Just call them Notre Doink!
The Fighting Irish had a chance to further cut into Ohio State’s 31-15 lead and build off their momentum in the fourth quarter but instead got stopped in the red zone. Then kicker Mitch Jeter’s 27-yard field goal attempt hit the uprights to keep Notre Dame off the board entirely.
It proved to be a pivotal moment for an Irish squad that couldn’t complete its rally in the 34-23 loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday.
Notre Dame collected its first turnover of the game with 27 seconds left in the third quarter, a sign that the tide may be turning in its favor, instead it became a drive with an unfortunate ending — and a decision that will likely be analyzed in the days to come as the Buckeyes controlled the national championship game for the better part of the night.
AWFUL: Notre Dame is down two scores in the red zone and they decide to kick a field goal and they DOINKED IT.
😳😳😳
AWFUL DECISION .
pic.twitter.com/hvxRZnrF5x— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 21, 2025
The Irish showed some fight in the second half as they scored touchdowns late in the third quarter and again in the fourth to give themselves a chance.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard connected on a 34-yard pass with Jaden Greathouse to end Ohio State’s 31-point run, with Leonard throwing a pass to Jeremiyah Love for a two-point conversion.
Coach Marcus Freeman opted to go for the three points at the 9-yard line on fourth down with his team down 16 and needing two touchdowns with a pair of two-point conversions. Instead, it remained down a pair of massive scores.
Leonard found Greathouse again following Jeter’s miss for a 30-yard TD — with a two-point conversion to make it a 31-23 score with 4:15 left.
The effort proved to be too little, too late as Ohio State held on for the win after Jeremiah Smith’s 56-yard grabe led to a 33-yard Jayden Fielding field goal to seal it.
It left the Irish to rue the points they left on the field — or off the upright.
