Can Buckeyes Stifle Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish Offense?

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman is one of the top ranked quarterbacks in the nation, so how does Ohio State plan to slow him down?

It's only Sunday but college football fans are chomping at the bit to get to Week 4's sizzling slate of games. That's especially true for the Ohio State faithful, as the Buckeyes ready themselves for their toughest test of the year in a top-ten tussle on the road with No. 9-ranked Notre Dame.

The undefeated Fighting Irish will no doubt be the best team that the Buckeyes have faced so far this fall, and the Notre Dame offense may pose a particularly intriguing set of problems. OSU will have to stop a veteran quarterback in Sam Hartman, who many consider to be one of the top QBs in this 2024 NFL Draft class.

In Notre Dame's Week 3 victory over Central Michigan, Hartman threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns and showed off his arm strength with two bombs that ended as 70-yard scores. Luckily, OSU's defense is ranked sixth against the pass, but that has been exclusively against low-tier competition. Will the Buckeyes be able to slow down the Irish on the road in Week 4?

Well, they look like they're on track to play that way. In Week 3, Ohio State produced four sacks, six pass breakups, and a pick-six, courtesy of freshman corner Jermaine Matthews Jr. 

The Silver Bullets also held the FBS active career leader in passing yards, Western Kentucky QB Austin Reed, to just 207 yards throwing on the day. Hartman and the Fighting Irish will be an altogether different task than WKU, but it seems that this Buckeye defense will be up to the challenge.

The key for the scarlet and gray will be the pressure that they're able to put on Hartman, especially in the early goings. If the Buckeyes can get hurries and sacks when utilizing only three or four rushers, it'll be difficult for Notre Dame to get much going through the air. 

For now, head coach Ryan Day will continue to prep his sixth-ranked Ohio State squadron for the first real dogfight of this 2023 season.