No. 6 Ohio State played the team’s first complete – or at least close to complete – game of the season in a 63-10 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday, and the Buckeyes are hoping to carry that momentum into next week.
After opening last season with a 21-10 win over Notre Dame in Columbus, the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish are hoping to return the favor on Saturday, welcome Ohio State into South Bend for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on NBC.
Check back every Monday at BuckeyeSports.com for a brief preview of the Buckeyes’ upcoming opponent, with stories and features throughout the week.
OPPONENT: Notre Dame (4-0)
Other than Notre Dame’s leading receiver from last season now playing at cornerback for Ohio State, there’s little that’s changed for the Fighting Irish…with one notable exception. Notre Dame brought in an upgrade at quarterback, with former Wake Forest signal caller Sam Hartman arriving in South Bend this offseason.
Hartman – the ACC’s all-time touchdowns leader – has led Notre Dame’s offense to an impressive start this season, averaging 46.0 points and 508.8 yards of offense per game. He’s boosted by an impressive group of running backs, and while the Fighting Irish don’t have transformational talent at wideout, especially following the departure of Michael Mayer, it hasn’t stopped Hartman from throwing the ball around this season.
On the other side of the ball, Notre Dame returns nearly double-digit starters across all three levels, including defensive tackles Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III, linebackers Marist Liufau, JD Bertrand and Jack Kiser, as well as defensive backs DJ Brown, Cam Hart, Benjamin Morrison and Xavier Watts.
The group has allowed just 11.8 points and 234.3 yards of offense this season to opposing teams while already totaling 17 tackles for loss and six sacks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- QB Sam Hartman: Hartman has been among the best quarterbacks in the country this season, completing 71.1 percent of his passes for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns while not throwing a single interception.
- RB Audric Estimé: Ohio State’s rushing defense has been solid this season but will face a test in Estimé, who is averaging 8.3 yards per carry.
- LB Jack Kiser: Bertrand, one of Notre Dame’s top linebackers, missed this week’s game with a concussion and could be in jeopardy to play against Ohio State. In his stead, Kiser has been a standout, leading the defense with 26 tackles.
GAME INFO: Notre Dame Stadium, 7:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock
South Bend will be a popular destination on Saturday, with ESPN’s College GameDay set to attend for the primetime matchup. This will be Ohio State’s 57th appearance on the show, and it has a 38-18 record when appearing. The Buckeyes last hosted for last season’s opener against the Fighting Irish.
In addition to airing on NBC, the game will be available on Peacock – and it may not be a bad idea for Ohio State fans wanting to get familiar with the streaming service, as the Buckeyes are rumored to host Maryland on Oct. 7 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff that will be broadcast exclusively on Peacock.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the eighth all-time meeting between Ohio State and Notre Dame, though it’s a series that has largely been dominated by the Buckeyes.
Ohio State holds a 5-2 lead and has won each of the last five, with the team’s last loss to Notre Dame coming on Oct. 21, 1936, in a 7-2 loss at South Bend. Four of the team’s matchups have come via non-conference schedule, while they have met twice in the Fiesta Bowl – a 44-28 win for Ohio State on Jan. 1, 2016, and a 34-20 victory for the Buckeyes on Jan. 2, 2006.
This will be the first time Ohio State has played in South Bend since Sept. 28, 1996, a 29-16 win for the Buckeyes.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Result | TV/Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 2 | at Indiana | Bloomington, Ind. | W, 23-3 | CBS |
| Sept. 9 | Youngstown State | Columbus | W, 35-7 | BTN |
| Sept. 16 | Western Kentucky | Columbus | W, 63-10 | FOX |
| Sept. 23 | at Notre Dame | South Bend. Ind. | W, 17-14 | NBC/Peacock |
| Oct. 7 | Maryland | Columbus | W, 37-17 | FOX |
| Oct. 14 | at Purdue | West Lafayette, Ind. | W, 41-7 | Peacock |
| Oct. 21 | Penn State | Columbus | W, 20-12 | FOX |
| Oct. 28 | at Wisconsin | Madison, Wisc. | W, 24-10 | NBC |
| Nov. 4 | at Rutgers | Piscataway, N.J. | W, 35-16 | CBS |
| Nov. 11 | Michigan State | Columbus | W, 38-3 | NBC/Peacock |
| Nov. 18 | Minnesota | Columbus | W, 37-3 | BTN |
| Nov. 25 | at Michigan | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L, 30-24 | FOX |
| Dec. 29 | Cotton Bowl vs. Missouri | Arlington, Texas | L, 14-3 | ESPN |
