Notre Dame and Ohio State have earned the right to play for the College Football Playoff Championship in Atlanta on Monday. In a season full of change, it will be two of the sport’s blue bloods duking it out for the right to be kings. We preview the explosive Buckeyes offense below:
Photo via Ohio State Athletics
Ohio State, led by stud transfers and elite returning talent, has appeared to reach a new level following a disappointing regular season finale versus their rival Michigan Wolverines. Here is how the Buckeyes (15-2) have reached this point:
vs Akron (52-6, Win)
vs Western Michigan (56-0, Win)
vs Marshall (49-14, Win)
at Michigan State (38-7, Win)
vs Iowa (35-7, Win)
at Oregon (31-32, Loss)
vs Nebraska (21-17, Win)
at Penn State (20-13, Win)
vs Purdue (45-0, Win)
at Northwestern (in Chicago, 31-7, Win)
vs Indiana (38-15, Win)
vs Michigan (10-13, Loss)
vs Tennessee (CFP First Round, 42-17, Win)
vs Oregon (Rose Bowl, 41-21, Win)
vs Texas (Cotton Bowl, 28-14, Win)
As hinted at above, the Buckeyes will bring an explosive offensive to Atlanta. They enter Monday averaging 35.8 points per game, the second-most in the Big Ten and 12th among all FBS teams. Also, their 428.3 total yards per game are the fourth-most in the conference and 30th in the country.
Ohio State’s offense is led by former Buckeye Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach, Ryan Day, and his OC Chip Kelly. Day’s connection to Kelly dates back to his college playing days at New Hampshire where Day was the starting QB under OC Chip Kelly. Day was named Head Coach at Ohio St following Urban Meyer’s “retirement” in 2019. He owns a 2-0 record as a Head Coach versus Notre Dame, with wins in ‘22 and ‘23.
One factor that has led to the Buckeyes’ success this year is their team discipline, installed by Day. As a team, Ohio State’s 4.4 penalties and 39.67 penalty yards per game are both among the 15th-fewest in the country.
The Buckeyes feature a good passing offense led by a transfer QB and an elite freshman receiver. Their 265.1 pass yards per game are the fourth-most in the Big Ten and 25th among all FBS teams. We highlight the key players involved in the high-powered pass offense below:
Ohio State’s starting quarterback is Will Howard, a graduate transfer from Kansas State. During his time as a Wildcat, the talented signal-caller dealt with various injuries through his first three years that limited his playing time. Last year was the first season Howard played in more than ten games, and he played pretty well too. He was named to the Second Team All-Big 12 after completing 61.3% of his passes for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Howard’s 24 passing touchdowns tied the Kansas St single-season record and his 48 career passing touchdowns are the most in school history. Following this campaign, he transferred to Ohio St. This season, Howard has completed 72.6% of his pass attempts for 3,779 yards and 33 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team for his efforts. Here is where Howard ranks among the nation’s top passers in key stats:
173.7 Passing Efficiency - 3rd-best among all FBS passers
72.6% Completion Rate - 4th-best among all FBS passers
251.9 Pass Yards per Game - 4th-most in the Big Ten and 23rd among all FBS passers
12.94 Yards per Completion - 2nd-most in the Big Ten and 29th among all FBS passers
Howard has at least 175 passing yards and one touchdown in each game this year. This includes 12 multi-touchdown performances and six games with over 250 yards. He threw for a season-high 326 yards on 28/35 passing including two touchdowns and no interceptions during the Buckeyes’ regular-season meeting at Oregon. Against Iowa, Howard threw a season-high four passing touchdowns on 21/25 passing for 209 yards including an interception. The grad transfer has been great all season as a passer but has seemed to reach another level throughout the CFP following his worst performance of the year versus Michigan. Some credit should be given to his weapons, who have been consistently reliable all year. Howard has found success on the deep ball, with an 8:2 touchdown to interception ratio on throws of 20 or more yards. The key for Notre Dame’s defense will be to apply pressure on the QB all game as this is when Howard is at his worst, much like Penn State’s Allar last week.
