of notre dame fighting irish One of college football's biggest dormant giants, it hasn't won a national championship in 37 years. But they have a chance to change that Monday night. ohio.
Here are three reasons why the Fighting Irish will win the national championship.
They can control the ball effectively in the game.
Calling Notre Dame's offense explosive is like saying the sky is green. They don't really produce a lot of big plays (69th percentile in explosive plays via GameOnPaper), but they move the ball with an incredible success rate and win on early downs. Ohio State's defense has been playing at an incredible level since the loss to Michigan, but what's helped them tremendously is their inability to stop scoring runs in the mold of a three-safety defense. That's what happened. Notre Dame's offense is a little different than Texas, Tennessee, and Oregon's offenses in that it doesn't try to throw the ball, and instead runs a physical line and three runs in the backfield lined up in more condensed sets. Run the ball with the threat of Notre Dame may not win the shootout, but if they can limit the possessions the Buckeyes get during the game, they might have a chance.
This could be a bit of a problem considering how strong their offensive line is. Freshman left tackle Anthony Knapp will miss this game with a sprained ankle and will be replaced by Charles Jagusa. Jagusa was supposed to be the starter this year, but he tore his pectoral muscle in the offseason, but ended up filling in for the biggest game of the year. Rocco Spindler is also beat up, but he'll be playing on Monday, so that's a big help. Notre Dame's offensive line has been a strength all season, but it will have to be perfect against Ohio State.
Young cornerbacks develop quickly
One of the most notable things about how Notre Dame's defense performed in the playoffs is the performance of its young corners. Freshman cornerback Leonard Moore and sophomore cornerback Christian Gray were thrown into the fire of the Fighting Irish's man-coverage-focused defense, but they held up extremely well and helped lead teams anywhere. or moved it to another location.
But their toughest matchup will be against a monster group from Ohio State. Freshman phenom WR Jeremiah Smith is arguably the best player in the game, and even though Smith is the team's top player, Emeka Egbuka remains one of the best receivers in the country. I don't think the Irish will change their game plan in the biggest game of the season and dance with the girl who got them. This means more man coverage and more opportunities for the Buckeyes to attack. Gray and Moore will need to be at their best, and if the Buckeyes can at least slow down their superstars on the outside, they have a chance to win the game.
Riley Leonard headbutt mode
I call this section Riley Leonard Headbutt Mode because I think Leonard's feet will have to be a game changer again to win this match. In high-leverage situations, Notre Dame always relied on Leonard's legs to be a curveball, but he was also very effective in short-yardage situations and in the red zone. He's definitely a great runner, not just a Daniel Jones-type runner who's amazing athleticism. If Ohio State can contain running backs Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price in the ground game, it feels like Leonard has a chance to be the run game force needed in this game.
The way the Buckeyes play defense is designed to attack offenses that want to space themselves out. Will the Fighting Irish try to move Leonard around on the ground with a QB draw or play to start this game, at least to make Ohio State feel threatened by Leonard on the ground? This team is built with his legs as part of the engine, and Leonard's legs will have to be huge again if they are to hoist the CFP trophy.
