Notre Dame Football: 3 bold predictions vs. No. 6 Ohio State in Week 4

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Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) runs for a touchdown during the NCAA football game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 63-10. /

2. Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka will each be held under 100 yards

Ohio State has a wealth of riches in the wide receiver room. According to Mel Kiper Jr., the Buckeyes feature two of the nation’s top 10 NFL-eligible receivers in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, with the former ranked No. 1 on the list as the nation’s best receiver.

Much like his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Marvin Harrison Sr., Junior is a smooth and savvy route runner who possesses a flawless set of hands. Couple these skills with an elite body frame (6-foot-4 and 205 pounds) and speed to burn, and it’s no wonder why he’s so universally admired.

Then there’s Egbuka. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound receiver from Washington was the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the country for the Class of 2021, according to 247Sports Composite. Since joining the Buckeyes, Egbuka has lived up to the billing earning All-Big Ten second-team honors in 2022, and is considered by Kiper Jr. as the No. 6 wider receiving prospect.

All of this to say, slowing down this dynamic duo will be a tall task for the Notre Dame defense. However, led by All-America candidate Benjamin Morrison, the Irish secondary will do just that in limiting Harrison Jr. and Egbuka’s effectiveness downfield. Notre Dame has an excellent combination of senior experience, and blue-chip freshmen and sophomores throughout the last line of defense. Veteran Cam Hart will start opposite Morrison at cornerback, but expect Jaden Mickey, Christian Gray, and Clarence Lewis to all feature at some stage.

In addition, all five safeties listed on the two-deep depth chart are experienced seniors, with DJ Brown being the leader of this group. I expect him to play an impactful role in bracketing Ohio State’s wideouts, as well as coming down to blow up screen plays, and the like.

Lastly, the Irish front seven will contribute to mitigating Harrison and Egbuka’s production through quarterback pressures, which, in turn, will produce errant throws, missed reads, etc., by Ohio State starting signal caller Kyle McCord.

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