Why did Notre Dame have 10 players on the field vs. Ohio State?

Notre Dame endured a disappointing loss to Ohio State in a top-10 matchup on Saturday night. The defeat has been exacerbated by the fact that many college football enthusiasts highlighted a significant mistake made by the Fighting Irish during the most critical play of the game.

The Buckeyes were trailing 14–10 on the final drive of the electrifying encounter in South Bend. With only 10 seconds remaining on the clock, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka made a reception on the 1-yard line, setting the stage for Chip Trayanum's game-winning rushing touchdown.

Upon closer examination of the play, it was evident that there were only 10 Notre Dame players on the field during both sequences, which contributed to the critical breakdown in their defense. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman explained the decision at the end of the game:

“To me, it was like, 'Hey, don't give them another opportunity to get settled and to try to make a different call,' right?” said Freeman. “Hey, guys, stay off the field. Let's not give them a freebie from the half-yard line and let's try to stop them.”

“And I thought maybe they would do the same thing they did the snap before, and then they ended up running the ball,” he added. “So I got to watch the play and see where the ball hit. But yeah, that's why I made that decision.”

How can Notre Dame bounce back from the setback?

Notre Dame started the 2023 season on an impressive note, having won all four games this season prior to the game against Ohio State. The Irish have now lost their last five matches against the Buckeyes. They came close to snapping the streak, but eventually lost it in the dead on Saturday in South Bend.

The Fighting Irish started off their season with a dominant win against the Navy in a game that was played at the Aviva Stadium in Ireland, and have maintained the form ever since.

Notre Dame will aim to bounce back in Week 5 when they play the high-flying Atlantic Coast Conference team, Duke, at the Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. Notably, the Blue Devils have impressively won all their four games so far this season.

The Fighting Irish relaunched their offense this season after bringing in quarterback Sam Hartman from Wake Forest. The ACC's all-time passing touchdown leader has been in outstanding form this season, throwing for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will play a crucial role in the Irish's bid to be more competitive this season.