Ohio State’s most talented receiver is freshman Jeremiah Smith. The young wideout chose the Buckeyes over Florida State, Miami (FL), Florida, and Georgia as the consensus number one overall recruit in the ‘24 class. Smith has lived up to that ranking in every possible way. Some accolades the freshman has gathered this season include All-Big Ten First Team, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and Big Ten Receiver of the Year. He enters Monday’s matchup with 71 receptions for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns this year. Here is where Smith ranks among the nation’s top pass-catchers in key stats:
14 Receiving Touchdowns - leads the Big Ten and tied for 3rd-most among FBS pass-catchers
81.8 Receiving Yards per Game - 3rd-most in the Big Ten and 23rd among all FBS pass-catchers
17.28 Yards per Reception - 4th-most in the Big Ten and 33rd among all FBS pass-catchers
Notably, Smith is coming off the worst performance of his collegiate career after recording just one catch for three yards on three targets versus Texas. Before that, he had at least three receptions and 34 yards in each game, including 12 games with over 50 yards. The freshman had two of his best games of the season in both meetings against Oregon. In the first meeting in Eugene, he had a season-high nine receptions for 100 yards including a touchdown during the Buckeyes loss. In the Rose Bowl versus the Ducks, he had a season-high 187 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions. The freshman has been so elite this season that he would likely be the top wideout selected in the upcoming ‘25 NFL Draft, but unfortunately for college defensive backs, that is not a reality. Smith will be the most talented receiver the Irish play all season as he has not dropped a pass since week one versus Akron. Also, he averages 6.3 yards after catch per reception. Long story short, good things happen when Smith gets the ball in his hands, whether it be off a screen or over the top, defenses need a plan for containing number four.
The Buckeyes' other top wideout is graduate student Emeka Egbuka. He is slated to be a potential first-round selection this year. Egbuka is one of many players who could have gone pro after last season, but decided to come back for a final year to play for a National Championship, and finally beat Michigan…that part did not work out. The grad student entered this season with 115 receptions for 1,666 yards and 14 touchdowns in 23 games played across the last two years. The ‘22 Second Team All-Big Ten selection has 16 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown in two meetings against the Irish. This season, Egbuka has 75 catches for 947 yards and ten touchdowns and was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team. His ten receiving touchdowns are tied for the third-most in the conference and tied for 13th in the country. He has at least one reception in each game and nine games with at least five, including a season-high of ten for 93 yards and a touchdown at Oregon during the regular season. Egbuka had a season-high 117 yards on five receptions including a touchdown versus Marshall and a season-high three touchdowns on 9 receptions for 71 yards versus Iowa. He has been impressive throughout the CFP, with 15 catches for 204 yards and a touchdown during this three-game stretch. Egbuka enters Monday’s matchup with some Ohio St history on the line; he is three catches away from breaking K.J. Hill’s career-record 201 receptions and 94 receiving yards away from breaking Michael Jenkins’s career-record 2,898. This should provide some extra motivation for Egbuka to have a good performance on Monday. Overall, the great wideout is a talented deep threat and reliable receiver with five drops on the year including two last week.
The third wide receiver to highlight is sophomore Carnell Tate. Last season, he had 18 receptions for 264 yards and a touchdown in 13 games played. This year, Tate has recorded 50 catches for 698 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games played. He missed the Buckeyes game versus Iowa. The sophomore has at least one reception in each game played, including a season-high of seven for 87 yards last week versus Texas. He had a season-high 102 yards on four receptions including a touchdown versus Nebraska. Tate is a good receiver with solid potential. He has just three drops this season including one last week. Most of his production comes via medium routes between 10 and 19 yards and he is a talented contested ball-catcher as he is 6/10 on contested attempts this year.
The Buckeyes' top tight end is graduate student Gee Scott Jr. As the most experienced tight end on the roster, he is having a career-best season with 26 receptions for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He has at least one catch in 12 games. Scott has been solid throughout the CFP with ten receptions for 99 yards during the past three games. This includes a season-high of five catches for 30 yards last week versus Texas. During the Buckeyes’ regular season contest at Oregon, Scott had a season-high 46 yards on three receptions. Originally, the grad student was recruited to Ohio St as a receiver, however, he has struggled to get open throughout the year. He does have just one drop this season and is one of three good short-yardage options on this roster as displayed last week. Additionally, Scott is a good all-around blocker.
The first of two talented all-purpose running backs is senior TreVeyon Henderson. Before this season, he had 50 receptions for 569 yards and five touchdowns in 31 games played across the last three years. This season, the senior has 27 catches for 284 yards and a touchdown. He has at least one reception in 12 games, including ten games with two or more. Throughout this CFP run, Henderson has tallied eight receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. This includes a season-high four receptions for 54 yards versus Tennessee and then last week he took a screen pass 75 yards to the house to put the Buckeyes on top before halftime against Texas. Henderson is a very good receiving back with just one drop this season. Also, he is averaging 10.2 yards after catch per reception. The senior is a solid run blocker but struggles as a pass blocker.
