Notre Dame Transfer Addition Makes Viral Comparison to Ohio State

When playing football at Notre Dame, one does, in fact, have to play school

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Mylan Graham (5) runs past Grambling State Tigers defensive back Christen Williams (29) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025. Ohio State won 70-0. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As Notre Dame tries to do whatever it can to knock down the national championship door and end its national championship drought that dates back to 1988, it's digging into the transfer portal differently than it has previously.

Instead of being all graduate transfers, Notre Dame is welcoming underclassmen transfers to the fold, doing so during the transfer portal window following the 2025 regular season. It's not that Notre Dame didn't entirely go against this, but it did not allow credits from online classes to count for potential transfers.

In doing all of this, though, one player Notre Dame welcomed in was a former recruiting target of the Irish, Mylan Graham, who played previously at Ohio State.

Graham was one of several new Notre Dame players to meet the media this week, and upon doing so, was asked about the differences between Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Mylan Graham Goes Viral for Comparing Notre Dame and Ohio State

Graham met the media this week and was asked directly what was different his first few weeks at Notre Dame compared to Ohio State. He certainly didn't hold back with his response.

Ohio State transfer Mylan Graham says the biggest adjustment has been academics.

When I asked what’s different:

“Not too different, You just have to actually go in person… at Notre Dame obviously everybody knows how it is with academics” pic.twitter.com/hrWjaLr4rM

— Talia B (@talia_baia) February 18, 2026

This is where I must be super old. I graduated college more than 15 years ago, and I just assumed one always had to go to class in-person.

I know that during the pandemic was an event where no real other options were available, but afterwards I didn't realize it was possible to do as many of your classes online as it seems like a lot of college kids choose to do these days.

I don't think Graham said this with any intent of taking a shot at Ohio State. He simply stated that Notre Dame makes you go in-person, and that it's different from Ohio State. However, you could have subbed in God knows how many other colleges and universities for Ohio State?

Graham Brings Back a Core Ohio State Memory

Back in 2012, then-backup Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones put out a post on social media that read:

Why should we have to go to class if we come here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS.

That's the quote that always comes to mind when something like this is brought up, especially when it comes to Ohio State.

From other students going to class for athletes to there being made up classes strictly for athletes, we've heard it all when it comes to stories about "student athletes".

To the credit of Cardale Jones though, he was able to poke fun at himself for his post when he graduated a few years after it.

Cardale Jones with the greatest graduation cap ever. pic.twitter.com/lAolNxod64

— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) May 7, 2017

I get Notre Dame takes its academics seriously, and I'm not saying it shouldn't, but the fact it didn't allow online classes to count towards and underclassman transferring in previously is a bit ridiculous - especially in the post-Covid world.