Notre Dame Football: It’s time to start talking about the Ohio State Buckeyes

I’m bored with conference realignment and the rumors and speculation that envelopes Notre Dame football in the process. It’s time to move forward and start opening up deeper conversations about the upcoming season — which kicks off for the Irish in 52 days against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

So let’s start there.

Extra Sauce

I’ve been dropping hints to Irish fans for months, but I’m still not sure people quite understand... Columbus is going to be on absolute fucking fire on September 3. To be honest, it’s like State College but with real swagger because they don’t actually suck ass.

This Ohio State team will be as hyped up as they have ever been over the past two decades, and while there are some of us at OFD that believe some of the hype is pure hype... this is a really good football team.

Adding to the hype is the fact that Ohio State will honor the 2002 team. That team is one of the most beloved by Bucks fans — despite damn near killing everyone with one near lose after another. I don’t think Ohio Stadium will be on the level of Georgia in 2019, but it’s going to be damn close.

It’s not a given

I’ve posted this story here before, but I think it’s important enough to do it one more time. Notre Dame is a 14.5 point underdog... but Ohio State hasn’t won a big non-conference game at home since 2010. The loss to the Oregon Ducks last year is a perfect example.

A familiar face

Jim Knowles didn’t coach the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. I have no idea what that means for Notre Dame when they go up against OSU with Knowles now the new defensive coordinator... but it’s still a defense full of players that the Michigan Wolverines shredded. So there’s that.

Heisman

The old adage about the Heisman Trophy going through South Bend is a distant memory — but the Irish can certainly affect that September Heisman against the Bucks with favorite C.J. Stroud and his teammate Treveyon Henderson. If Notre Dame keeps both under “Heisman numbers,” then the Irish should leave Ohio with a win.