Ohio State scores last-second touchdown to beat Notre Dame

Chip Trayanum plunged across the goal line from a yard out with one second left and No. 6 Ohio State beat No. 9 Notre Dame 17-14 on Saturday night.

Trayanum’s score capped a gutty game-winning drive by Kyle McCord and the Buckeyes that included a fourth-down conversion and a third-and-19 completion that got Ohio State to the Notre Dame 1 with time for two plays.

After an incomplete pass on first down, the Buckeyes went to a running play with 3 seconds left, taking advantage of an overloaded defense to one side and what appeared to be only 10 defenders on the field for the Fighting Irish.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day was fired up when it was over, going off on former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, who called out the Buckeyes toughness in predicting a Fighting Irish victory earlier in the week.

“I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now,” Day said during a postgame interview with NBC. “What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We’re proud to be from Ohio. It’s always been Ohio against the world, and it’ll continue to be Ohio against the world. But I’ll tell you what: I love those kids. We’ve got a tough team.”

Notre Dame (4-1) took the lead when Sam Hartman threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Rico Flores Jr. with 8: 22 to go to make it 14-10. The Fighting Irish defense came up a fourth-down stop on its 11-yard line on the next drive.

But the defense couldn’t come up with a second defensive stop. Notre Dame still hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 1936.

Ohio State appeared to have taken control when the Buckeyes stopped Hartman on fourth-and-1, and on the next play, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s block sprung TreVeyon Henderson for a 61-yard sprint down the sideline to make it 10-0 early in the third quarter.

The Irish finally got on the board when running back Gi’Bran Payne took a direct snap and scored on a 1-yard run. Hartman then capped a 96-yard TD drive with the TD pass to Flores.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: McCord took his biggest step forward yet Saturday by leading the Buckeyes to victory. Ohio State needs him to play the way he did on the final series.

McCord finished 21 for 37 for 240 yards and Henderson ran for 104 yards.

Notre Dame: Hartman has changed the whole perception of the Irish. His quick reads, accurate throws and nimble runs certainly have the Irish looking strong. But with three possible unbeaten foes in the next three weeks, they need Hartman to beat at his best.

INJURY UPDATE

Ohio State: Harrison injured his leg on Henderson’s scoring run when he got rolled up. Harrison spent several minutes in the Buckeyes’ injury tent but returned on the next series.

Notre Dame: Receiver Jayde Thomas also went to the injury tent when he was rolled up while blocking on an 18-yard run on Notre Dame’s touchdown drive.

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UP NEXT

Ohio State: Return to Big Ten play next Saturday by hosting Maryland.

Notre Dame: Plays a second straight ranked opponent next Saturday when it visits No. 18 Duke.

Reporting by The Associated Press.