Clemson will look to stay unbeaten Saturday when the Tigers step out of ACC play with a trip to Notre Dame. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised by NBC.
Clemson’s defense vs. Notre Dame’s offense: If Notre Dame has its preference, this game would be played in a telephone booth
The Fighting Irish like to pick their spots to take shots in the passing game, but the running game is their bread and butter. Notre Dame comes into this one with a three-man backfield rotation and a physical offensive line that have spearheaded the nation’s No. x rushing attack.
It will make for a matchup of strength versus strength. Clemson’s defense hasn’t always been consistent, but the Tigers still possess the nation’s seventh-best run defense. Notre Dame is averaging more than 186 rushing yards per game while Clemson has allowed more than 200 just once this season.
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer is a problem for any defense and figures to get his to some extent, though the Tigers have the kind of athleticism at linebacker that should help them keep up with the 6-foot-5, 265-pound All-American in coverage. But can Notre Dame consistently make enough plays through the air when the opportunities present themselves?
Clemson’s weakness has been in the secondary (244.6 passing yards allowed per game), but with backup quarterback Drew Pyne now starting, the Irish are throwing for just 196.4 yards per game, which ranks 106th nationally. Advantage: Clemson
Clemson’s offense vs. Notre Dame’s defense: At a time when Clemson’s passing game has gone into a bit of a funk, the running game is starting to find its stride.
After averaging 230 rushing yards over the last two games, the Tigers are up to 41st nationally in that category. Will Shipley has been the workhorse (739 yards, 10 rushing TDs) behind an offensive line that’s improving each week.
Notre Dame will counter with the nation’s No. 28 total defense, which includes a top-50 rushing defense. So if Notre Dame can slow down Clemson’s running game, can D.J. Uiagalelei and a passing game that’s produced 209 yards or less in three of the last four games make enough plays? And which version of Uiagalelei shows up in South Bend after the Tigers’ starter was benched against Syracuse?
Uiagalelei had one of the best performances of his career against Notre Dame two years ago in the same stadium. Keeping him upright, though, will be key this time around against Irish edge rusher Isaiah Foskey, whose 7.5 sacks are tied for fifth-most in the FBS. Advantage: Draw
Special teams: Both of these teams have kickers making more than 76% of their field-goal attempts and punters averaging more than 41 yards per kick. Clemson’s Aidan Swanson has been a bit better over the last couple of games with multiple punts of at least 50 yards during that span.
Shipley is helping Clemson average 25.7 yards per kickoff return, sixth-best in the country, while Notre Dame averages just 17 yards per kickoff return. But the Fighting Irish’s five blocked kicks – two more than Clemson – are tied for the most in the country. Will one of these teams come up with a momentum-swinger on special teams? Advantage: Draw
Bottom line: This is a good matchup for Clemson in the sense that Notre Dame isn’t the type of offense that has proven to be capable of consistently exploiting the Tigers’ issues in coverage. Don’t be surprised if Clemson stacks the box in an attempt to slow down Notre Dame’s running game and force what’s been a below-average Irish passing game to try to beat it. Notre Dame’s defense will keep a hot-and-cold Clemson offense in check enough to keep it close, but this feels like a game Notre Dame needs help to win.
Prediction: Clemson 26, Notre Dame 17
Photo credit: Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports
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