Notre Dame soccer is making an attempt to assert its first nationwide title since 1988 in opposition to a red-hot and closely favored Ohio State workforce. Head coach Marcus Freeman has elevated this program again to its first look on this recreation since 2013. On the opposite facet of the sphere, Ryan Day has led his program again into the Nationwide Championship for the primary time since 2021. The Buckeyes head coach can be searching for his first title on the faculty soccer juggernaut.
There are a ton of issues Ryan Day’s workforce is among the many finest within the nation at. Particularly on protection, the place Ohio State leads the nation in factors (12.2), passing yards (161.1) and is third in dashing yards allowed per recreation (89.9). This unit has only a few weaknesses, and Notre Dame’s offense have to be unpredictable to maintain Ohio State’s protection on its toes.
The Preventing Irish have a run-heavy strategy led by quarterback Riley Leonard and star tailback Jeremiyah Love. The 2 lead an offense averaging 210.7 yards per recreation on the bottom all year long. Leonard, particularly, has been essential along with his legs, choosing up a number of clutch first-downs within the Preventing Irish’s 23-10 win over No. 2 Georgia. Towards the Nittany Lions on the Orange, Notre Dame soccer needed to present one other facet to its offense as Penn State outgained Marcus Freeman’s workforce on the bottom by virtually 100 yards.
Riley Leonard finally hit his highest passing yard complete since October 12, together with an electrical 54-yard landing to Jaden Greathouse late within the fourth quarter. That versatility will probably be important and performs into the final word key of this recreation. Ought to Notre Dame observe this blueprint, we might be in for a thriller that comes all the way down to whoever has the final possession. Nevertheless, if the Preventing Irish can’t benefit from the Buckeyes’ largest weak point, issues may get ugly shortly for Marcus Freeman and firm.
The important thing to the sport
Ohio State has two losses through the common season. The primary was in a 32-31 thriller at Oregon. The second was in a surprising 13-10 defeat at dwelling to Michigan. Whereas there are parts that the Geese exploited with the Buckeyes that the Preventing Irish may probably discover, realistically, the Wolverines’ path to victory is the extra sensible one for the heavy underdogs. What Michigan uncovered about Ohio State’s offense elements into the general key to the Nationwide Championship recreation. Time of possession.
Led by a bodily dashing assault, the Wolverines’ offense was on the sphere for 33:35 minutes, seven greater than the Buckeyes. Conserving quarterback Will Howard and the Ohio State passing assault is finally crucial for opponents. Ryan Day’s workforce has many weapons on the skin, together with freshman famous person Jeremiah Smith, who can escape any time. Permitting this unit to be on the sphere for over half-hour will not be a profitable technique.
As well as, there have been occasions, like within the Michigan recreation, the place Ohio State’s protection has proven a bit put on and tear when they’re on the sphere in opposition to bodily floor video games. That’s precisely the form of setup Marcus Freeman’s workforce would like to have going into this matchup, and it feeds into Ohio State’s weak point.
Ohio State’s dashing offense is its weak point
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The Buckeyes got here into the 2024-25 season with probably the most effective backfield in faculty soccer. Final 12 months’s starter, Treveyon Henderson, was returning to Columbus, and Ohio State additionally added the most effective transfers within the nation in Quinshon Judkins. The duo was anticipated to be the power of the offense. Sadly for the Buckeyes, whereas Judkins and Henderson have been productive, this side of their offensive assault has been underwhelming.
Ohio State averages 163.2 yards per recreation on the bottom, rating eighth among the many twelve groups within the Faculty Soccer Playoff area and fifth within the Large Ten. Whereas that is not precisely a foul metric, it underachieves relative to preseason expectations. As well as, the dashing offense has been a problem within the Buckeyes’ closest video games. Towards Michigan, Ohio State solely ran for 77 yards on 26 carries. One other recreation to notice was the 21-17 win over unranked Nebraska, the place the Buckeyes rushed for simply 64 yards.
Notre Dame soccer is giving up 133 yards on the bottom per recreation. Whereas the power of this protection is within the secondary, which in opposition to the Buckeyes is an efficient factor, if the Preventing Irish can include Ohio State’s dashing assault with out stacking the field, Marcus Freeman’s workforce is extra prone to dominate time of possession. Consequently, this title conflict may grow to be uncompetitive if the Buckeyes discover stability within the floor recreation. Permitting Will Howard to successfully function underneath play-action passing conditions in opposition to single protection is a lethal situation that Marcus Freeman’s workforce doesn’t wish to face.
What’s at stake for Notre Dame soccer
Marcus Freeman has already gotten the Preventing Irish over a serious hump. Heading into the Sugar Bowl in opposition to Georgia, Notre Dame soccer had not received a New 12 months’s Six caliber bowl recreation since 1994. The Preventing Irish seem like transitioning from being a very good program to a fantastic one underneath their third-year head coach. Nevertheless, within the modern-day, there’s nonetheless that query of whether or not Notre Dame can win the large one, a nationwide championship.
The one shot the Preventing Irish beforehand obtained on the sport’s largest prize this century resulted in a 42-14 embarrassment to Alabama. Twelve years later, this workforce nonetheless has doubters, believing it’d undergo the identical destiny. With the twelve-team Faculty Soccer Playoff, the Preventing Irish’s highway to the title has been far more spectacular. However this recreation is the place this workforce and its coach can etch their names within the iconic lore of the nation’s extra historic soccer program.