In a highly anticipated Week 1 matchup, No. 2 Ohio State defeated No. 5 Notre Dame 21-10 in Columbus. Despite being favored by 17.5 points, the Buckeyes faced early resistance as Notre Dame led 10-7 in the first half before being shut out in the second half.

Key Takeaways for Ohio State:

• The offense showed growing pains, with QB CJ Stroud completing 24 of 44 passes for 223 yards and 2 TDs
• Running back TreyVeyon Henderson rushed for 91 yards but failed to score
• Receivers were held under 100 yards each as the team adjusts to losing Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson to the NFL
• Defense stepped up significantly, holding Notre Dame to 253 total yards and 3-13 on third downs
• Pitched a second-half shutout against a top-5 opponent

Key Takeaways for Notre Dame:

• New head coach Marcus Freeman proved himself capable despite the loss, keeping his team competitive in a hostile environment
• Defense exceeded expectations, limiting Ohio State's typically explosive offense
• Held Buckeyes to 7-13 on third downs and just 6 yards per pass attempt
• Successfully prevented big plays to stay in the game throughout
• Showed they can compete with elite programs despite the final outcome

The game demonstrated that while Ohio State's offense needs time to gel with new personnel, their defense has made significant improvements. For Notre Dame, the performance validated Freeman's hiring and showed the program remains capable of competing at the highest level.

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