Why it’s important
In the era of the four-team college playoff system, a team can’t afford many losses. In fact, no team with more than one loss has made it to the playoffs. For that simple reason, every game is important, and it’s that fact that makes college football so much fun to watch (as opposed to the NFL, where a .500 record can sometimes “earn” a team a wild-card spot). More significantly, both teams will be highly ranked. Unsurprisingly, the NCAA’s “way too early” 2022 rankings look like this: 1. Alabama, 2. Ohio State, 3. Georgia, 4. Texas A&M, 5. Notre Dame. See what I mean? There’s a lot at stake. The winner gets a high-quality win and solidifies a top ranking.
Recruiting is also at stake. The Buckeyes and Irish are both national powers, and both recruit nationally. But they’re also Midwest powers and compete head-to-head in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania. Win this big game, and you’ve got a recruiting edge over your rival.
All of these facts, however, would be the same if Ohio State were playing some other power early in the season. Rankings and recruiting and playoff possibilities would be affected similarly in games against Oregon, or Texas, or Oklahoma. But Notre Dame is different, unique even.
