Notre Dame vs Ohio State: 3 Key Buckeyes to Watch in the CFP National Championship

If Notre Dame could have picked any team from college football to play in the national championship game this Monday, this version of Ohio State very well might have been last on that list.

Since an embarrassing dud of a performance against Michigan, Ohio State has looked like a world beater. Ryan Day has officially entered his vengeance mode, and the Buckeyes are playing with a sizeable chip on their shoulder despite their 20 million dollar roster configuration while making a trio of the best programs in the nation look like Group of Five teams. Safe to say, Ohio State is scary.

But so is Notre Dame.

Ahead of the most important game in recent Notre Dame football history, here are three Buckeyes - beyond Jeremiah Smith and Jack Sawyer - that Irish fans need to know.

3. JT Tuimoloau, DE Sr.

Jack Sawyer snatched the national spotlight with his door-slamming fourth quarter scoop and score against Texas in the semifinal and has been excellent all year playing on the edge for the Buckeye defense, but JT Tuimoloau is a freak of nature - Penn State fans still have nightmares about his individual dominance in 2022.

With injuries really starting to catch up with the Irish' offensive line, Freeman will probably move pieces around to guard against Sawyer, allowing JT to attack with a serious advantage. An underrated aspect of his game - given all the attention that his sacking prowess garners - is his rush defense. Tuimoloau clogs outside rushing lanes and is a physical presence to be schemed around, yet he won't be.

Considering the importance of establishing a running game early on for this Notre Dame offense, "JTT" has the ability to throw a serious wrench into the Irish gameplan.

2. Emeka Egbuka, WR Sr.

A picture of three Texas defenders bracketing Jeremiah Smith as a lone wideout has gone viral in the last couple of days, and for good reason. The spectacular freshman routinely burns one-on-one coverage, and coordinators are forced to throw multiple defenders at him if they have any hope at containing the phenom. Because of overwhelming numbers, Smith only caught one ball on two targets against Texas.

If Notre Dame wants to replicate Texas' approach, OSU's stable of other quality wideouts will get active and Emeka Egbuka stands to be the main beneficiary of whatever defensive gameplan Notre Dame concocts to slow Smith.

Egbuka is a star in his own right, and will be playing on Sundays next year. With blazing speed, shifty route running, and strong hands, Egbuka can both stretch the field and convert short yardage situations. Look for Egbuka to factor in on critical third downs and late game plays, and don't be surprised if he delivers a serious body blow.

1. Will Howard, QB Sr.

The national championship game is a battle between two transfer quarterbacks. Though Howard has spent one more year in college than Riley Leonard, each left behind lasting legacies at their previous schools to chase the opportunity to win a national championship. Now, the only thing that stands in their way is each other.

In a cutthroat move, Ohio State ditched Kyle McCord to land Howard and his perceived superior talent last year. With the second highest QBR in the country and a 33-10 touchdown to interception ratio, statistically, Howard has delivered. In the biggest moments though, his performances have been uneven.

He slid too late against Oregon the first time around, was flummoxed by Michigan, and threw a pick to start the second half against Texas. Yet he also posted video game numbers against Tennessee and Oregon in the CFP and captained a devastating late drive against Texas without handing the ball off until OSU was sitting pretty inside the ten.

If Howard can consistently attack a stout Notre Dame secondary, the Irish better put up big points. If he gets rattled and starts making mistakes to capitalize on, the Irish might just have their first championship since 1988.