COLUMBUS, Ohio — While many outside the program were hoping to see No. 2 Ohio State unleash another potent offense against an overmatched opponent, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day was waiting for this: the game when the passes weren’t sailing through the air with precision and ease for future NFL draft picks when the offense had to step it up with the running game and the defense made the difference.
Day got the “ugly” 21-10 win against No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday night, and despite the sluggish offense, got something else he was looking for.
“That was something we spent a lot of time in the offseason saying, ‘We’ve got to be able to win badly on offense, we’ve got to stop the run on defense,'” Day said. “They all count the same. And you have to figure out based on who you’re up against, how do you want to win that game? When you have that versatility, man, it’s going to pay off.”
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Ohio State’s offense, which was No. 1 in the nation last year in efficiency, underwhelmed Saturday compared to the high preseason expectations that placed the Buckeyes as a strong favorite to finish in the playoffs of college football. With wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba sidelined with an injury suffered in the first quarter, Ohio State struggled early against a Notre Dame defense.
The Fighting Irish, led by popular first-year coach Marcus Freeman, a former Ohio State defensive end, walked into Ohio Stadium and before an announced crowd of 106,594 gave the Buckeyes all they could handle until the end of the fourth quarter. Ohio State, which won games by an average margin of 29.1 points last season, was held scoreless in the second quarter and trailed 10-7 at the half.
It wasn’t until less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter that Ohio State sealed the win, thanks in large part to a 14-play, 95-yard drive that took 7:06 off the clock and gave the Buckeyes the 21. -10 lead.
“We were struggling at the beginning, just trying to get a connection, trying to build that rhythm, but towards the end, we started to get it, we started to click more,” Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, who completed 24 of 34 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s a little weird to be out there again, to be honest, seeing the fans, dealing with all the outside noise, just trying to lock in.”
In the fourth quarter, Stroud completed 9 of 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. While it wasn’t exactly a splashy, Heisman Trophy-worthy performance, it reminded everyone of his playmaking abilities.
Ohio State entered this season as the No. 2 team after losing to rival Michigan and finishing No. 6 in large part because of the offensive firepower that returned from a team that led the nation in scoring and yards per play last year. The Buckeyes have multiple Heisman hopefuls, including Stroud and running back TreVeyon Henderson, but when Smith-Njigba was injured in the first quarter, the Buckeyes got sidetracked early. Last year, Ohio State averaged 27.2 points in the first half, the most of any team in the FBS. The Buckeyes were thirsty Saturday night.
“The first few games are a little rough,” Day said, “and losing Jaxon threw us off a little bit.”
The defense, which was Ohio State’s problem spot last year, was the highlight Saturday. It was a strong debut for first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who was hired from Oklahoma State. The Irish finished with 253 yards and a score on their final six possessions.
“We got called soft all last year, and we had to sit there and just eat,” Ohio State defensive end Lathan Ransom said.
Day said toughness was something the entire team wanted to demonstrate.
“We wanted to be known as something other than just talented,” he said.
Notre Dame’s game plan was to hold the ball, control the clock and keep the Buckeyes’ offense off the field. The Irish were able to do that in the first quarter, but finished with just 3 of 13 third-down conversions.
Day said he could see more teams try to do that this fall, but he’s not worried about the passing game moving forward. Ultimately, there were other lesser-known players who emerged for Ohio State, including senior Xavier Johnson, whose 24-yard touchdown run put Ohio State up 14-10 late in the third quarter.
“I love these guys,” Johnson said, “so with the legs empty, with all of that, none of that mattered. It was all about the team and the glory of God.
“I was in a position to do what I was trained to do.”
In the end, they all were, even if it wasn’t pretty.
“It was a big highlight to win like that,” Day said. “And it starts with the defense. You can play a really good, strong defense like we played tonight, and we can run the football — we know we’re going to throw the ball, we know — but if we want to go where we need to be and hit the our goals, we have to be able to do both of those things.”