First thoughts: Buckeyes grind out opening-season top-five win over Notre Dame
COLUMBUS — Ohio State didn’t open the season with its absolute best.
The offense was shaky for the entire first half and at times throughout. The Buckeyes weren’t a finished product defensively.
But as the clock ran out on a star-studded night inside the Horseshoe, Ryan Day and No. 2 Ohio State sang Carmen Ohio after a win over a top-five team. Buckeyes, 21. No. 5 Notre Dame, 10.
They certainly won’t be complaining about that.
Simply put, Ohio State found its groove on the ground in the second half, leaning its way to a ground-and-pound ranked win to open the season.
That’s where the analysis of the Buckeyes win begins as Lettermen Row kicks off its post-game coverage with three early thoughts from the victory inside the Horseshoe on Saturday night.
Emeka Egbuka has arrived as legitimate Ohio State weapon
Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a brutal hit on the sideline early in the first quarter, struggled to stretch out and get back to full speed and wasn’t a factor for the Buckeyes. But another former five-star receiver stepped up in his place and was the brightest spot for the Ohio State offense early. Emeka Egbuka has clearly become a factor for the Buckeyes, as C.J. Stroud connected with him for the Buckeyes only score of the first half, the first of his career, and found him nine times for 90 yards and the touchdown in the game. Egbuka generated plenty of buzz for Ohio State all offseason, and it’s easy to see why. If Smith-Njigba can’t be at 100 percent for the Buckeyes, Egbuka will become a more important piece for this offense. He already showed he can thrive as a go-to weapon.
Defensive interior can be dominant for Buckeyes
Of all the questions regarding the new-look Ohio State defense under Jim Knowles, the defensive interior as a factor was one of the biggest. And it passed the first test of the season — a big one against a good offensive line in Notre Dame. Mike Hall was the catalyst; the second-year interior weapon was the best defensive tackle on the field for the Buckeyes, stuffing the inside running game the Fighting Irish tried to establish. Of course, Ohio State was good defensively all night, stymying the Irish and holding them to just 10 points. But it all started on the interior of the defensive line, and these Buckeyes are more than ready to defend the run this season.
Buckeyes use grind-it-out run game to put Notre Dame away
Ohio State failed to pick up tough yards on the ground last fall when it needed to do it most. That absolutely wasn’t the case Saturday night, particularly late when the Buckeyes pounded out a seven-minute, 95-yard drive that was capped off by a Miyan Williams touchdown run. Think Ohio State wanted to put the toughness questions to bed? The Buckeyes out-ran and out-toughed the Irish to pick up their win in the Horseshoe. The passing game wasn’t working as well without Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But with Williams and TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State has a two-headed monster at tailback it can fall back on — and thrive with.
