The day is finally here. It's one that Buckeye Nation looks forward to every September and now, here it is. This one feels a little more important though.
Ohio State is set to host Notre Dame in a top-five matchup – the Buckeyes' first-ever top-five matchup in a season opener – Saturday night in the Shoe. The college football world will not only be watching in primetime, but plenty of recruits – both committed to Ohio State and uncommitted – will also be in attendance. To say that this is an important game and weekend for Ryan Day's program would be quite an understatement.
It appears as though the Buckeyes are ready.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 3, 2022
GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/mn5mldx4i2
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 3, 2022
While there are certainly outliers, championships in college football can't be won in September, but they can certainly be lost. That's one of the many reasons this game is so important: Not only for one of the teams to start their season 1-0 but to prove that they are, in fact, one of the best teams in the country this season.
Here are a host of predictions from some of the Buckeye football connoisseurs on the 11W staff:
Eleven Warriors Staff Score Predictions
Dan Hope: Ohio State 38, Notre Dame 24. Notre Dame’s defense will make the Buckeyes earn their scores, and I don’t expect things to be perfect right away for Ohio State’s new defense. But in the end, I think the Buckeyes’ offensive firepower will lead them to a multi-score victory.
Ramzy Nasrallah: Ohio State 41, Notre Dame 24. Old habits should re-emerge as the Buckeyes take the path of least resistance (through the air) to keep the Fighting Irish in their rightful place (losing to Ohio State).
Garrick Hodge: Ohio State 38, Notre Dame 24. I just have this feeling that Michael Mayer (or Catholic Gronk, as I call him) will extend drives for the Fighting Irish and keep them in the game late until the fourth quarter. But the Buckeyes' offense is too powerful for Notre Dame to slow down, and Jim Knowles' defense will make just enough plays for the Buckeyes to make a statement Week 1.
Chris Lauderback: Ohio State 42, Notre Dame 20. I fear I might be underselling Notre Dame's defense a tad but alas, I think the timing of this game (along with location, of course) really benefits the Buckeyes.
Chase Brown: Ohio State 38, Notre Dame 21. The Buckeyes and Irish will battle back and forth in an entertaining first half, but Stroud and company will be too much for Notre Dame, allowing Ohio State to pull away late and win by more than two scores.
Johnny Ginter: Ohio State 45, Notre Dame 17. Part of me thinks it's a shame that Notre Dame is so banged up for this one. On the other hand, the cooler, smarter part of me feels exactly the opposite.
George Eisner: Ohio State 42, Notre Dame 17. Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish will do their best to control the pace of the game in the 1st half, but Notre Dame figures to struggle to keep stride with Ohio State's aerial assault. Under the guidance of Jim Knowles, the Buckeye linebacking corps should look better today than it has in some time.
Matt Gutridge: Ohio State 42, Notre Dame 20. Ryan Day is 3-0 against top-10 opponents in Ohio Stadium. The average score in those games? 42-19. This will be the first time a Day-coached team has faced a top-5 opponent in Columbus. Since 1996, Ohio State is 2-2 against teams ranked fifth in the country. The two victories were against No. 5 Notre Dame in 1996 and the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Hoping the third victory will be in the books around 11:30 Saturday night.
Griffin Strom: Ohio State 35, Notre Dame 24. The Buckeye defense will impress in a double-digit Ohio State win, but that won’t stop Notre Dame from finding the end zone a few times in a game that should be closer than the spread suggests.
Jason Priestas: Ohio State 45, Notre Dame 17.
Andy Vance: Ohio State 45, Notre Dame 21.
Check out this week's Eleven Warriors Roundtable for scoring predictions from Kyle Jones and Josh Poloha.
Will Ohio State Cover?
Although the spread opened with Ohio State listed as a 14.5-point favorite, the number has climbed to -16 as of this morning.
At the current spread, roughly 57 percent (eight of 14) of our staff predictions have Ohio State covering, with three predicting it will be exactly a 17-point difference and three others predicting that Ohio State will win but by less than 17.
What About the Over?
Much like the spread, the over/under has increased since the original number debuted. It opened at 58 and has increased to 59.5.
At the current over/under, roughly 77 percent (10 of 14) of our staff predictions have Ohio State and Notre Dame hitting the over. The four that don't have the over predict that the total will be exactly 59.
Eleven Warriors House Prop Bets
Let's make the season opener a little more interesting with a few prop lines set right here by Eleven Warriors. Make your predictions in the comments and compete for bragging rights.
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How many passing touchdowns will C.J. Stroud have?
- Three or more (-130)
- Less than three (+110)
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How many receiving yards will Jaxon Smith-Njigba have?
- 110 or more (-120)
- Less than 110 (+100)
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How many touchdowns will TreVeyon Henderson score?
- Two or more (+220)
- Less than two (-250)
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How many points will Notre Dame score?
- 21 or more (-110)
- Less than 21 (-110)
Ohio State football is back, folks. Enjoy the day, whether it's on campus, at home, at a tailgate/party or somewhere else. Watch College GameDay. Watch some college football during the afternoon. Then, it's time. Here's to hoping you enjoy the night even more.
