Notre Dame started the national championship game with promise, thanks to Riley Leonard leading an impressive 18-play touchdown drive. However, Ohio State quickly turned the tide, rattling off three consecutive touchdown drives and forcing the Irish into a pair of three-and-outs.
Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard was nearly flawless, completing 14 of 15 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. More concerning for Notre Dame fans, Ohio State was perfect on third downs, converting all six of their attempts and heading into halftime with a commanding 21-7 lead.
As the teams headed to the locker room, ESPN’s Molly McGrath caught up with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, who didn’t sugarcoat the challenge his team was facing.
“We got to get off the field on third down,” Freeman admitted, looking visibly frustrated by Ohio State's relentless attack. “We’ve got to be able to cover them. We’re trying to play a little man and they convert, and we’ll play a little zone and they’re converting, so we’ve just got to get some things fixed.”
It’s a tough position for Freeman and the Irish, especially considering how well they had performed in previous playoff matchups, taking down Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and Penn State in the Orange Bowl. But against an Ohio State squad that looked unstoppable after their dominant Cotton Bowl win over Texas, Notre Dame seemed to be struggling to keep up.
Freeman remained hopeful despite the uphill battle, adding, “We’ve just got to relax, man. This moment shouldn’t be too big for us, but we’ve got to relax, and go back and do the things we’re supposed to do, and be aggressive.”
To come out of halftime, Notre Dame still didn't have an answer as Ohio State marched right down the field and made it 28-7.