Junior wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) dances with his teammates prior to No. 2 Ohio State’s 21-10 win over No. 5 Notre Dame. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Columbus was a surreal place to be Saturday.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” was in town with a special performance from Jack Harlow. NBA stars LeBron James and Jayson Tatum as well as Buckeye football alums Joe Burrow, Chris Olave and Ezekiel Elliott were among many in attendance as Ohio State honored the 20th anniversary of the 2002 National Championship victory against Miami.
Oh, and there just so happened to be the first top-five matchup to open the season at Ohio Stadium in program history.
No. 2 Ohio State righted the ship after last year’s upset loss to open the home slate to then-No. 12 Oregon, grinding out a scrappy 21-10 victory over No. 5 Notre Dame under the lights at the ‘Shoe. Here are five things that we learned from the win.
Senior linebacker Tommy Eichenberg (35) celebrates after a tackle during the Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday. Ohio State won 21-10. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
Knowles’ defense, though ‘basic,’ controlled the game
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was brought in at a reported $1.9 million per year to overhaul the Ohio State defense.
The Buckeyes showed Saturday that they are leaps and bounds ahead of where their defense was a season ago.
Ohio State limited the Fighting Irish to just 10 points and 253 yards of offense — with 54 coming on their first offensive play — which would have ranked second-lowest and fourth-lowest for last year’s defense.
The defense held Notre Dame scoreless for the final 41 minutes and limited the Irish’s offense to just 72 yards on 3.6 yards per play in the second half. Each of Notre Dame’s final six drives resulted in a punt.
It wasn’t just the numbers the unit put up, though. They passed the eye test as well.
Ohio State’s defense a season ago was criticized for lacking toughness and missing assignments, which led to big plays by opponents, but this past offseason they wanted to get back to the “Silver Bullets” defense.
And they did just that, flying around the field, converging with two and three players to make tackles and having intensity for all four quarters.
Knowles said after the game the Buckeyes displayed a “basic” defense, so it’ll be interesting to see what a complex defense looks like as the season goes on.
Second-year defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) celebrates after a play during the Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday. Ohio State won 21-10. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
Hall, Eichenberg shine to lead physical front seven
After the Fighting Irish briefly quieted the Ohio Stadium crowd, notching a 54-yard completion with a 15-yard penalty tacked onto the end to set up shop at Ohio State’s 16-yard line, they had to settle for a field goal.
That was thanks in large part to second-year defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. who was in on two of the next three tackles — one of which was a two-yard loss on second down.
This set the tone for Hall’s night, as he had four tackles — tying his season total from last year — two for loss and recorded the only hurry on Notre Dame second-year quarterback Tyler Buchner.
Then over the course of the game, Ohio State’s defense began to settle in.
Buchner completed a 17-yard pass to third-year tight end Michael Mayer midway through the third quarter for the first play of more than 15 yards in a little over 15 minutes of game play, giving the Irish a little life after their offense failed to generate any momentum.
Fourth-year linebacker Tommy Eichenberg was in on the next play to bring that momentum to a screeching halt, recording his second sack as Notre Dame’s drive stalled two plays later.
Eichenberg was everywhere in the middle of Ohio State’s defense, as he led the Buckeyes with nine tackles — three tackles for loss and two sacks in his first game since his 17-tackle Rose Bowl performance.
Third-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith Njigba (11) lines up before the play during the Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday. Ohio State won 21-10. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Smith-Njigba banged up in first quarter
Entering Saturday, all eyes were on how third-years quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba would look to build on their historic Rose Bowl connection.
That plan got deterred early in the first quarter when Smith-Njigba caught a 4-yard pass near the boundary and had his helmet popped off on the hit from Notre Dame fourth-years cornerback Cam Hart and safety Brandon Joseph.
Smith-Njigba was sent to the medical tent and wore a towel over his head on the sidelines.
The Rockwall, Texas, native returned for a brief stint in the second quarter, but his day was over soon after.
He caught just two passes for three yards.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Smith-Njigba will be evaluated sometime this week and the Buckeyes are “hoping” to get him back before playing Arkansas State Saturday.
Graduate wide receiver Xavier Johnson (10) lines up against his defender during No. 2 Ohio States 21-10 win over No.5 Notre Dame. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Wide receivers flash, former walk-on Johnson ‘shocks the world’
With Stroud’s favorite target, Smith-Njigba, and third-year wide receiver Julian Fleming sidelined, he had to make do with the other pass catchers at his disposal, and they stepped up in a big way.
Second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka sported Olave’s previous No. 2 jersey, and he showed flashes of the Buckeyes’ program touchdown-reception record holder.
The Steilacoom, Washington, native led all receivers with nine catches for 90 yards and one of the Buckeyes’ two receiving touchdowns.
The other came from former walk-on and graduate wide receiver Xavier Johnson, who entered Saturday without recording a catch in his career.
In the third quarter, Johnson’s first-career reception was a 10-yard to snag to set up third and manageable for the Buckeyes’ offense. On the next play, Stroud and Johnson connected for a 24-yard pitch-and-catch and his first touchdown in an Ohio State uniform.
On the ensuing kickoff, Johnson sprinted down the field and speared Notre Dame third-year running back Chris Tyree at the Fighting Irish’s 13-yard line.
Johnson said he dreamed of a performance like that for his whole life.
“I came in, and I was confident in myself,” Johnson said. “Coming in, I was expecting to shock the world, you know, as a freshman, everybody does.”
Second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson celebrates after a playduring the Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday. Ohio State won 21-10. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Ohio State’s two-headed monster in the backfield both average 6 yards per carry
Ohio State received the second-to-last Notre Dame punt with 11:57 to go in the fourth quarter, starting on its own 4-yard line and clinging to a four-point lead.
The Buckeyes rattled off 14 plays, 10 of which were on the ground, knocking off 7:06 before third-year running back Miyan Williams put the game on ice with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Williams carried the load on the 96-yard drive, carrying the ball seven times for 49 yards, adding a 12-yard, toe-drag sideline completion to move the chains on the only third down of the drive.
The Cincinnati native carried the ball five-straight times to finish the drive, giving a thumbs up signal to the sideline before his touchdown plunge.
Williams’ 14-carry, 84-yard performance wasn’t all for the Buckeyes’ ground game.
Williams’ folklore touchdown — one that bore striking resemblance to Master Teague III’s final score of his Ohio State career against Michigan State last season — should not overshadow the fact second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson led the Buckeyes with 15 carries for 91 yards.
Ohio State’s players and coaches touted throughout the preseason that both Henderson and Williams would be available and used for Saturday’s contest. If the offense can continue to play complementary football in the ground game, that will create longevity for Henderson who dealt with a flurry of injury issues last season.
