Staff Picks: Heavyweight thriller expected between Ohio State, Notre Dame in South Bend
COLUMBUS — It’s almost time: The Saturday night, top-10 and “College GameDay”-featured matchup between No. 6 Ohio State and No. 9 Notre Dame is right around the corner.
Both programs will be judged by how they perform under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium, not by how they entered Week 4 with an undefeated record.
It’s a historic game — the Buckeyes’ first in South Bend since 1996 — and it has College Football Playoff implications.
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The Lettermen Row crew believes this weekend’s game is going to live up to its hype. But staff writers Tim May, Andy Backstrom and Spencer Holbrook see the Buckeyes coming out on the right side of the scoreboard, even if it takes all four quarters.
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Check out our score predictions below:
Tim May: 34-24, Buckeyes
“I’ve been this all week for a long time now: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 24. In my opinion, that is a shootout. But I think Ohio State in the end has more ammunition. … When [Notre Dame] came back out after that lightning delay at North Carolina State and did what they did, they left no doubt. They’ve left no doubt in every game they’ve played so far this year. They’re 4-0. … [But] if there’s a team in this game that could spurt, it is Ohio State. Ohio State could have a replica or something close to that last eight minutes of the second quarter [against Western Kentucky] when everything clicked offensively and defensively.”
Andy Backstrom: 31-28, Buckeyes
“I’ve already said it this week: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 28. I think it’s going to be a really close game. I think it’s going to come down to the fourth quarter, maybe even the final drive. I really think both teams are very good. I think this Notre Dame team is not a pretender. Even if they lose this game, I think they got a shot at the College Football Playoff. I think Sam Hartman is the real deal. … And I think this one’s going down to the wire. … I think that Ohio State’s more talented, and I think that ultimately they’ll come out with the win.”
Spencer Holbrook: 41-34, Buckeyes
“It’s one of those games where you look up, and all of a sudden Ohio State’s got 40 points, and you say, ‘How did they do that?’ … That’s the kind of game I think this is. I think Notre Dame, for all of the offensive firepower that team now possesses, is still going to try to drag Ohio State into the mud. And you have to come back on the other side of that and fend yourself off. I think the Buckeyes are able to do that. … I think that this game ends up being a higher-scoring affair than a lot of people think, even the folks out in the desert who are much smarter than I am. I think Ohio State’s going to get to 41 — I think Notre Dame’s going to end up at 34. I think this is a 41-34 Ohio State win.”
