Notre Dame is facing an uphill battle in its season opener at Ohio State. A year ago, the Irish could boast about their strong defense, and it played a key role in many of their victories. However, modern college football demands a quality offense to go with it. While the Irish were pretty good at it in 2021, there’s bound to be one that’s even better out there.
That one that’s even better is the Buckeyes. In 2021, nobody played offense better, and it really makes you think they could have gone all the way if the defense was only a little better. Either way, most of what made that offense so lethal has returned, and Notre Dame will have to serve as the guinea pig for this year’s Big Ten and anyone else who plays the Buckeyes in 2022.
Sure, the Irish are getting their toughest task out of the way in the opener, but a loss could knock them out of College Football Playoff contention immediately. That means begrudgingly going through the rest of the season with tempered expectations. Not fun.
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