The final threat to highlight in the passing game is junior all-purpose back Quinshon Judkins. The Ole Miss transfer recorded 37 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns in 26 games played across the last two years in Oxford. This year, his first as a Buckeye, Judkins has 20 catches for 140 yards and one touchdown. He has at least one reception in 11 games, including eight games with two or more. The junior had a season-high three receptions for 21 yards last week versus Texas. He had a season-high 38 yards on two receptions during the regular season meeting at Oregon. Notably, Judkins does have three games without a target this year. While Henderson is the better receiving back, Judkins is good too with just one drop this season and he is averaging 7.5 yards after catch per reception. The junior will not beat defenses over the top but he is, yet another, solid short-yardage option. Like Henderson, Judkins is a solid run blocker but a bad pass blocker.
Ohio St features a solid, yet underutilized rushing offense led by two talented backs. Their 163.2 rush yards per game are the fifth-most in the Big Ten and 66th among all FBS teams. In addition, their 4.97 yards per carry ranks fourth in the conference. We preview the key Buckeyes rushers below:
The first running back to highlight is senior TreVeyon Henderson. Before this season, he had 2,745 yards and 32 touchdowns on 446 carries in 31 games played across the past three years. As a freshman in 2021, Henderson led the Big Ten with 6.8 yards per carry and was named a Freshman All-American and selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Last season, he was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team. Henderson has 29 carries for 195 yards and a touchdown in two previous meetings with the Irish. This season, the senior has rushed for 967 yards and ten touchdowns on 132 carries. His 7.3 yards per carry leads the conference as he has between six and 11 carries in each game. Henderson has 12 games with over 50 rush yards this year, including a season-high 94 yards on eight carries including two touchdowns versus Oregon in the Rose Bowl. In addition, the senior has four games with two rushing scores on the year. Henderson is an elite runner with 31 carries of ten or more yards, no fumbles, and just one penalty this season. Most of his production comes via outside-the-tackle runs.
If Henderson is lightning, then junior Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins is certainly thunder. During his time as a Rebel, he rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns on 545 carries in 26 games played across two years. In 2022, he was named SEC Freshman of the Year and selected to the First Team All-SEC after leading the conference in rushing yards and touchdowns. In 2023, Judkins again led the conference in rushing scores and was, again, named to the First Team All-SEC. He left Ole Miss ranking second in school history in rushing touchdowns and third in rushing yards before transferring to Columbus this season. In his first year as Buckeye, the junior has rushed for 960 yards and 12 touchdowns on 183 carries. His 12 rushing scores are tied for the fourth-most in the Big Ten and tied for 34th among all FBS rushers. Judkins has received between nine and 17 carries in each game this year. He has eight games with 50 or more rush yards, including a season-high 173 on 14 carries including two touchdowns versus Marshall. The junior has five games with two rushing scores, including versus Tennessee and Texas. Judkins is a great runner with just one fumble, 42 missed tackles forced, and one penalty on the year. He is more of an inside-the-tackles runner compared to Henderson.
The final rusher Notre Dame’s defense will have to account for is Quarterback Will Howard. At Kansas St, he rushed for 921 yards and 19 touchdowns on 226 carries in 34 games played as a Wildcat. This season, Howard has rushed for 169 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 carries. The grad transfer has at least one carry in each game and rushed for a season-high 37 yards on five carries versus Tennessee. Howard is a solid runner but he does not get far as he averages just 3.3 yards per carry and 1.48 yards after contact per carry. Most of his production comes via sneaks and scrambles.
One thing the Irish and Buckeyes have in common is good work from the offensive line regardless of their injury issues. Ohio St has lost their starting Left Tackle and Center with injuries throughout the year. However, they lead the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss per game allowed. Their 0.93 sacks per game allowed are the tenth-fewest among all FBS teams while their 3.67 TFLs per game allowed ranks sixth in the country. The one player who deserves to be highlighted on this line is Donovan Jackson:
The senior lineman entered this season as a ‘22 and ‘23 First Team All-Big Ten selection with 26 straight starts at Left Guard. Unfortunately, Jackson suffered a hamstring injury during fall camp that forced him to miss the first two weeks of this year. Regardless, the senior was again selected to the First Team All-Big Ten after playing in 13 games. Midway through the year, Jackson was forced to move from LG to LT after a season-ending injury to potential first-round tackle, Josh Simmons. This season, the senior has allowed just two sacks, both of which occurred in his first start at LT against Penn St, and 19 pressures on 395 pass block snaps. He is a good all-around blocker, who has been standing out throughout the Buckeyes’ CFP run.
Notre Dame will have their hands full trying to contain this explosive offense en route to a College Football Playoff Championship. How will the Irish staff and defense match up to be crowned National Champions? This defense has been clutch all year long, but can they put together another 60-strong minutes in the biggest game of the year? These answers will be revealed Monday Night in Atlanta…Go Irish.
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