Football is a game of inches, but sometimes it's a game of seconds. Specifically, one second. If you’re asking who won the Ohio State Notre Dame game, the answer is the Ohio State Buckeyes. They walked out of South Bend with a 17-14 victory that felt like a heist. It wasn't pretty. Honestly, for about three quarters, it was a grinding, defensive slog that made people wonder if either offense had a pulse. But that ending? That’s the stuff that keeps college football fans awake at night.
Chip Trayanum. Remember that name. He’s the guy who burrowed into the end zone with literally one tick left on the clock. It was a 1-yard plunge that silenced one of the loudest crowds I’ve ever heard at Notre Dame Stadium.
The Drive That Changed Everything
Let’s set the scene because context matters more than just the final score. Notre Dame was up 14-10. They had the lead. They had the momentum. They had the Buckeyes pinned back at their own 35-yard line with less than two minutes to go. Kyle McCord, who was still trying to prove he was "the guy" after C.J. Stroud left for the NFL, had to go 65 yards. No timeouts.
McCord was shaky early on. He really was. But on that final drive, something clicked. He converted a 3rd-and-10. Then he hit Emeka Egbuka on a 21-yard strike that got them to the 1-yard line. The tension was so thick you could've cut it with a blunt knife.
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Then came the mistake that Notre Dame fans will be talking about for decades.
The Irish only had ten men on the field for the final two plays. Ten. In a game of this magnitude, against a rival like Ohio State, you can't leave a gap like that. Ohio State noticed. They ran the ball right where that eleventh man should have been. Trayanum hit the hole, the ball crossed the plane, and the rest is history.
Why the Defense Won This Game
While everyone talks about the last-second touchdown, we’ve gotta give credit to the defenses. This wasn't the typical Big Ten track meet. Jim Knowles, the Ohio State defensive coordinator, had his unit playing like a brick wall. They held Sam Hartman—who was playing like a Heisman contender up to that point—to relatively modest numbers.
Hartman finished with 175 yards and a touchdown. That’s not bad, but it’s not the explosive output the Irish expected. On the other side, the Buckeyes' defense stood tall when it mattered most, forcing punts and keeping the score low enough for McCord to have a chance at the end.
Notre Dame’s defense was equally impressive, though. They frustrated Marvin Harrison Jr. for long stretches. Usually, Harrison is a human highlight reel, but the Irish secondary bracketed him and forced other players to beat them. It almost worked.
The Aftermath and Marcus Freeman's Tough Lesson
Marcus Freeman is a great coach. He’s a recruiter, a leader, and he gets his guys to play hard. But the "ten men on the field" blunder is a coaching error, plain and simple. After the game, Freeman was remarkably honest. He didn't make excuses. He admitted they tried to get a sub on, realized they couldn't, and didn't want to take a penalty that would move the ball half the distance to the goal.
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It's a gamble that failed.
Ryan Day, on the other hand, used the post-game interview to fire back at critics. Specifically Lou Holtz. If you missed it, Holtz had questioned Ohio State’s toughness earlier in the week. Day was fired up. He basically told the world that his team is plenty tough, and winning a game like that in a "hostile environment" proves it.
Key Stats You Should Know
- Final Score: Ohio State 17, Notre Dame 14.
- Total Yards: Ohio State outgained Notre Dame 366 to 351. It was that close.
- The Hero: Chip Trayanum with the 1-yard TD run.
- The Quarterbacks: Kyle McCord (240 yards, 0 TD, but the game-winning drive) vs. Sam Hartman (175 yards, 1 TD).
- The Mistake: Notre Dame playing the final two snaps with only 10 defenders.
What This Means for the CFP
Games like this are basically playoff eliminators. By winning, Ohio State kept their path to the College Football Playoff wide open. It gave them a Top 10 win on their resume that most teams would kill for. For Notre Dame, it wasn't the end of the world, but it removed their margin for error.
You’ve got to realize how much pressure was on Kyle McCord here. Entering a stadium like that, with those expectations? Most kids would fold. He didn't. He wasn't perfect, but he was clutch. That’s the difference between a good season and a legendary one.
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Surprising Details from the Sideline
People forget that Marvin Harrison Jr. actually got hurt during this game. He tweaked his ankle and had to go to the tent. For a few minutes, the entire Ohio State fan base held its collective breath. He came back in, obviously, but he wasn't 100%. The fact that Ohio State won without their best player at full strength says a lot about their depth.
Also, the rushing attack. Ohio State struggled to run the ball consistently all night. TreVeyon Henderson had a long 61-yard touchdown run that accounted for a huge chunk of their yards, but other than that, it was tough sledding. The Irish defensive front was legit.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
If you're looking to understand the ripple effects of this game, keep these points in mind for the rest of the season:
- Count the players. Seriously. It sounds basic, but special teams and defensive substitutions are where games are won and lost. Always watch the sidelines during late-game situations.
- Evaluate the "Toughness" Narrative. Ohio State proved they can win a "fistfight" in the trenches. If you're betting on or analyzing their future games against teams like Michigan or Penn State, this South Bend performance is your primary evidence.
- Watch the Injury Reports. Keep an eye on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s health moving forward. Even a slight ankle sprain can sap the explosiveness of a top-tier wideout.
- Quarterback Growth. Kyle McCord’s confidence likely skyrocketed after that final drive. Look for him to take more risks in the intermediate passing game in subsequent weeks.
- Notre Dame's Resilience. Don't count the Irish out. Losing on the final play to a top-three team doesn't mean you're bad; it means you're human. They remain a dangerous out for anyone on their schedule.
This matchup lived up to every bit of the hype. It was a heavyweight bout that came down to the final second, proving once again why we love this chaotic sport. Ohio State took the "W," but both teams showed they belong in the national conversation.