Notre Dame's lack of speed led to its dismantling
Twelve years ago, Notre Dame lost the BCS Championship Game because it couldn't match the physicality of Alabama in the trenches. On Monday night, Ohio State beat the Irish with speed. This wasn't the same 'ol, same 'ol for Notre Dame in the national championship. The Irish had the scheme and strength to compete — it's why they pushed their way to Atlanta — but the speed of Ohio State was overwhelming.
It also didn't help that Irish coach Marcus Freeman inexplicably opted to kick a field goal in the fourth quarter to make a two-score game … a two-score game. Mitch Jeter missed the field goal, doinking the ball off the left upright to keep the score 31-15 early in the fourth quarter. A team that has taken advantage of an incredible turnover margin (best in the country), the Irish instead stubbed their toe when a golden opportunity was gifted to them after Buckeyes WR Emeka Egbuka fumbled the ball to set up the game-defining drive. But the Irish were unable to convert.
No doubt, Notre Dame exerted a lot of energy on its first drive of the game. QB Riley Leonard even puked on the sideline after carrying the ball nine times on the opening possession. You do have to wonder if that led to the Irish's offense looking out of sorts for most of the second and third quarters before Leonard seemingly caught his breath in the fourth quarter.
The Irish just needed a couple of speedy playmakers. With that, this game would have been different. This wasn't so much a blowout as it was a mismatch in key positions, and yet Notre Dame performed so much better than it did 12 years ago.