Ohio State and Notre Dame basically occupy the same oxygen. It’s weird, honestly. They are two of the most recognizable brands in the history of college football, separated by just a few hours of flat Midwestern highway, yet they almost never played for nearly a century. When they finally do meet, the world stops. It’s not just a game. It’s a cultural collision between the public-school powerhouse of Columbus and the private, independent mystique of South Bend.
The Ohio State Notre Dame series is defined by scarcity. While Michigan and Ohio State beat each other up every November, the Buckeyes and Irish treat their matchups like rare celestial events. You’ve probably noticed that when they do play, the stakes are absurdly high. We aren't talking about mid-tier bowl games or early-season tune-ups against "cupcake" opponents. We are talking about top-five matchups that dictate the trajectory of the entire College Football Playoff.
The Long Silence and the Modern Explosion
For the longest time, there was nothing. Literally nothing. After a brief two-game stint in the mid-1930s—which included the 1935 "Game of the Century"—the two programs entered a cold war of sorts. They didn't play a regular-season game for 60 years. Think about that. Multiple generations of fans lived and died without seeing the two biggest teams in the region hit each other on the field.
That changed in the mid-90s with a home-and-home series that felt like a fever dream for fans of the Big Ten and the Independents. Eddie George basically secured his Heisman Trophy against the Irish in 1995. He ran for 207 yards. It was a statement. It told the world that while Notre Dame had the history, Ohio State had the modern muscle.
Fast forward to the 2022 and 2023 matchups. These weren't just games; they were identity crises for both programs. For Ohio State, it was about proving they weren't "soft" under Ryan Day. For Notre Dame, and specifically for head coach Marcus Freeman—a former Buckeye linebacker himself—it was about proving that the Irish could finally win the "big one" against a blue-blood peer.
The 2023 game in South Bend was particularly insane.
It came down to a literal inch. Ohio State won 17-14 on a last-second touchdown run by Chip Trayanum. But the real story wasn't just the score. It was the post-game explosion from Ryan Day, who called out 86-year-old Lou Holtz on national television. Holtz had questioned Ohio State's toughness on a pre-game show. Day's reaction showed just how much pressure is packed into this specific matchup. It isn't just about the win-loss column; it's about the "toughness" narrative that haunts both schools.
Why This Game Hits Differently
Most rivalries are built on hatred. This one is built on a weird mix of mutual respect and desperate jealousy. Notre Dame fans look at Ohio State’s recruiting and think, "Why can't we have that?" Ohio State fans look at Notre Dame’s national TV contract and global brand and think, "Why do they get special treatment?"
- The Recruiting Wars: They are constantly fighting over the same four and five-star kids in the Midwest. When a kid from Cincinnati or Chicago picks one over the other, it's a four-year ripple effect.
- The Marcus Freeman Factor: You can't talk about this rivalry now without mentioning that the Irish head coach is an Ohio State alum. That adds a layer of "traitor" or "prodigal son" drama that TV networks absolutely love.
- The Geography: Columbus and South Bend are less than 300 miles apart. In the suburbs of Dayton, Toledo, and Fort Wayne, the fanbases are completely intertwined. Neighbors don't speak for a week leading up to kickoff.
The "Toughness" Narrative That Won't Die
There is a persistent myth that Notre Dame is too "academic" to be truly elite and that Ohio State is too "finesse" to win in the trenches. The 2022-2023 series was a direct confrontation with those labels.
In the 2022 opener at the Shoe, the score was 21-10. It was an ugly, grinding game. It didn't look like the high-flying Ohio State offense we were used to seeing with C.J. Stroud. Instead, the Buckeyes had to win by playing "Notre Dame football"—better defense and a punishing run game late in the fourth quarter.
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Then you have the 10-men-on-the-field blunder. In the final play of the 2023 game, Notre Dame famously only had 10 players on the field for the winning touchdown. It was a coaching disaster that felt like a gut punch to a program trying to prove it belonged in the elite tier. Critics pointed to it as evidence that Notre Dame isn't quite ready for the absolute highest level of situational football. Is that fair? Maybe not. But in the world of college football optics, it’s everything.
Statistical Reality Check
If you look at the all-time record, Ohio State has dominated the modern era. Since that 1930s hiatus ended, the Buckeyes have won six straight.
- 1995: Ohio State 45, Notre Dame 26
- 1996: Ohio State 29, Notre Dame 16
- 2006 (Fiesta Bowl): Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
- 2016 (Fiesta Bowl): Ohio State 44, Notre Dame 28
- 2022: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
- 2023: Ohio State 17, Notre Dame 14
The trend is clear. Ohio State wins, but the games are getting tighter. The gap is closing. In the 90s and early 2000s, Ohio State was winning by double digits. The most recent games were decided by physical defense and last-minute heroics.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Future
People assume that with the Big Ten expanding and the playoff moving to 12 teams, this rivalry might lose its luster. That is a total misunderstanding of how the new system works.
In the old four-team playoff, a loss in the Ohio State Notre Dame game was a death sentence. In the 12-team era, it’s a "quality loss" that actually helps strength of schedule. This means both schools will be even more incentivized to schedule each other. They want the TV revenue, the recruiting exposure, and the "forgiveness" the committee gives for playing a difficult non-conference schedule.
However, there is a catch.
Notre Dame’s independence is the elephant in the room. If Ohio State and the Big Ten eventually move to a 10-game conference schedule, these massive non-conference matchups might get squeezed out. We could be looking at another long drought if the logistics don't align. Enjoy these games while you have them. They aren't guaranteed.
Real-World Takeaways for Fans and Bettors
If you are following this series or looking at future matchups, keep a few things in mind. First, the home-field advantage in this specific series is massive. The "Sea of Red" in Columbus and the "Touchdown Jesus" atmosphere in South Bend genuinely rattle college athletes.
Second, watch the trenches. Everyone talks about the quarterbacks—the Sam Hartmans and the Kyle McCords—but these games have been won by the defensive lines. In the last two meetings, the team that averaged more yards per carry lost, which is a total anomaly in college football. Why? Because red-zone defense was the deciding factor.
Third, pay attention to the transfer portal. Both programs are now using it to fill immediate gaps before these high-stakes games. It’s no longer just about who recruited better four years ago; it’s about who grabbed the best defensive tackle from the portal three months ago.
How to Track the Next Move
The next time these two meet, the landscape of college sports will likely look completely different. With NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and the potential for revenue sharing, the financial gap between the Big Ten and an Independent Notre Dame could widen.
- Monitor Conference Realignment: If Notre Dame ever joins the Big Ten, this becomes an annual rivalry. If they don't, it remains a "special event."
- Watch the Coaching Carousel: Ryan Day is always on a warm seat despite his winning percentage. Marcus Freeman is still building his culture. Any change at the top resets the rivalry's dynamic.
- Check the Playoff Rankings: Even if they aren't playing each other, their "common opponents" will be used by the committee to rank them against each other for playoff seeding.
The Ohio State Notre Dame saga is a reminder that in college football, history is never really dead. It just waits for the next kickoff. Whether it's Lou Holtz talking trash or a linebacker missing from a goal-line stand, these games produce moments that fans argue about for decades. That is the definition of a blue-blood rivalry.
To stay ahead of the curve on this matchup, start looking at the 2024 and 2025 recruiting classes for both schools. Focus specifically on "trench" players—offensive and defensive linemen—rather than the flashy wide receivers. History shows that when these two giants meet, the game isn't won on the perimeter; it’s won in the dirt, usually in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. Keep an eye on the injury reports for these specific position groups as the next scheduled meeting approaches, as depth has historically been the deciding factor in the second half of these grueling physical contests.