We’re officially less than three full weeks away from Ohio State and Notre Dame squaring off in Columbus to open the 2022 season.
There are a number of enticing matchups from Week 1 of the college football season, but this one is by far the most appetizing. The Buckeyes and Fighting Irish are both ranked in the top five of the preseason Coaches Poll, and are expected to be in the mix for the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State, which is ranked second nationally behind Alabama, is heavily-favored over Notre Dame. Right now, the Fighting Irish are underdogs by more than two touchdowns.
ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, which uses the company’s Football Power Index (FPI) to make projections, has unveiled its prediction for the game.
The Buckeyes have an 83.5% chance of winning, according to the FPI. Notre Dame has only a 16.5% chance.
Believe it or not, these two storied programs have met only six times all-time. Notre Dame beat the Buckeyes in 1935 and 1936, but Ohio State has won the last four meetings.
OSU defeated Notre Dame in a regular season home-and-home series in 1995 and 1996, and earned victories over the Irish in the 2006 and 2016 Fiesta Bowls.
This year’s edition of Ohio State-Notre Dame will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on September 3 on ABC.