Ohio State’s biggest weakness Notre Dame must exploit in the CFP title game

Notre Dame football trying to win its first national title since 1988 against a red-hot i a heavily favored Ohio State team. Head coach Marcus Freeman lifted the program to its first appearance in the game since 2013. On the other side of the field, Ryan Day led his program back to the national championship for the first time since 2021. The Buckeye head coach is also seeking his first title at the college football juggernaut.

There are many things Ryan Day’s team is among the best in the nation. Specifically on defense, where Ohio State leads the nation points (12.2)passing yards (161.1) and is third in yards allowed per game (89.9). This unit has very few weaknesses, and the Notre Dame offense must be unpredictable to keep the Ohio State defense on its toes.

The Fighting Irish have a hard hitting approach led by quarterback Riley Leonard and star running back Jeremiah Love. The two lead the offense averaged 210.7 yards per game on the ground all year round. Leonard, in particular, was key with his legs, picking up multiple clutch first downs for the Fighting Irish 23-10 win over No. 2 Georgia. Against the Nittany Lions at the Orange, Notre Dame football had to show another side of its offense as Penn State outgained Marcus Freeman’s squad on the ground by nearly 100 yards.

Riley Leonard ended up posting his highest passing total since Oct. 12, including an electric 54-yard touchdown to Jayden Greathouse late in the fourth quarter. That versatility will be essential and is the ultimate key to this game. If Notre Dame follows this plan, we could be in for a thriller that comes down to who has the last possession. However, if the Fighting Irish can’t take advantage of the Buckeyes’ biggest weakness, things could quickly turn ugly for Marcus Freeman and company.

The key to the game

Ohio State has two losses during the regular season. The first was in a 32-31 thriller at Oregon. The second was shocking 13-10 loss at home to Michigan. While there are elements the Ducks used against the Buckeyes that the Fighting Irish could potentially explore, realistically, the Wolverines’ road to victory is more practical for heavy underdogs. What Michigan exposed about Ohio State’s offense is the overall key to the national championship game. Time of possession.

Led by a physical rushing attack, the Wolverines attacked field in 33:35 minutesseven more than the Buckeyes. Containing quarterback Will Howard and Ohio State’s passing attack is ultimately critical for opponents. Ryan Day’s team has plenty of weapons on the outside, including superstar freshman Jeremiah Smith, who can break free at any time. Allowing this unit to be on the field for more than 30 minutes is not a winning strategy.

Additionally, there were times, like in the Michigan game, where Ohio State’s defense showed a little wear and tear when on the field against physical ground games. That’s exactly the kind of setup Marcus Freeman’s team would love to have in this matchup, and it adds to Ohio State’s weakness.

Ohio State’s rushing attack is its weakness

The Buckeyes entered the 2024-25 season with potentially the best backfield in college football. Last year’s starter, Treveion Henderson, was returning to Columbus, and Ohio State also added one of the best transfers in the country in Quinshon Judkins. The duo was expected to be the strength of the offense. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, while Judkins and Henderson have been productive, this aspect of their offensive attack has been underwhelming.

Ohio State averages 163.2 yards per game on the ground, ranking eighth among twelve teams in the College Football Playoff field and fifth in the Big Ten. While that’s not exactly a bad metric, it fell short of preseason expectations. Additionally, the rushing attack has been an issue in the Buckeyes’ closest games. Against Michigan, Ohio State ran for just 77 yards on 26 carries. Another game to mention is 21-17 win over unranked Nebraskawhere the Buckeyes were held to just 64 yards rushing.

Notre Dame football is giving up 133 yards on the ground per game. While the strength of this defense is in the secondary, which against the Buckeyes is a good thing, if the Fighting Irish can contain Ohio State’s rushing attack without stacking the box, Marcus Freeman’s team is more likely to dominate time of possession. Consequently, this title matchup could become non-competitive if the Buckeyes find stability in the ground game. Allowing Will Howard to be effective in pass-play situations against single coverage is a lethal scenario that Marcus Freeman’s team does not want to face.

What’s at stake for Notre Dame football

Marcus Freeman already got the Fighting Irish over the big hump. Moving to Sugar Bowl vs. GeorgiaNotre Dame football hasn’t won a New Year’s Six bowl game since 1994. The Fighting Irish appear to be going from a good program to a great one under their third-year coach. However, in this day and age, there is still a question of whether Notre Dame can win a major, national championship.

The Fighting Irish’s earlier sweep of this century’s greatest sports prize ended in a 42-14 embarrassment to Alabama. Twelve years later, this team still has doubts, believing it could suffer the same fate. With twelve teams in the College Football Playoff, the Fighting Irish’s road to the title was much more impressive. But this game is where this team and its coach can etch their names into the iconic tradition of the nation’s storied football program.