Honestly, if you were watching the Ohio State vs Notre Dame play by play back in September 2023, your heart probably hasn't fully recovered. It wasn't just a game. It was a heavyweight bout that felt more like a chess match until the board got knocked over in the final three minutes. Most people remember the ending—the "ten men on the field" gaffe—but the actual play-by-play sequence that led there was a masterclass in tension.
The game stayed quiet for a long time. Too quiet.
We saw a scoreless first quarter where both defenses looked like brick walls. Ohio State finally scratched out a 31-yard field goal from Jayden Fielding with 26 seconds left in the first half. That was it. 3-0 at the break. You've gotta wonder what was being said in those locker rooms because the second half turned into a completely different animal.
The Momentum Swings: A Breakdown of the Second Half
When TreVeyon Henderson took off for a 61-yard touchdown run on the first play of Ohio State’s opening drive in the third quarter, it felt like the Buckeyes might run away with it. They were up 10-0. The South Bend crowd went silent. But Marcus Freeman’s squad didn't blink.
Notre Dame responded with a grinding, 13-play, 75-yard drive that ate nearly eight minutes of clock. Gi'Bran Payne punched it in from a yard out. 10-7.
Then things got wild.
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- The 96-Yard March: Early in the fourth, Sam Hartman led the Irish on a legendary 96-yard drive.
- The Lead Change: Rico Flores Jr. caught a 2-yard touchdown pass with 8:22 left.
- The Score: 14-10, Notre Dame.
For the next seven minutes, it looked like the Irish had finally exercised their Buckeyes demon. Ohio State turned the ball over on downs at the Notre Dame 11-yard line with 4:12 to go. It felt over. Basically, every Buckeye fan was ready to turn off the TV.
The Final Drive: Ohio State vs Notre Dame Play by Play
This is where the ohio state vs notre dame play by play becomes the stuff of legend. Kyle McCord, who had been shaky most of the night, got the ball back with 1:26 left at his own 35-yard line. No timeouts. Just a kid and a dream.
He hit Emeka Egbuka for 23 yards. Then a 7-yarder to Cade Stover.
Then came the "how did he do that" moment. On 3rd and 19—yes, 19—McCord found Egbuka again for 21 yards down to the Notre Dame 1-yard line. The Irish defense was reeling.
The Last Three Plays
- 0:07 left: McCord throws incomplete to the end zone. Clock stops.
- 0:03 left: Another incompletion. The tension is suffocating.
- 0:01 left: Chip Trayanum takes the handoff. He plunges into the end zone.
Touchdown.
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The replay later showed Notre Dame only had ten men on the field for that final play. It’s the kind of detail that keeps defensive coordinators awake until 4:00 AM. Ohio State escaped with a 17-14 win, and Ryan Day gave that famous, fiery post-game interview defending his team’s toughness.
Why This Rivalry Hits Different Now
Fast forward a bit. If you think the 2023 game was intense, the 2025 National Championship rematch took it to a whole new level. These two teams met again on January 20, 2025, in Atlanta. This time, the stakes were literally everything.
Ohio State won that one too, 34-23, to claim their 9th national title. Will Howard was under center for that one, throwing for 231 yards, while Quinshon Judkins went off for 100 yards and a hat trick of scores. It’s funny how history repeats itself; Notre Dame actually led that game 7-0 after a massive 18-play opening drive, but the Buckeyes scored 31 unanswered points to put it away.
Key Stats and Takeaways
If you're looking at the numbers, the 2023 game was surprisingly even. Ohio State had 366 total yards; Notre Dame had 351. It was that close.
Kyle McCord finished 21-of-37 for 240 yards. Sam Hartman was 17-of-25 for 175 yards. Neither quarterback was "elite" that night, but McCord found the magic when it mattered. TreVeyon Henderson was the workhorse with 104 rushing yards, largely thanks to that one 61-yard burst.
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For Notre Dame, Mitchell Evans was a problem for the Buckeyes defense all night, racking up 75 receiving yards. Audric Estime chipped in 70 yards on the ground. They had the recipe to win, but the clock—and that missing 11th man—betrayed them.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the personnel: In late-game substitutions, keep an eye on the defensive line. Coaches often scramble to get "bigs" in for goal-line stands, which is exactly how Notre Dame ended up short a man.
- 3rd and Long isn't over: The 3rd and 19 conversion by Egbuka is a reminder that in modern college football, no lead is safe if you're playing "prevent" defense.
- Strength of Schedule: These matchups are why both teams stay in the CFP hunt. Even a close loss like the 2023 one kept Notre Dame relevant in the rankings for weeks.
To really understand the weight of this matchup, you have to look at the history. Ohio State has now won seven straight against the Irish. The last time Notre Dame beat the Buckeyes? 1936. That is a staggering statistic for two programs of this caliber.
If you want to relive the 2023 thriller, go back and watch the final 85 seconds. Ignore the first three quarters if you have to. Just watch McCord find Egbuka on that 3rd and 19. It’s a masterclass in poise under pressure.
To dive deeper into the specific stats of individual players from these games, you can check out the official box scores on the NCAA website or the team-specific archives at OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Comparing the 2023 "slugfest" to the 2025 "track meet" shows just how much the Buckeyes' offensive identity shifted once Will Howard and Quinshon Judkins arrived on campus.