Upstart Notre Dame Sparks Memories of 2002 Ohio State National Championship Team

Let's get the first part out of the way. Jim Tressel was Ohio State's head coach in 2002 and led the Buckeyes to that national championship. Marcus Freeman was still a high school junior at that time but just over a year later would be settling in to play his college football for Tressel at Ohio State.

Freeman and Tressel remain close to this day as the former head coach has been a guest of Freeman's to Notre Dame as recently as last year's spring game.

Truly Elite Defenses

If you're still playing football at this point then clearly have a good defense. But just how good is Notre Dame's?

Consider this: Notre Dame allows 12.4 points per game this season, the second fewest points in all of college football (Ohio State is first at 12.2).

How elite was Ohio State's 2002 defense that won it all? It allowed 13.1 points per game and ranked second nationally.

Nail-Biting Wins Along the Way

2002 Ohio State didn't have the luxury of a 12-team College Football Playoff so had to grind out wins all year to make the national championship game. It won seven of its 14 games by a touchdown or less but more remarkable is the fact that six of it's final seven games were decided by a touchdown or less. That includes everything from road wins at Purdue and Illinois to the massive upset of Miami in the national championship game.

2024 Notre Dame? Although the victory over Louisville in late-September was Notre Dame's only one-score victory in the regular season, doing just about anything and everything to get by the likes of Georgia and Penn State in recent weeks feels a lot like a couple of those 2002 Buckeyes escapes.

Unimpressive Statistical Passing Games

Riley Leonard isn't going to win many awards for being an amazing passer but he's done enough in that area to keep Notre Dame winning this season. Leonard has thrown for 2,606 yards on the season with 19 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Not bad, but hardly impressive compared to some numbers out there.

Craig Krenzel wasn't all that different back in 2002, in fact, being less impressive statistically. Krenzel completed seven percent less passes than Leonard has this year, while tossing just 12 touchdown passes and seven interceptions on the year.

Yet as unimpressive as the stats may be, Jaden Greathouse's game tying touchdown reception and Michael Jenkins on the "Holy Buckeye" play were huge downfield plays that made national championship appearances possible for both.

Two of College Football's Best Running Backs

Jeremiyah Love is as exciting of running back as there is in college football as anytime the ball is in his hands, something special has the chance of happening. Love tallied 1,122 rushing yards this season and 17 rushing scores in helping Notre Dame to the national title game.

Back in 2002 it was a different kind of back for Ohio State that made a national splash as a freshman. Maurice Clarett ran for 1,237 yards and 12 touchdowns in helping Ohio State to a undefeated season.

Despite neither receiving Heisman votes in their respective years, both teams offensively were gifted with truly great running backs.

Significant National Championship Game Underdogs

Notre Dame is a sizeable underdog against Ohio State in Monday's national championship game, currently sitting as an 8.5-point underdog. Can a number so large be axed down?

Ohio State was a 13-point underdog in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl when it took Miami to overtime to stun the Hurricanes 31-24 and win its first national championship in 34 years.

Notre Dame looks to stun the world on Monday night and capture it's first in 36.

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