3 Ohio State loopholes that Marcus Freeman should look to exploit at CFP national championship

As Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame approach mighty Ohio State in Monday's CFP championship, there's certainly reasons for optimism. As good as the Buckeyes are, they've lost two games this season and do have some significant weaknesses. While Ohio State is a substantial favorite, Notre Dame has some weak spots to probe. Here are three of those.

3 areas where Notre Dame can exploit Ohio State in CFP title game

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love could be key to Notre Dame's upset chances. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

3. Keep the QB clean and fare well

Notre Dame would certainly do well to keep QB Riley Leonard upright and protected. Ohio State has 51 sacks this season, fourth most in FBS football. The Buckeyes have 16 sacks in their three CFP games so far, which is one reason they've cruised to the championship game.

But here's the thing. Only twice all season has Ohio State failed to record a sack. That was the October 12th game against Oregon and the November 30th game against Michigan. Those were Ohio State's only two losses. Sure, Michigan favored rushing and defense-heavy attack, while Oregon threw all over the field. But with no sacks, OSU was 0-2. Otherwise, they're 13-0.

2. Run for 153+ yards.

It's certainly easier said than done, because Ohio State has a top-shelf running defense. Ohio State's 89.9 yards per game allowed on the ground is third-best in FBS. The Buckeyes' 2.68 yards per carry was second best in the nation. But when an opponent can run on the Buckeyes, positive results follow.

Twice all season Ohio State's opponent rushed for 153 or more yards. Once again, those two times were the regular-season battle with Oregon (155 yards) and the finale with Michigan (173 yards). Those games were also two of the three times all season that opponents averaged four yards per carry against the Buckeyes. So a successful rushing attack will be key to the chances of an upset of OSU.

1.Turnovers can stall the Buckeyes

Ohio State has not committed three turnovers in a game since October 2023. But of the five times Ohio State committed a pair of turnovers in 2024, those games included the two Buckeye losses and a 20-13 squeaker over Penn State. In essence, then, Notre Dame needs to force at least a pair of turnovers.

But if the Buckeyes can be guided into some mistakes, they have a tendency to become a very ordinary team. That's the recipe for a Notre Dame upset in the CFP title game.

What do you think of Notre Dame's possibilities to take down Ohio State? Share your thoughts below in our comments section!