Ohio State’s Ryan Day – ‘Ugly’ win over Notre Dame just what Buckeyes needed

COLUMBUS, Ohio — While many outside the program were waiting to see No. 2 Ohio State unveil yet another potent offense against an overmatched opponent, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day was waiting for this: the game when the passes weren’t sailing through the air with precision and ease to future NFL draft picks, when the offense had to grind it out with the running game and the defense made the difference.

Day got the “ugly” 21-10 win against No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday night, and in spite of the sluggish offense, he got something else he was looking for.

“That was something we spent a lot of time in the offseason saying, ‘We have to be able to win ugly on offense, we have to stop the run on defense,'” Day said. “They all count the same. And you have to figure out based on who you’re going against, how do you want to win that game? When you have that versatility, man, it’s going to pay off down the road.”

Ohio State’s offense, which was No. 1 in the country last year in efficiency, underwhelmed Saturday as compared to the lofty preseason expectations that pegged the Buckeyes as a strong favorite to finish in the College Football Playoff. With leading wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba sidelined due to an injury he suffered in the first quarter, Ohio State struggled early against a gritty Notre Dame defense.

The Fighting Irish, led by popular first-year coach Marcus Freeman, a former Ohio State linebacker, came into Ohio Stadium and before an announced crowd of 106,594 gave the Buckeyes all they could handle until late in the fourth quarter. Ohio State, which won games last season by an average margin of 29.1 points, was held scoreless in the second quarter and trailed 10-7 at the half.

It wasn’t until less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter that Ohio State solidified the win — thanks in large part to a 14-play, 95-yard drive that took 7:06 off the clock and gave the Buckeyes the 21-10 lead.

“We were struggling early on, just trying to get a connection, trying to build that rhythm, but towards the end, we started to get it, started clicking more,” said Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who completed 24 of 34 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. “It’s kind of weird being out there again, to be honest, seeing the fans, dealing with all of the outside noise, just trying to lock in.”

In the fourth quarter, Stroud completed 9 of 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. While it wasn’t exactly a splashy, Heisman Trophy-worthy performance, he reminded everyone of his playmaking abilities.

Ohio State entered this season as the No. 2 team after losing to rival Michigan and finishing No. 6 in large part because of the offensive firepower returning from a team that led the nation in scoring and yards per play last year. The Buckeyes have multiple Heisman hopefuls, including Stroud and running back TreVeyon Henderson, but when Smith-Njigba was injured in the first quarter, the Buckeyes were off-kilter early. Last year, Ohio State averaged 27.2 points in the first half, the most of any team in the FBS. The Buckeyes had seven Saturday night.

“Early games are a little bit clunky,” Day said, “and losing Jaxon threw us off a little bit.”

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