The biggest Ohio State-Notre Dame storylines ahead of national championship
Notre Dame will enter Monday night’s national championship game in Atlanta as a long shot.A team few expect to win.
An 8.5-point underdog against Ohio State. Since 2013, the only team that was a bigger underdog in the sport’s final game was TCU two years ago, and the Horned Frogs were hammered by Georgia in an ugly one-sided title game. Ohio State is expected to win and win big.Then again, few predicted the Irish would get to this point, particularly after that stunning Sept.
7 loss to Northern Illinois in South Bend as a 28-point favorite.They haven’t lost since, carrying a 13-game winning streak into Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After an easy opening-round victory over No.
10 Indiana, seventh-seeded Notre Dame ousted SEC champion and No.2 seed Georgia, then knocked off Big Ten runner-up Penn State, the sixth seed.In both contests, the Fighting Irish looked overwhelmed early, only to find their footing after a shaky start.
They also showed grit in that win over the Nittany Lions, scoring the game’s final 10 points in a seesaw affair. There is some team of destiny magic with the Irish.Despite numerous injuries to key players, despite that shocking early-season loss, they are one of the last two teams standing.
They won’t be in awe of heavily favored Ohio State. The Post takes a look at other storylines for the big game below: Ohio State is an elite run-stuffing defense, third in the nation against the run at 89.9 yards per game.Notre Dame loves to keep it on the ground, averaging 210.8 yards, which was 14th best in the country.
Three different players — quarterback Riley Leonard and tailbacks Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — ran for at least 733 yards and seven touchdowns.It is the Irish’s offensive identity, controlling the line of scrimmage and setting up the pass off the run.
But the Buckeyes held Oregon, Texas and Tennessee to a combined 187 rushing yards in three playoff wins, rebounding well after getting mauled up fro...