It wasn't supposed to be this close.
Pegged as 17½-point favorites heading into Saturday night, No. 2 Ohio State was bogged down by No. 5 Notre Dame's defense and didn't pull away until late in the fourth quarter, eventually landing on a 21-10 win that can interpreted in any number of ways.
For one, the Buckeyes' offense unwillingness to commit to the running game was surprising, especially with the tandem of Miyan Williams (91 yards) and potential All-America pick TreVeyon Henderson (84 yards) combining to average 6.0 yards per carry. Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 70.5% of his attempts for 223 yards and two touchdowns but averaged a career-low 6.