Ohio State vs Notre Dame Prediction
The Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a non-conference game on Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Ohio State finally got their offense working last week, while Notre Dame has scored 41+ points in all four games this year.
Ohio State Preview
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 3-0 this season after they defeated Western Kentucky by a score of 63-10 last week. Ohio State scored 42 points in the first half and didn’t allow a point in the final 38 minutes of the game. The Buckeyes out gained WKU by a total of 562-284 and forced four turnovers in the win. Ohio State defeated Indiana by a score of 23-3 in Week 1 and Youngstown State by a score of 35-7 in Week 2. The Ohio State offense is scoring 40.3 points per game with 318 passing yards per game and 156.7 rushing yards per game, while going 36.4% on third down attempts this season. Kyle McCord has thrown for 815 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception for the Buckeyes this year. TreVeyon Henderson has rushed for 191 yards and four scores, while Marvin Harrison Jr. has caught 14 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. The Ohio State defense is giving up 6.7 points against per game this season.
Notre Dame Preview
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 4-0 this season after they defeated Central Michigan by a score of 41-17 in their last game. Notre Dame only led 21-14 at the half, but they outscored CMU by a total of 21-3 to end the game. The Fighting Irish out gained Central Michigan by a total of 578-268 in the win. Notre Dame defeated Navy and Tennessee State fairly easily, while they also beat NC State by a score of 45-24 in Week 3. The Notre Dame offense is averaging 50.5 points per game with 304.3 passing yards per game and 204.5 rushing yards per game, while going 54.5% on third down conversions. Sam Hartman has thrown for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish this year. Audric Estime has rushed for 521 yards and five scores, while Chris Tyree has caught eight passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The Notre Dame defense is allowing 11.8 points against per game this year.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Team Facts
- Notre Dame has won 14 of its last 15 September games at Notre Dame Stadium.
- Notre Dame has covered the spread in each of its last six September games as an underdog.
- Notre Dame has won the first quarter in three of its last four home games against opponents from the Big Ten Conference.
- Notre Dame has won the first half in each of its last three games against opponents from the Big Ten Conference.
- Each of Notre Dame's last five games at Notre Dame Stadium have gone OVER the total points line.
Ohio State Buckeyes Team Facts
- Ohio State has won each of its last nine games in September.
- Ohio State has failed to cover the spread in nine of its last 10 games as a favorite against AP-ranked teams.
- Ohio State has won the first half in 18 of its last 23 games against non-conference opponents.
- Five of Ohio State's last six games against top-15 AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Notre Dame ranked T16th among FBS teams for Q4 points per game last season (9.2).
- Notre Dame ranked 17th among FBS teams for H1 points allowed per game last season (9.5).
- Ohio State ranked 1st among FBS teams for Q1 win percentage last season (.846).
- Ohio State ranked 1st among FBS teams for Q3 win percentage last season (.923).
Pick
This is a heavy weight matchup between two of the biggest names in college football, and Notre Dame will have the home field advantage. Ohio State struggled through their first two games, but they finally put things together in their last game, scoring 63 points. Notre Dame has had three easy wins, but did have some troubles on the road against NC State. I know Ohio State scored a ton of points last week, but it was against a terrible defense. Notre Dame has the quarterback advantage with Sam Hartman and the home field advantage, so I am going to take the Fighting Irish with the points.
