Generally over the last few years, when OSU has struggled and lost, it has been a similar formula. The offense bogs down and can't get rolling. There are too many 3 and outs. The defense plays pretty well but winds up on the field too much, and the 4th quarter slips away. 

The key to beating OSU then is not attacking the OSU defense (or running the ball or controlling the clock like people think) but actually slowing down the OSU offense and getting them off the field. Many of us thought Texas would try to do exactly what they did: bracket Smith, take away the deep ball to Egbuka and Smith, and make OSU earn it. 

ND plays a different base defense, and I don't expect them to re-invent themselves now. How do you expect ND's defense to try to stop the Buckeyes?

I can only see one real path for them: putting tons of pressure on Howard through constant, exotic, hard to diagnose blitzes. It's a blitzing team, which leaves them vulnerable in coverage. Their strategy has to be relentless pressure, make Howard throw fast and take hits, create 2+ turnovers. I think they are going to be coming hard. I don't think they can play deep zones like Texas and have any chance of winning the game - it's not what they do, and that requires experience and game reps.