{"id":44956,"date":"2022-05-30T14:00:21","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T18:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/?p=44956"},"modified":"2022-06-16T14:31:50","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T18:31:50","slug":"simulating-projecting-2022-notre-dame-schedule-ohio-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2022\/05\/30\/simulating-projecting-2022-notre-dame-schedule-ohio-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Simulating and Projecting 2022 Notre Dame Schedule: Ohio State"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Notre Dame 2022 schedule opens at Ohio State. It\u2019s about as difficult an opener as one can draw up for the Irish. Projections, at some point, will become the same until the game is played. Notre Dame must find an answer in their secondary to counter C.J. Stroud<\/a> and the lethal Buckeyes\u2019 passing attack. Specifically, a matchup for Jaxon Smith-Njigba<\/a>.\u00a0 A matchup really thinks they have and that they might not find.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But how about a different angle? Here\u2019s a simulation between the two teams using their 2021-2022 rosters. We simulated 10 games against Ohio State using <\/span>NCAA Game Sim<\/span><\/a>. Let\u2019s analyze the results, and discuss how the roster turnover heading into the fall could impact the results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2022 Notre Dame Schedule Simulation<\/b><\/h2>\n

Each game was simulated individually, but the results will be grouped by sets of five.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Games 1-5<\/b><\/h4>\n

Quite frankly, this is an ugly look for the Irish. They take the loss in all five of these games, which isn\u2019t necessarily surprising. However, the sheer number of absolute blowouts is overwhelming. The simulation gives Notre Dame absolutely zero chance at stopping Stroud or Smith-Njiba. On average, the Buckeyes posted 63.2 points. Notre Dame notched 19.6. Notre Dame did not come closer than 28 points (59-31).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another thing to note is the performances of some of the top returning players for each team. Stroud shredded the Irish secondary to the tune of 504 passing yards per contest. Smith-Njiba similarly torched Notre Dame, notching 162 yards a game. His low was 126. And the Buckeyes weren\u2019t one-dimensional; they had a 100-yard rusher in all five simulations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Notre Dame, they consistently got at least 60 yards from their leading rusher. And they generated 300+ through the air in three of five games. The name of the game was a lack of explosiveness, as they only got a 100+ yard receiving effort in two games. Tight end Michael Mayer<\/a> didn\u2019t exceed 81 yards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a>