The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeye travel to South Bend to battle No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish this Saturday night. Ohio State defeated Western Kentucky 63-10, while Notre Dame is coming off a 41-17 win over Central Michigan. These two teams clashed last season, and the Buckeyes were victorious 21-10. Will the Fighting Irish avenge last season’s loss and prove they are contenders, or will the Buckeyes’ receiving corps continue to exert their dominance?
#6 Buckeye vs. #9 Fighting Irish Odds and Match Details
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Ohio State | -3.5
-110 |
O54
-110 |
-185 |
| Notre Dame | +3.5
-110 |
U54
-110 |
+154 |
| ** Odds Subject to Change** | |||
- Fixture: #6 Ohio State @ #9 Notre Dame
- Date and Time: September 23, 2023, @ 7:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana
Stats To Know
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is 3-0 on the season as they prepare to battle the Fighting Irish this weekend. Quarterback Kyle McCord has completed 53 of 76 passes this season for 815 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. He has completed 69.7% of his passes and has been sacked once.
Treveyon Henderson is the team’s leading rusher, with 191 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has recorded 14 receptions for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He is averaging 21.7 yards per catch. Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg has recorded 20 tackles and one sack so far this season.
The Buckeyes are averaging 40.3 points per game and have recorded 16 touchdowns. Ohio State has looked the part so far this season but has not had a worthy opponent yet this year. In week one, they were only able to muster 23 points against Indiana, and Notre Dame’s defense is considerably better than the Hoosiers’. Their defense has looked good, but again, they really have not been tested to this point. It will be interesting to see how Ryan Day manages the game this weekend against a worthy adversary.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is 4-0 on the year and has wins over Navy and North Carolina State. Quarterback Sam Hartman is off to a red-hot start, completing 64 of 90 passes for 1,061 yards, 13 touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has a 217.8 rating and completed 71.1% of his passes. Running back Audric Estime has carried the ball 63 times for 521 yards and five touchdowns. He is averaging a whopping 8.3 yards per carry this season and will look to get things going this week against a stout Ohio State defense.
Chris Tyree leads the Fighting Irish receiving corps with 8 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow teammate Jayden Thomas has recorded 12 receptions for 188 yards, while Jaden Greathouse has added 10 receptions for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Notre Dame has given up 937 yards in their first four games, 344 of thew were against North Carolina State. They have given up a total of 47 points and now face a team that averages 40.3 points per game.
Game Prediction
This game features two offenses that score in bunches, and neither defense has really been tested. Sam Hartman will be a tough challenge for this Buckeye defense, while Marvin Harrison Jr. and the rest of this Ohio State receiving corps will create issues for Notre Dame’s secondary. Coach Freeman will be looking for redemption after getting beat up last year in Columbus.
The Buckeyes need to stop Estime in this one to stand a chance while getting Henderson going early will be the key to success offensively. Ohio State comes into this one as the favorite, but quarterback Kyle McCord has not been that impressive this year, considering the weapons at his disposal. This Notre Dame defense is solid, and if they can get pressure on McCord and force a few turnovers, they will win this game.
This game is tough to call and features two teams that have been rolling to start the year. Honestly, I think the difference-maker in this one is quarterback Sam Hartman. He has put this Notre Dame offense on his back and can exploit the defensive mismatches. I am rolling with my gut in this one and backing Notre Dame at home to get the win. I just don’t think the Buckeyes have been that impressive this year, considering who they have played.
Final Pick
Notre Dame Fighting Irish +154 MoneyLine
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