4. Notre Dame vs Navy
LINE Notre Dame -15.5
ATS PICK Notre Dame
I’ve been better at figuring out the Irish than I think.
I’m still stunned I whiffed so badly on the Clemson over Notre Dame call, but I got the win over North Carolina along with the closer-than-expected game against Ohio State.
This week it’s all about believing the running game that showed up against the Tigers is about to make the trip to Baltimore.
Navy isn’t playing that poorly. It’s defense has been okay, and the offense has done enough to keep things close, and there have been only two times when it lost by 16 or more – 37-13 to Memphis, and 38-20 to Houston.
But it has yet to play a Power Five program.
It hung around with Cincinnati last week, but there wasn’t anything on the ground from the Bearcat O. There won’t be much from the Navy ground game in this against an Irish D that allowed over 165 yards just twice.
Air Force ran on Navy for 200 yards, Houston ran for 180, and the Irish should come up with at least 230 in this.
All that, and 34-6 Irish. That was last year.
52-20 Notre Dame in 2019. 44-22 in 2018. It was lean in 2016 and 2017, but 41-24 in 2015.
Be shocked if Navy gets past 20 points.