Ex-Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz doubles down on Ohio State critique, says Buckeyes are 'good' but not great

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Former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz had some pointed words about the Ohio State prior to last Saturday's highly-anticipated matchup in South Bend.

Prior to the Ohio State-Notre Dame game, Holtz told "The Pat McAfee Show" the Buckeyes had not been physical enough to beat premier opponents. The retired coach and former ESPN college football analyst cited Ohio State's back-to-back losses to Michigan and its College Football Playoff defeats against Georgia, Alabama and Clemson.

"You look at Coach Day, and I coached at Ohio State under Woody Hayes, Holtz said earlier in the week. "We won the national championship when I was there. I’m proud of that. However, (Day) has lost to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Michigan twice. And everybody that beats him does so because they are more physical than Ohio State. And I think Notre Dame will take that same approach."

After the Buckeyes three-point win over the No. 9 ranked Fighting Irish, fifth-year Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Holtz's critique left him in disbelief.

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Ryan Day fired back at Lou Holtz's critique. (Getty Images)

"I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now. What he said about our team, 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 will continue to be Ohio against the world," Day said during his postgame on-field interview.

On Tuesday, Holtz made an appearance on Dan Dakich of Outkick's "Don't @ Me" show and doubled down on his previous remarks, saying that while Ohio State won Saturday, Notre Dame was the superior football team.

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"Notre Dame was a better football team," Holtz told Dakich. "I felt Notre Dame won the football game. All we had to do was fall on the ball."

Holtz added that if he was still wearing the coach's headset, he would have motivated his team by telling them they were superior to the opponent.

"I don't feel bad about saying it because I believed it," Holtz told Dakich. "Notre Dame was a better football team. Three times, Ohio State had fourth and 1, ran the ball and couldn't make it. ... If I was coaching, I would have said it. I would [have] went to our team and said, 'I think you're better. I think you're more physical. I think you're more talented.'

"But when I say something, and yet I can't control the outcome of the game, that's unfair to Coach Freeman."

Head Coach Lou Holtz of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during a game in 1990. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Day added that it was important for the team to play well in its game against a top-notch opponent like Notre Dame. 

"We needed to win like that, to stop that narrative that's going on, because it's not true," Day noted.

Holtz, 86, said he understands why Day was unhappy with him.

"He doesn't want to talk about [losing to] Michigan, 0-2, he doesn't want to talk about the big games coming up against Penn State and against Michigan again," Holtz said. "He's a great coach. He's done a tremendous job. He's a great offensive mind. ... Ohio State's a good football team. I don't think they're a great football team. He can go after me all he wants."

Holtz added he hopes Day "goes on and has a wonderful year," and complimented Notre Dame's coach saying he didn't realize how much his words would be amplified.

Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium Sept. 23, 2023, in South Bend, Indiana. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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"Coach Freeman is always a class guy," Holtz said. "He's very, very polite. He didn't even make a comment about it, but I wanted him to know that I felt bad."

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.