OSU didn’t notice Notre Dame undermanned on game-winner
Josh Fryar thought his Ohio State offensive linemates were kidding when they told him about Notre Dame’s now-infamous faux pas.
Fryar was celebrating after the Buckeyes’ dramatic 17-14 victory Sept. 23 when Donovan Jackson and Josh Simmons told him the Fighting Irish were missing a player on Chip Trayanum’s 1-yard touchdown with 1 second left.
“They said it in the locker room, but I didn’t believe them,” Fryar said Wednesday as the Buckeyes continued preparation for Saturday’s game against visiting Maryland.
Jackson and Simmons form the left side of Ohio State’s line. Fryar is OSU’S right tackle. Notre Dame didn’t have a player opposite Simmons, the left tackle.
“I didn’t even notice that,” Fryar said.
Only when he was on the team airplane and saw a photo on his phone showing 10 Fighting Irish players did he realize Jackson and Simmons were telling the truth.
“I was shocked when I saw the picture,” Fryar said.
Trayanum was also unaware of the missing player when he lined up in the backfield for the decisive play. But he sensed something was amiss.
“It was definitely weird,” he said. “I knew something looked funny over there.”
He didn’t realize why until after the game.
“I don’t think anybody was aware until we all got on our phones,” Trayanum said.
He barely scored – even with the benefit of a missing player. Trayanum lunged across the goal line before his knees hit the ground.
“It’s so crazy because the play happened so fast but so slow at the same time,” Trayanum said.
“The play happened fast, but it felt like I was falling slow. The only thing I was telling myself was to keep my knees up, keep my knees up. I knew what it took. As I looked across that line, I was just staring at the ref. Seeing him with his arms up, it was definitely a great, validating feeling.”
But he said the result wouldn’t have changed if Notre Dame did have 11 players on the field.
“Nah, it wouldn’t have been different,” Trayanum said.