A frustrating night full of questions
This definitely was not in any script that Notre Dame had planned for the CFP National Championship game against Ohio State. Still, so much of what we knew about the Irish was evident in this game — including the will to fight for everything it can get.
It just wasn’t enough.
The Irish got the ball to start the game, and gave fans some hope during an 18 play drive that went 75 yards and took up over 9 minutes of clock — as well as converting two 4th down attempts. Riley Leonard scored on a short touchdown run to make it 7-0 — and Notre Dame looked like they were physically ready to compete against the Buckeyes.
In reality, it was Notre Dame’s best shot that was never going to be enough.
Ohio State answered the Notre Dame score with a 75 yard drive of their own and tied the game up with 8 yard Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith touchdown pass.
And then the real problems started.
On Notre Dame’s next drive, two penalties early in the drive forced a 3 and out, and they punted it back to an OSU offense that looked like it was ready to start clicking… and they did. Ohio State then puts together another 75+ yard drive that ended with a 9 yard Quinshon Judkins touchdown run. During the drive, it was clear that the Irish defense was struggling on third down, and Will Howard was perfect throwing the ball.
It gets worse.
The Irish commit another 3 and out that was almost even more disastrous as the 3rd down snap hit Mitchell Evans, who was in motion. Again — long story short — Ohio State goes 80 yards on 12 plays and scored a touchdown on a 6 yard Will Howard pass to Quinshon Judkins.
It was 21-7 at the half, but with Ohio State getting the ball to start the second half, things looked darker than the 2 touchdown deficit.
That dark feeling became a reality as a 70 yard run by Quinshon Judkins set the Buckeyes up right away, and they punched it in with Judkins from the one to take a commanding 28-7 lead.
The Irish offense… yeah they were still struggling. To answer that drive, the Irish put together a 3 play 8 yard drive that they turned over on downs with a failed fake punt play that had Steve Angeli throwing low and wide to Jordan Faison. The Irish did manage to hold the Buckeye offense from getting into the end zone on the next drive, but they did knock in a 46 yard field goal to make it 31-7.
With the Irish feeling more desperate than ever, and time ticking away, they finally got a little bit of production though the air and ended a 75 yard drive with a 34 yard catch and run touchdown by Jaden Greathouse. Jeremiyah Love scored on a 2 point conversion that followed, and with a little less than 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Ohio State’s lead was down to 31-15.
The Irish kept the next Buckeye drive alive when RJ Oben got called for roughing the passer on a 3rd down Will Howard incompletion, but Drayk Bowen forced a fumble on Emeka Ebuka after a long reverse run to get the ball back early in the 4th quarter.
Notre Dame puts together another solid drive, and Riley Leonard continues to find Jaden Greathouse to help move the ball. The Irish got down inside the 10 yard line, but Leonard doesn’t see a wide open Love in the flat and throws an incomplete pass to Greathouse on 3rd down. Marcus Freeman sent out the field goal unit, for whatever reason, and Mitch Jeter doinks the ball off of the upright to give the ball back to Ohio State with less than 10 minutes in the game and down 16 points.
The Irish did a great job defensively against Will Howard and the Ohio State offense, and forced a punt. Notre Dame got the ball back on the 20 yard line with about 6:30 left in the game. Riley Leonard, under tremendous pressure, lead the team down the field with a couple of big passes — one of which was to Micthell Evans on 3rd down that went for 33 yards. Leonard found lightning in the bottle again and hooked up with Jaden Greathouse for an incredible 30 yard touchdown catch in which a defender was draped all over him. At 31-21, Notre Dame went for 2 and a reverse pass by Jordan Faison found Beaux Collins for the score to make it 31-23 with 4:15 left in the game.
Notre Dame forced a 3rd and 11 on Ohio State’s next drive, and Al Golden brought the house. Will Howard responded with a deep rainbow drop to Jeremiah Smith to give the Buckeyes the first down on the Irish 10 with 2 minutes left in the game — that play was THE game. Ohio State knocked in a field goal with 26 seconds left to make it 34-23.
Notre Dame will have to continue to wait to bring home another national championship.
More to come on OFD.