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Irish Fall By Inches To Ohio State

The University of Notre Dame football team (4-1) lost its first game of the year 17-14 to No. 6 Ohio State (4-0) by a single inch, with the Buckeyes powering in a one-yard run that barely touched the end zone with one second remaining in a hard-fought battle. 

The Irish took their first lead of the game 14-10 on a Sam Hartman two-yard touchdown pass to Rico Flores Jr. with 8:22 left in the game. A clutch fourth-down stop by the Irish at their own 11-yard line gave the offense the ball back, but Ohio State forced a Notre Dame punt with 1:26 remaining. 

The Buckeyes then drove 65 yards in 15 plays earning the winning score with a one-yard touchdown run. 

Hartman finished the game 17 of 25 passing for 175 yards and a touchdown. Audric Estimé led the rushing attack with 70 yards while Mitchell Evans led all Irish receivers with a career-best seven catches for 75 yards. On the defensive side, Javonte Jean-Baptiste and JD Bertrand led the effort with eight tackles, respectively. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame drove to the red zone on its first possession and faced the first of several key fourth downs they would experience throughout the course of the game. Hartman appeared to have scrambled for the first down, but after a review the play was overturned and the Buckeyes earned a dubious fourth-down stop. 

The Irish defense responded with a three-and-out and the offense drove again into field goal range but Spencer Shrader missed from 47 yards and the game remained scoreless. 

Ohio State followed with a 13 play drive far into the red zone and even earned a first and one at the seven-yard line. After two short runs set up a third and one, Javonte Jean-Baptiste stuffed the Ohio State runner at the one-yard line to force a fourth down attempt. 

OSU tried a play action pass, which the Irish read perfectly, forced the quarterback out of the pocket and the pass was broken up by Jaylen Sneed for a fourth-down stop. 

Notre Dame’s offense was able to move out of the shadow of their own end zone on their next possession but was eventually forced to punt. Ohio State followed up with another methodical drive, going 66 yards in 12 plays and capping the series with a 31-yard field goal. 

The Irish received the ball to start the third quarter and drove into Ohio State territory after an Audric Estimé 16-yard rush. On fourth and one, Hartman attempted a quick sneak that was stuffed for the second turnover on downs in the game. 

Ohio State wasted no time to take advantage of the stop by scoring on a 61-yard run on its first play after taking over possession. 

Notre Dame bounced back on a big third-down catch by Flores and a clutch third-down run by Gi’Bran Payne. Hartman then found Tobias Merriweather at the 10-yard line, who broke a tackle and took the ball down to the one-yard line. Payne followed with a direct snap one-yard touchdown run. 

The Irish got the ball back on a big personal foul penalty on Ohio State. The Buckeyes had looked to convert a big third down catch, but during the play there was a personal foul which was enforced from the spot of the ball before the play started. 

Notre Dame then took the lead on the next drive which was highlighted by a huge 25-yard third down catch by Mitchell Evans. Two Estimé runs provided another first down and Merriweather drew a pass interference call to give the Irish first and 10 at the Ohio State 20-yard line. 

Jeremiyah Love then ran the ball twice to the two-yard line and Hartman then found Flores wide open in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score.