Eddie George was unstoppable and 6 things to know about the 1995 OSU vs. ND game
To begin the 2022 football season, Ohio State will host Notre Dame for the first time since 1995.
That 1995 game proved to be a performance to remember, as the Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish 45-25 for their fourth win of the season, helped by a running back Eddie George's 207-yard and three-touchdown day.
It was one of three games in which George rushed for 200 yards or more, and he finished the season with 1,927 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns and a Heisman Trophy.
But how did the rest of the Buckeyes do in their first home win against the Fighting Irish in school history? Here are six things to remember about the 1995 game:
Ohio State football was on a roll heading into the Notre Dame game
Starting the 1995 season as the No. 12 team in the country, Ohio State won each of its first three games by double-digits, including victories against No. 22 Boston College in the Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and No. 18 Washington.
Heading into the Week 4 matchup against No. 15 Notre Dame, Ohio State was No. 7 in the country.
Bobby Hoying had a good day in the passing game for Ohio State
While George's 207 yards and two touchdowns proved to be a lasting legacy for this win against Notre Dame, Bobby Hoying made a significant impact in the passing game.
The Ohio State senior quarterback completed 14 of his 22 pass attempts for 272 yards and four touchdowns. Hoying finished the 1995 season with two games in which he threw four or more touchdowns: Notre Dame and Pittsburgh the week before.
Before finishing 10th in the Heisman Trophy race and being selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Hoying finished the 1995 season with 3,269 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, including two rushing scores, and 12 interceptions.
Terry Glenn remained Bobby Hoying's go-to wide receiver
If Ohio State's passing game was working in 1995, it was because of Terry Glenn.
The Buckeyes' win against Notre Dame was no different. Glenn finished with four catches for 128 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown on a slant for the Buckeyes' first score of the game in the second quarter.
Glenn finished the season with 1,411 receiving yards, which was then an Ohio State record before David Boston broke it with 1,435 receiving yards in 1998. Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke the record again in 2021 with 1,606 receiving yards.
Eddie George was not the only running back to have a solid day
Randy Kinder was able to do some damage against Ohio State’s defense.
The Notre Dame junior running back scored three of his 10 touchdowns during the 1995 season against the Buckeyes, recording 143 rushing yards on 28 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per carry.
Ohio State’s defense did enough to beat Notre Dame
Against Notre Dame, Ohio State’s defense allowed 447 yards on 73 plays with the Fighting Irish averaging 6.1 yards per play.
However, the Buckeyes had three players finish with double-digit tackles — Greg Bellisari, Ryan Miller and Luke Fickell — seven tackles-for-loss, including two by defensive end Mike Vrabel, two fumbles recovered and an interception by Shawn Springs, who led the team with five in 1995.
Ohio State lost momentum at the very end of the 1995 season
Ohio State's Week 4 win against Notre Dame was only the beginning of what proved to be a dominant season, winning each of its first 11 games with only one game — a three-point win against Penn State — decided by less than 10 points.
However, entering the final game of the regular season as the No. 2 team in the country, Ohio State fell to No. 18 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 31-23, before losing by six in the Citrus Bowl to No. 4 Tennessee.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What happened in the OSU vs. ND 1995 game?
