SOUTH BEND — Former Notre Dame football star Brady Quinn is bullish on his alma mater’s chances on Saturday night against favored Ohio State.

During an appearance on CBS Sports Radio on Wednesday evening, the former Irish and NFL quarterback told host Zach Gelb his confidence level was a “10” on a 1-10 scale that No. 9 Notre Dame would knock off the sixth-ranked Buckeyes.

“It’s been a long time since a Notre Dame team has had this much talent on one roster,” said Quinn, who will be at Oklahoma-Cincinnati in his pregame analyst role with Fox Big Saturday. “I think they’re going to surprise a lot of Ohio State people.”

Quinn, who attended Notre Dame’s season-opening 42-3 win over Navy in Dublin Ireland, noted the “size and depth” the Irish have on their offensive and defensive lines as well as their game-breaking weapons on offense.

“Looking at their skill positions,” Quinn said. “they’re as long and as athletic and as skillful as I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

A Maxwell Award winner who finished in the top four of Heisman Trophy voting in both 2005 and 2006, Quinn was effusive in his praise of quarterback Sam Hartman, the Wake Forest graduate transfer.

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“This is a group that’s recruited well, they’ve developed well,” Quinn said. “They’ve been primed now to try to have that breakthrough, and I think Sam Hartman’s the guy that’s now opening so many things up for them on the outside at wide receiver.”

Hartman, tied for seventh in FBS history with 123 career touchdown passes, has yet to throw an interception through a 4-0 start at Notre Dame. Hartman, who has thrown for 13 touchdowns this season and run for two more, connected on touchdown strikes of 75 yards to Tobias Merriweather and 76 yards to Chris Tyree against Central Michigan.

“They just haven’t been able to have somebody who can stretch the field vertically,” Quinn said. “They’ve got a quarterback now that can do that.”

Quinn also likes Notre Dame’s defense, fourth in the country at 234 yards allowed per game, one spot behind Ohio State in total defense.

“This group feels very similar to Michigan as far as how this team is built,” Quinn said of the Irish. “They’re still built through the running game, dominating you physically, but sound, solid defense. They can get pressure, they can get turnovers, but now they’ve got people to make the big plays, too, with the quarterback.”

Follow Notre Dame football writer Mike Berardino on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Former Notre Dame football QB Brady Quinn believes in latest successor