Notre Dame vs Ohio State Odds, Spread and Picks

• Notre Dame makes the trip to Ohio State in this Week 1 battle of the titans (Saturday, Sept 3)
• The Fighting Irish are 10-3 against the spread in their last 13 regular season games versus ranked teams
• Read on for more on the Notre Dame vs Ohio State game, including our best bets

A battle of the behemoths headlines Week 1 of the college football season. Number five Notre Dame takes on number two Ohio State in the weekend’s pre-eminent clash.

The Fighting Irish travel to Ohio Stadium with the game set to kickoff at 7:30pm eastern time. Tune your device to ABC, you won’t want to miss this one.

This game will be gambled on by almost every sports bettor around the globe. Below, you can find all of our analysis and the very best bet to help you win money on Saturday night.

Notre Dame vs Ohio State Odds

Odds as of August 31st at BetMGM.

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For a matchup of two pre-season favorites, 17 points looks like an awfully large spread on the surface. As always, the college football lines for week 1 are an intriguing sight to behold.

Can Ohio State Bounce Back?

After losing to both Michigan and Oregon last season, the Buckeyes will be dead set on revenge in 2022. Ohio State is led by quarterback CJ Stroud, who commands an offense full of NFL-level talent. The Heisman favorite will look to cement his candidacy with a signature win on Saturday night.

CJ Stroud’s off-platform throws make me blush pic.twitter.com/c9W79xqTHD

— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) August 28, 2022

On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles makes his debut. Knowles brings his 4-2-5 scheme with him from Oklahoma State, along with nickelback Tanner McAlister. His hiring could be a game changer for Ohio State this season. Last year, Knowles led the Oklahoma State Cowboys to the best scoring defense in the Big 12 while also pacing the entire nation in sacks. He now has a plethora of five-star talent at his disposal.

#OhioState defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said the Buckeyes defense doesn't focus on the past, but instead on "reviving that Silver Bullet culture."

"Everything else at the Ohio State is top five, and why shouldn't the defense be?" pic.twitter.com/6vNi7Ys8eZ

— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) August 23, 2022

If Knowles is able to replicate that production at Ohio State, this unit could be feared nationwide. More importantly, the Ohio State Buckeyes will solidify their status as one of the very best teams in all of College Football.

Should Ohio State leave with a victory, the Buckeyes have an 86% chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN. Head coach Ryan Day will surely have his guys fired up for this highly anticipated contest. However, their opponents in this one are no slouches.

Fighting Irish Look to Prove they Belong

Can Marcus Freeman lead Notre Dame to the promised land? That’s the question being asked by fans and pundits alike since former head coach Brian Kelly announced he was departing for LSU. As the former defensive coordinator, Freeman takes over a program he knows well. Unfortunately, he’ll be in tough with a visit to his alma mater in week 1.

Unlike most squads playing without a set conference, Notre Dame possesses the level of talent to play with any team in the college game. As their pre-season ranking suggests, the Fighting Irish have NFL-level talent on both sides of the ball.

However, last year’s offense was merely sufficient. Quarterback Jack Coan has moved on, while Tyler Buchner returns to man the pivot. Buchner’s more of an Ian Book-style playmaker than a true drop-back quarterback, but he’s got enough juice in his arm to keep this offense humming. Additionally, star tight end Michael Mayer returns for what should be a monster season. The 6’5 junior is well on his way to the NFL and could be the best tight end in the country.

Northwestern SAF Brandon Joseph has fantastic ball skills, good instincts and a high football IQ, and @GrindingTheTape has taken notice 🚨👇

🔗: https://t.co/VlvHedFokO pic.twitter.com/GM1x1HKgOw

— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) August 31, 2022

Meanwhile, Marcus Freeman will look to keep his stellar defense up to par in 2022. The strongest unit on this entire football team may be it’s secondary, where star Northwestern transfer Brandon Joseph steps in for first-round NFL draft pick Kyle Hamilton. Don’t tell Fighting Irish fans, but Joseph may be even better.

Notre Dame vs Ohio State Best Bet

These two programs battle far more frequently off the field than on it. Power programs like this inevitably fight over the top talents high school football has to offer on a yearly basis. Incredibly, Ohio State and Notre Dame have met a mere six times in their long and storied histories.  Ohio State won the most recent iteration with ease, besting Brian Kelly’s squad 44-28 in the 2015 Fiesta Bowl.

It’s hard to envision many teams keeping pace with this vaunted Ohio State offense this season. Especially with the tactics of Jim Knowles backstopping them on the defensive side of the ball. Yet, 17 points is a massive number for a first-week spread, and the public has jumped all over Ohio State. Take the points, and pray the Fighting Irish can score on Saturday night.

Pick: Notre Dame +17 (-110)