Ohio State Rallies Late to Down Irish 17-14

Saturday, September 23

South Bend, Ind.

7:30 PM

Ohio State

#9 Notre Dame

Ohio State Rallies Late to Down Irish 17-14

9/23/2023 9:59:00 PM | General, Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 6 Ohio State (4-0) scored on its final play of the game with one second left to rally past No. 9 Notre Dame (4-1) 17-14 Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

DeaMonte Trayanum scored on a 1-yard run on Ohio State's final play from scrimmage to culminate a 15-play, 65-yard drive to overcome a 14-10 Ohio State fourth quarter deficit.

The Buckeyes owned a 3-0 lead at the half after both teams missed opportunities to put points on the board over the first 30 minutes of action.

Ohio State then went up 10-0 early in the third on a long TreVeyon Henderson scoring run of 61 yards.

Notre Dame then scored consecutive touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead with 8:22 left to play.

The Buckeyes drove deep in the Notre Dame territory on their next possession but turned the ball over on downs. The Buckeyes got the ball back with under 90 seconds to play and drove to the Notre Dame 1 with seven seconds to play after a 21-yard completion to Emeka Egbuka.

Two plays later Trayanum rushed it right up the middle for the game-winning score.

Kyle McCord, who orchestrated the late game-winning drive, finished completing 21-of-37 passes for 240 yards. Henderson led the Ohio State run game with 104 yards on 14 carries and a score.

Egbuka led the Buckeye receivers with seven catches for 96 yards.

Lathan Ransom paced the Ohio State defense with 13 tackles, including seven solos.

The Buckeyes are off next Saturday before returning to action against Maryland Oct. 7 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The game time has not been announced.


Fourth Quarter

Mirco opened the final quarter sending a 37-yard punt that was downed by the Buckeyes at the Notre Dame 4.

The Irish got themselves some breathing room with a 28-yard completion over the middle to the UND35.

Notre Dame then added another long completion, this time a 25-yarder to the OSU40.

The run game then came into play for the Irish on runs of 6 and 4 yards for a first town to the OSU30.

Ohio State was then called for holding on pass defense, placing the ball on the OSU20 after a 10-yard penalty.

Notre Dame called timeout with 10:38 left and then scored four plays later on a 2-yard completion from Hartman to Rico Flores Jr., to take a 14-10 lead with 8:22 to play. The drive covered 96 yards on 11 plays over 6:28.

The Buckeyes used a 40-yard pass play from McCord to Johnson to the Notre Dame 30 for a first down on the next dive.

McCord then tried a deep ball to Henderson but Notre Dame was called for pass interference to give the Buckeyes a first down at the UND20.

Henderson then rushed for 9 yards to the Notre Dame 11 before the Buckeyes called timeout after a rush for no gain and facing fourth-and-1 with 4:17 to play.

The Irish defense stopped the Buckeyes on the next play to take over on downs at the UND11 with 4:12 to play.

Ohio State got the ball back after a Notre Dame punt gave the ball to the Buckeyes after a 46-yard punt and an Egbuka 8-yard return to the OSU35.

McCord then led Ohio State on a game-winning 65-yard drive to win for the sixth-consecutive time over the Fighting Irish.

After McCord found Marvin Harrison Jr. for a gain of 19 to the UND13, the Buckeyes lost 9 yards on an intentional grounding penalty.

On the next play, McCord connected with Egbuka to the Notre Dame 2 after a 21-yard completion.

Two plays later, Trayanum crossed the goal-line after a 1-yard rush up the middle for the winning score.

Third Quarter
No 6 Ohio State 10, No. 9 Notre Dame 7

Notre Dame opened the second half with the ball and moved to the OSU39. The Irish were not able to earn a first down on three-consecutive runs up the middle turning the ball over to Ohio State after a Hartman keeper was stopped.

On Ohio State's next snap, Henderson broke away down the left side for a 61-yard touchdown run to put Ohio State up 10-0 with 11:14 on the clock.

On Notre Dame's next possession, the Irish drove to the Ohio State 39 after running plays of 16 and 18 yards.

Remaining on the ground primarily, Hartman drove the Irish to the Ohio State 16 before a completion to the OSU1. Notre Dame then scored on a 1-yard run to make it 10-7 Buckeyes with 3:35 left in the quarter. The drive covered 75 yards on 13 plays while using 7:39. Ten of the plays were via the rush.

Starting from their 35-yard line after a 32-yard kickoff return by Xavier Johnson, the Buckeyes drove to the Notre Dame 28 on an 11-yard catch by Egbuka but an Ohio State unnecessary roughness penalty moved the ball from the UND39 to the OSU46.

The half ended after a 13-yard McCord to Stover completion to the Notre Dame 41 with Ohio State facing a fourth-and-11.

Second Quarter
No. 6 Ohio State 3, No. 9 Notre Dame 0

Ohio State's defense stopped the Irish at the OSU29 on a play that was nearly intercepted over the middle. Notre Dame kicker Spencer Shrader then attempted a field goal from 47 yards out that missed wide to the left.

Taking over at their 29, the Buckeyes utilized the ground game to move the ball to the Ohio State 49 before McCord tried to connect with tight end Cade Stover down the right side. Notre Dame was called for pass interference on the play, putting the Buckeyes in Irish territory at the 36 after a 15-yard penalty.

After a short gain by TreVeyon Henderson to the UND 34, McCord connected with DeaMonte Trayanum for a 12-yard completion to the UND22.

Another completion, this time a 10-yarder to Emeka Egbuka, set up a first down at the Notre Dame 7 for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State then drove to the UND1 but was stopped on fourth down after an incompletion, turning the ball over to the Fighting Irish on downs with 6:53 left in the half.

Notre Dame was stopped on the drive at its 33 before an Irish punt gave Ohio State the ball at the OSU21 with 3:46 on the clock.

McCord moved the Buckeyes to the Notre Dame 48 after a pass interference call on the Irish against Marvin Harrison Jr.

Notre Dame called timeout with 1:17 left with the Buckeyes facing a third-and-7 at the Irish 45.

McCord responded with consecutive completions of 12 and 18 yards to Egbuka to the Irish 15.

Facing third-and-8, Ohio State called timeout after a 2-yard Henderson run to the UND13 with 34 second left on the clock.

After an incompletion, the Buckeyes took a 3-0 lead on a 31-yard Jayden Fielding field goal with 26 seconds left. The drive covered 66 yards on 12 plays, using 3:20 on the clock.

The half ended after Notre Dame took a knee sending the teams to the break with Ohio State leading, 3-0.

First Quarter
No. 6 Ohio State 0, No. 9 Notre Dame 0

Notre Dame won the pregame coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Buckeyes received the opening kickoff and took their first snap from the ND25.

Quarterback Kyle McCord directed the Buckeyes to the Notre Dame 47 before the opening drive stalled. Punter Jesse Mirco entered to punt and pinned the Irish at their 11 after a 36-yard boot.

On its second play from scrimmage, Notre Dame's Sam Hartman connected with Chris Tyree for 25-yard gain to the Irish 35.

Notre Dame continued its push, moving to the Ohio State 18 on a variety of short completions. Faced with fourth-and-1, Hartman scrambled to the right and was stopped short of the first down, turning the ball over to the Buckeyes at their 18.

The Buckeyes punted again after gaining 8 yards to the OSU26. A Mirco punt traveled 42 yards, where it was fair caught at the Notre Dame 32.

The quarter ended with the Irish in possession after three-consecutive first-down completions to the Ohio State 34.