COLUMBUS – The Buckeyes face their biggest challenge of the young 2023 football season Saturday when they travel to South Bend to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
This is the eighth meeting between the storied programs and the fifth consecutive game since 1996 when both have been ranked in the Top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll.
(6) Ohio State (3-0, 1-0) vs. (9) Notre Dame (4-0); Notre Dame Stadium; South Bend, Ind.
Sat. Sept. 23 (7:30 p.m./NBC/Peacock)
Ohio State has outscored opponents 121-20 in its first 3 games – which looked like tune-ups for the Irish.
“I’m glad we went through those three games to get to this point with some of the new faces that we had. We could work out some of the issues — so, excited to get on the field and go play this one now.”
The 20 points given up by Ohio State’s defense is the fewest allowed by a Buckeye team at this point in a season since 1975.
Both defenses on the field Saturday night are ranked in the top five nationally with Ohio
State No. 3, allowing 223.7 yards per game and Notre Dame at No. 4, surrendering only 234.2 yards per game.
In a region of the country known for bruising defenses, the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish are among the best.
Eight of the Big Ten’s 14 teams are among the top 50 overall defenses in the country, No. 2 Michigan and No. 6 Ohio State in the top three.
OSU coordinator Jim Knowles feels his defense is limiting explosive plays. Still, he admitted he never feels good about things, adding he and his players are constantly striving to get better.
“You emphasize the positives, you see things (and) you build on that, and that builds confidence,” he said. “So, I think, you know, we just need to keep getting better at that confident approach. The more reps you get, the more plays you make those all count like in the bank.”