Alright, championship time! Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame, playing independent, somehow made it to the top. And then there’s Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes, who proved they’re the best even though Day was kinda on the hot seat. Neither team’s gonna back down now, that’s for sure. But it looks like one team might have a slight edge. That’s none other than the Day’s Buckeyes, who have their biggest weapon, Jeremiah Smith, enough to distract the Notre Dame HC. Here’s why the Notre Dame legend sounded an alarm for Freeman to buckle up before the D-Day! 

Now, we get how Freeman is on cloud nine. After all, they have been on a winning spree. Beating the USC Trojans 49-35, coming off as a winner against ‘Google Me’ Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers, crushing down Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. And then, they had a sweet ending with beating the Penn State Nittany Lions. With this, Freeman ‘snatched’ the title of being the first African American football coach to lead a team to a college national championship game away from James Franklin.

History says the Orange Bowl victory gives the Fighting Irish a chance to end its 37-year national title drought on January 20. Yes, Notre Dame’s luck did favor in 2013 when they played the National Championship but eventually lost to Alabama 42-14. Now that they are going to face off against Day’s squad, Notre Dame legend Brady Quinn ensured to help them out.

On ESPN’s Always College Football with Greg McElroy, he had an advice for Freeman’s boys: “I think the hardest thing for Notre Dame in this game is going to be stopping the run. Because I go back and I watch the tape of Penn State, they were running the football at will at times against Notre Dame.”

Yes, it’s only in the second half that the Fighting Irish picked up the momentum. However, this won’t fit their game plan against Day’s squad well. Firstly because of the Ohio State wide receiver, Smith. He now comes off as ‘one of the best receivers in college football.’

The former five-star prospect has tallied 71 catches for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. In the Cotton Bowl Classic, Day’s WR erupted for seven catches, 187 yards, and two touchdowns against the Longhorns. Well, if that’s not enough threat for Freeman, Quinn then hyped up the ‘dynamic playmakers’ in the Buckeyes’ running back room like they were some secret weapon. “You see how dynamic TreVeyon Henderson is and you know how good Quinshon Judkins is. So all those things…a part of the rushing attack,” stated the legend.

So even though, like last year, Freeman does not have his phenoms like Benjamin Morrison, they still need to be “stopping the run first because if they don’t and you allow Ohio State and Chip Kelly in particular.” Here’s what Freeman needs to be careful about.

A Buckeye offensive powerhouse waits for Marcus Freeman

Day must be thanking his recruiting skills. After all, his trio is enough to leave Freeman and Co. in a pool of cold sweat. Already they have racked up 38. points per game, that is no joke. On top of that, the Buckeyes’ potent rushing and passing attacks make them a veritable nightmare to defend.

Well, Freeman must already be plotting to protect his boys from Smith’s rage. After all, the WR has had five 100+ yard games this season. The young chap maintained a streak of scoring a touchdown in each of his first seven games.

Then comes RB Henderson, who, even though he didn’t have top 11 carries all year, comes off strong with 967 yards and 10 touchdowns. Plus, his scoring 31 runs of 10+ yards and 10 runs of 20+ yards on the season has been truly recommendable. After all, over two dozen FBS teams, including Colorado and Georgia, failed to top 10 20+yard runs. 

Last but not least is Ryan Day’s QB Will Howard. The phenom averaging 9.4 yards per pass attempt has been a testimony to the explosiveness of Ohio State’s offense. His resume includes passing for 3,779 yards and 33 touchdowns. Now that Notre Dame legend pinpointed the grey areas, it’s high time that Marcus Freeman wakes up!