Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman once played for Ohio State. If anyone knows what it takes to beat the Buckeyes, it would be a guy like him. Going into the top-five matchup, Freeman knew that his Fighting Irish had to play close to perfect in order to pull off the upset. They didn't, especially when it mattered most, as Ohio State won the season opener, 21-10.
“We knew we weren't going to outscore them. We wanted to run the ball and stop the run,” Freeman said after the game. “We just didn't finish the way we wanted to. We didn't execute late in the game when we had to.
“We have to be able to finish and execute in the fourth quarter.”
Ohio State trailed 10-7 from the time Notre Dame scored with just under 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter to near the end of the third quarter. That all changed with 17 seconds left in the third, when C.J. Stroud connected with Xavier Johnson for a 24-yard touchdown. The Buckeyes didn't look back, including scoring another touchdown with just under five minutes remaining to essentially secure the win.
“We got a challenge to win the fourth quarter. We didn't win the fourth quarter,” Freeman said. “They scored with 13 seconds left in the third (quarter) and they scored again in the fourth and we didn't respond.”
The Buckeyes' dominance in the fourth quarter was led by TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, who combined for 29 carries for 173 yards and a touchdown over the course of the game.
“I think they had four big rushing plays in the fourth quarter and that was a heartbreaker for our defense,” Freeman said. “If you're giving up big plays in the running to an offense trying to run the ball, that kills the defense.”
Throughout the week leading up to the season opener, Freeman mentioned that the Fighting Irish had to control the run game and limit Ohio State's offense the best they could. Notre Dame did that for about the first 45 minutes of the game. Things certainly changed in the final 15 or so minutes.
“We knew we weren't going to try and outscore them,” Freeman said of slowing the game down. “Control the clock, limit their offensive possessions, and run the football. We executed (that) until late in the third quarter.
“We just didn't finish the way we wanted to. We just have to learn how to finish. We have a good football team.”
Freeman was disappointed with the way his team finished the game, but he made sure to give some praise to the Buckeyes, specifically C.J. Stroud, who completed 11 of his final 12 passes and threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns.
“There's a reason he's a Heisman Trophy candidate,” Freeman said of Stroud. “He's one heckuva football player.”
Although Ohio State's offense struggled at times – whether it was due to injuries, first-game rust or something else – Jim Knowles' defense stepped up in a big way in the defensive coordinator's first game leading the Silver Bullets. It's one of the many reasons that Ohio State is so good. Freeman knows that.
“They have a really good team,” Freeman said.
