College Sports

Opener for Freeman pits No. 5 Irish against No. 2 Ohio St

Posted September 01, 2022 7:00 am

By MITCH STACY

FILE - Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman watches spring NCAA college football practice on March 17, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. The Fighting Irish open the season at No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 3. Freeman understands the intrigue of this matchup better than most. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP) The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman won't get a gimme in his first season opener, no tasty cupcake served up at home so the Fighting Irish can tune up and send everyone away happy.

Instead, Freeman must take No. 5 Notre Dame and a new starting quarterback into Ohio Stadium amid a crush of hype and over 100,000 inhospitable fans to play the No. 2 Buckeyes.

If the 36-year-old Freeman can engineer a Saturday night upset of heavily favored Ohio State, he will become an instant legend at a place that deals in legends. If not, at least he will come away with a decent idea of how the Irish measure up.

'œAny competitor, you want an opportunity to go and play against the best,'ť Freeman said. 'œThere's no better way to see where we're at as a football team.'ť

The former Ohio State linebacker insisted this week he was 'œpretty emotionless'ť about his return to the Horseshoe for the first time as a head coach. No time for that. He's consumed with getting the Irish ready.

'œYou spend time wondering what do you have to do to make sure the team is prepared. That's where my focus is,'ť said Freeman, who was elevated to the top job at Notre Dame in December after Brian Kelly left for LSU. 'œIt's all in the preparation.'ť

For the Buckeyes, still edgy from a loss to Michigan that blew up their championship hopes last November, it's a prime-time opportunity to show off a loaded, high-scoring offense led by Heisman Trophy contender C.J. Stroud, and find out whether a new coordinator has resolved some of the defensive issues that showed up in big games last season.

'œI think coming off of last year, there are no big heads,'ť Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. 'œI mean, this team is hungry. This team has been hungry. It's been great. We've got to win this first game. They know that. We've got a lot to prove.

'œThe nation,'ť he said, 'œwill be watching.'ť

EYE ON QUARTERBACKS

Stroud, in his second year as Ohio State starter, is a projected first-round NFL draft pick who hopes to pick up where he left off along with top receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and running back TreVeyon Henderson, both Associated Press preseason All-Americans.

'œHe's been there, done that,'ť Smith-Njigba said of the quarterback. 'œHe's ready. We have confidence in him.'ť

Tyler Buchner gets his first career start for Notre Dame. He's a dual-threat guy who in his first year split time with Jack Coan, often in packages that utilized him as a ball-carrier. Buchner will no doubt be looking for Michael Mayer, one of the best tight ends in the country and the top returning receiver for the Irish.

Buchner - like Stroud, a native Californian - insisted he's got enough experience in big games to not be intimidated by the atmosphere.

'œI like to have the idea that my confidence will stay the same no matter the external factors,'ť he said. "I try to keep it level at all times, try not get too high or too low. But I'd say, honestly, since spring ball, through camp and to now, my confidence has just gone up and up. I feel like I'm in a good spot.'ť

NEW COORDINATORS

There will be an element of the unknown with both defenses operating under new coordinators.

Jim Knowles was brought in from Oklahoma State to overhaul Ohio State's defense, which was problematic in the team's two losses last season. The calling card of the salty 57-year-old veteran coach is disguise and surprise.

'œJim Knowles, you have no idea, pre-snap to post-snap what his defense will be,'ť ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit said. 'œIt is a defense that is built around keeping you guessing.'ť

Al Golden, who spent the last two seasons coaching linebackers for the Cincinnati Bengals, steps into the role held by Freeman last year.

Golden, who had head coaching jobs at Miami (Ohio) and Temple, inherited a defense that returned seven starters, including edge rusher Isaiah Foskey, who came back for a fourth season. Golden also picked up an elite safety in Brandon Joseph, who transferred from Northwestern.

THE BIG STAGE

ESPN's College GameDay will anchor its Saturday morning show from Columbus for the 21st time - more than any other city.

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FILE - Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner (12) throws while playing Toledo in the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., on Sept. 11, 2021. New Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and quarterback Tyler Buchner are chasing history. It's been nearly 60 years since a first-year coach and a new starting quarterback joined forces to nearly win a national championship. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs next to Utah cornerback Malone Mataele (15) during the first half in the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, in Pasadena, Calif. Smith-Njigba was selected to The Associated Press preseason All-America team, Monday, Aug. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/John McCoy, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days, in this file photo from July 27, 2022, in Indianapolis. Nine months later, the sting of losing to Michigan is still fresh for Ohio State. Coach Ryan Day said it's been the source of motivation for everyone at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Al Golden of the Cincinnati Bengals NFL football team. Golden is taking over as Notre Dame's third defensive signal-caller in three years. (AP Photo, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Notre Dame defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey (7) plays during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. If Notre Dame is going to beat Ohio State for the first time since 1936, everyone in South Bend knows the defense must ace its test. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File) The Associated Press

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