The Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday night in South Bend came down to the very last second — quite literally for those who bet any money on the spread.
But before the Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish, the home team actually kind of defeated itself, making the worst kind of mistake on its way to a loss.
With three seconds left on the fourth-quarter clock as Ohio State trailed by four points, the Buckeyes were on third-and-goal from the one-yard line. Notre Dame needed a goal line stand to win the thriller, but it somehow managed to only line up with 10 players on the field.
WHAT A CALL!
WHAT A PLAY! pic.twitter.com/YDsDwaKLkN— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 24, 2023
Count ’em…
Notre Dame only had 10 players on the field for Ohio State's game-winning touchdown. pic.twitter.com/OyAGNczgaj
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 24, 2023
To make matters worse, the Fighting Irish only had 10 players on the field on last second down too. Yikes. The biggest two plays of the game, and they helped Ohio State win.
Notre Dame had only 10 men on the field for the final two plays 👀 pic.twitter.com/mVnL87yrxV
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 24, 2023
The Fighting Irish defense played a solid game, but playing 10 players against 11 isn’t exactly a recipe for success. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman reportedly noticed the missing player, but it was too late.
I asked Marcus Freeman why there were only 10 players on the field for Ohio State's game-winning goal line touchdown. He said he noticed it, but it was too late to put a guy out there. Notre Dame didn't have any timeouts left either.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 24, 2023
"We were trying to get a fourth D-linemen onto the field. I told him to just stay off, because we can't afford a penalty — I didn't have any timeouts — we can't afford a penalty right there." – Marcus Freeman on the 10-man defense on Ohio State's winning touchdown.
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) September 24, 2023
And college football fans couldn’t believe Ohio State scored its go-ahead, game-winning touchdown against 10 Notre Dame players.
oh that one is easy: because they only had 10 players on the field whoops https://t.co/DH3MA0ZHJa
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) September 24, 2023
There’s no way ND wanted to align without a down lineman over the left side of the OL pic.twitter.com/tvBmjWsfmt
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) September 24, 2023
WAIT! You have to see this!!!
Notre Dame played with *only 10 players* TWO PLAYS IN A ROW!!!
HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS MISTAKE!!??#OhioStateBuckeyes #NotreDame pic.twitter.com/UK70CMtkYt
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 24, 2023
Ohio State winning because Notre Dame put 10 guys on the field for the deciding play sews the perfect amount of doubt in both fanbases. ideal ending, no notes
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 24, 2023
Notre Dame had 10 guys on the field for the Ohio State TD, missing a lineman. Right where OSU ran the ball. pic.twitter.com/nz7YsFYhsu
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) September 24, 2023
Notre Dame only had 10 players on the field?! pic.twitter.com/jkQAMJhyGr
— ArenaFanatic (@Sports__Picks) September 24, 2023
Freeman has to wear this one even worse because he called timeout when Ohio State had to rush to the line. That gave OSU two organized shots instead of one, and on the second one, ON A DEAD BALL, they weren't lined up right with 10 guys on the field? No way to spin that. So bad https://t.co/3nsqYaBPHm
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) September 24, 2023
Not only giving up a 3rd and 19 before this, but only having 10 players on the field on the most crucial play of the game!?
Al Golden is the defensive coordinator for Notre Dame. Miami fans are going to have a field day with this.pic.twitter.com/6IhcAtWSSu
— Geo Milian (@GeoMilian) September 24, 2023
the best part about notre dame only having 10 guys on the field for the final play is that ryan day did his whole speech after the game about how much of a big boy he is.
— Chris Gaerig (@cgaerig) September 24, 2023
No way Notre Dame only had 10 players on the field for the final 2 plays that’s such an embarrassing way to lose
— 𝕁𝕋 ❄️ (@IcyJettas) September 24, 2023
Why did Notre Dame only have 10 players on the field? https://t.co/BsYsWmfLAL
— Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) September 24, 2023
Incredible. Peewee mistake in that moment, absolutely deserve to lose. https://t.co/pgUGoPlLXM
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) September 24, 2023
