Ohio State football recruits react to Notre Dame win, Ohio Stadium

Ohio State football hosted a long list of recruits for its season opener against Notre Dame.

From 2023 commits like wide receiver Brandon Inniss, offensive lineman Luke Montgomery and running back Mark Fletcher, to targets like 2023 five-star defensive end and former Notre Dame commit Keon Keeley, the Buckeyes made a big impression on potentially future Ohio State football players, beating the Fighting Irish, 21-10 in the first game of the 2022 season.

Here's how a few recruits responded after their trip to Ohio Stadium Saturday night.

2023 commits Bryson Rodgers, Jermaine Mathews leave impressed

Bryson Rodgers had already been convinced.

The 2023 four-star out of Wiregrass Ranch High School in Zephyrhills, Florida was the Buckeyes' first wide receiver commit in the class, and was later joined by Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers and Inniss: three top-11 receivers in the class per 247Sports' composite rankings.

When Rodgers returned Saturday for the Notre Dame game, he felt the "atmosphere was off the walls."

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"(I) felt part of the brotherhood already," Rodgers said, who said that he plans to be back for the Buckeyes' home matchup with Wisconsin Sept. 24.

2023 cornerback commit Jermaine Matthews out of Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati called the atmosphere "crazy" and said he left liking the Ohio State defensive coaching staff even more after the Buckeyes allowed 10 points and 253 yards to No. 5 Notre Dame.

2024 five-star KJ Bolden: Ohio State is a "potential home"

KJ Bolden has college football's attention in the 2024 class.

The 2024 five-star athlete out of Buford, Georgia is the No. 4 player in the country and already holds offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and many others.

On Saturday, Bolden saw the potential in the Buckeyes.

"The atmosphere was electric," Bolden said. "It felt good to be in the stadium witnessing a potential home for me.

"I learnt that (Ohio State) play physical football, I leaned that coach Day is expected to go 1-0 every week, and it’s (best in America) when they players and coaches touch the field."

2024 ATH Garrett Stover: "Best game I've experienced so far in the Shoe"

Garrett Stover has been to Ohio State before, visiting with his cousin and current Ohio State tight end Cade Stover when he was a recruit. But Saturday's matchup with Notre Dame was the best experience Garrett Stover has had in Ohio Stadium.

"Definitely the best game I’ve experienced so far in the Shoe," Stover said. "The energy and excitement of all the fans and players and even coaches was insane as well. Ohio State is such a special place when it comes to good people."

Stover, who got his Ohio State offer in June and holds offers from Cincinnati, Michigan State and Notre Dame, said he talked with coach Ryan Day after the game, along with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, program assistant Koy McFarland and senior advisor and analyst Matt Guerrieri. He said the one thing that separates the Buckeyes from other programs is how approachable the staff is.

Stover, who plays at Big Walnut High School in Sunbury, said Ohio State played "super hard and tough."

"I was very excited to see the defense," Stover said. "They flew around and made a bunch of great plays."

Garrett Stover said Cade Stover played "awesome," finishing the game with three receptions for 14 yards on four targets.

2024 OL Ian Moore: "I learned that the fans might be a little crazy"

The only word Ian Moore could use to describe Ohio Stadium Saturday night was "electric."

"I’ve never been in a stadium with that many people and it was just amazing," the 2024 four-star offensive lineman out of New Palestine, Indiana said.

"I learned that the fans might be a little crazy. There were 8 year olds running around decked out head to toe in Ohio State which shows another level of commitment from the fans."

Moore, who holds offers from Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa, said members of the coaching staff "still found time to talk to me and hang out with me," even with the amount of recruits and commits that were in attendance. He also saw a distinct change in the Buckeyes' offensive line under new position coach Justin Frye.

"They looked incredible," Moore said. "They were extremely dominant up front against probably one of the better defenses in college football."

2024 TE/DE KingJoseph Edwards: "It was like being at a party"

2024 four-star tight end and defensive end KingJoseph Edwards felt like he was at a party Saturday night.

"Fans screaming going crazy, lights, fireworks, the band playing music performing, Edwards said, "It was like being at a party, you know something good is about to happen but you don’t know what it is."

Edwards, the No. 33 player in the 2024 class, holds an offer from Ohio State along with offers from LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Alabama, Michigan and Georgia. He called Saturday's game the "best football game I ever attended."

Edwards also left incredibly impressed by Ohio State's defense.

"I knew Ohio state defense trained hard and prepared well for games," Edwards said. "Watching them last night I realized they are also relentless and don’t back down from a fight.

"Buckeyes are next level."

More Ohio State recruits react to Ohio Stadium atmosphere

2024 four-star tight end Christian Bentancur, who earned an offer after a private workout with offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson during a camp this past summer, called Ohio Stadium "one of the best atmospheres I've ever seen."

2025 tight end Landon Pace, who earned an Ohio State offer in June after camping with the Buckeyes, said he "loved the energy" during Ohio State's win against Notre Dame and loved the Buckeyes' "toughness they showed in the second half and how they responded."

Findlay quarterback Ryan Montgomery, who was the first quarterback Ohio State offered in the 2025 class, said he learned the Buckeyes are a "very tough team," and saw a much improved defense in such a small span of time.

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