After considering all the elements of this game, I don’t see it remaining close into the fourth quarter.
Notre Dame will be ahead handily by then. Here’s how:
You start with the Sam Darnold effect. Nice season, but pees down his leg when it matters most. That sounds a lot like Will Howard to me. Blew it at the end of the Oregon game. Was terrible against Michigan. He will be seeing ghosts in that secondary early in the game, much as Mr. Darnold famously did.
Once that happens, Howard holds onto the ball a little longer and gets turned into a human piñata by the Notre Dame pass rush. As the Buckeye stickers fly off his helmet like candy flying at an 8-year-old’s birthday party, Buckeye fans will wonder whether the holiday they’re experiencing is Martin Luther King Day because it’ll look like Cinco De Mayo!
View attachment 73308
Throw in a back-breaking pick-six and the Buckeye fanbase’s eyes will be watering like they just got their nose punched right back into their head.
Add in the fact that Jaden Greathouse and/or Jordan Faison will return Denzel Burke to his rightful home, the common kitchen toaster oven, and I see almost all the big plays going the Irish’s way.
Meanwhile, Third Base’s bulbous cheeks will turn bright red in embarrassment, matching the scarlet numbers that are routinely getting shoved into the Mercedes-Benz Stadium field turf.
Final score: Notre Dame 34, Ohio State 17 (Ohio State kicks in a late TD to make it look halfway respectable.)
In the aftermath, Jeremiah Smith transfers to Tennessee.
It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …