 8.5-point underdog towards Ohio State.
Since 2013, the one workforce that was a much bigger underdog within the sport’s ultimate recreation was TCU two years in the past, and the Horned Frogs had been hammered by Georgia in an unpleasant one-sided title recreation.
Ohio State is anticipated to win and win massive. Then once more, few predicted the Irish would get thus far, significantly after that beautiful Sept. 7 loss to Northern Illinois in South Bend as a 28-point favourite.
They haven’t misplaced since, carrying a 13-game profitable streak into Monday evening at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After a straightforward opening-round victory over No. 10 Indiana, seventh-seeded Notre Dame ousted SEC champion and No. 2 seed Georgia, then knocked off Large Ten runner-up Penn State, the sixth seed.
In each contests, the Combating Irish seemed overwhelmed early, solely to seek out their footing after a shaky begin.
In addition they confirmed grit in that win over the Nittany Lions, scoring the sport’s ultimate 10 factors in a seesaw affair.
There may be some workforce of future magic with the Irish.
Regardless of quite a few accidents to key gamers, regardless of that stunning early-season loss, they’re one of many final two groups standing. They received’t be in awe of closely favored Ohio State.
The Publish takes a take a look at different storylines for the large recreation beneath:
Can Notre Dame run the ball?
Ohio State is an elite run-stuffing protection, third within the nation towards the run at 89.9 yards per recreation.
Notre Dame likes to preserve it on the bottom, averaging 210.8 yards, which was 14th finest within the nation.
Three completely different gamers — quarterback Riley Leonard and tailbacks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Value — ran for at the least 733 yards and 7 touchdowns.
It’s the Irish’s offensive id, controlling the road of scrimmage and establishing the move off the run.
However the Buckeyes held Oregon, Texas and Tennessee to a mixed 187 speeding yards in three playoff wins, rebounding properly after getting mauled up entrance by Michigan in that beautiful Thanksgiving weekend loss in Columbus, Ohio.
Employed weapons excel below middle
This can be a primary — two first-year quarterbacks at new colleges assembly within the nationwide championship recreation.
The switch portal has definitely labored out for Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard (Duke) and Ohio State’s Will Howard (Kansas State).
Ohio State, in actual fact, had some curiosity in Leonard, though he wound up committing to Notre Dame fairly early within the course of. Howard additionally heard from the Irish initially.
Satirically, the 2 quarterbacks had been roommates on the Manning Passing Academy this previous summer season.
They’ve taken an analogous highway thus far, each performing properly for lower-level applications, transferring up and enjoying their solution to the head of the game.
They’ve overcome setbacks, and a few doubted their capability to steer their groups thus far.
However the duo have additionally come up massive within the playoff, combining 11 whole touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Freshman versus Freshman
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith can wreck this recreation.
He obliterated Tennessee and Oregon within the first two rounds of the playoff, producing 13 catches for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns, earlier than he was shut down by Texas within the semifinals.
For the season, he has 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns, all Buckeyes data for a freshman.
However Notre Dame has a first-year stud of its personal in cornerback Leonard Moore, the Nationwide Freshman Defensive Participant of the Yr, as voted on by the Soccer Writers Affiliation of America.
He led the Irish protection with 10 move breakups together with 43 tackles, two interceptions and two pressured fumbles. Smith and Moore may see plenty of each other on Monday evening.
Marcus Freeman towards his old fashioned
You’re going to listen to a ton in regards to the Notre Dame coach within the coming days.
He’s dealing with the varsity, Ohio State, he performed for from 2004-08, and is trying to lead Notre Dame to its first title since 1988.
Solely 39 years of age, Freeman not too long ago inked a four-year contract extension by the 2030 season.
He’s been in a position to do what his predecessor, Brian Kelly, couldn’t — win massive video games.
Freeman already owns 14 victories over top-25 opponents in simply three seasons, and expertly navigated that ugly loss to North Illinois. Now, he has to get previous his alma mater.
