The Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 4, dropping them to No. 11 in the AP poll. The Irish will try to bounce back and keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive when they face the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday night in Durham.
Duke hosts College GameDay for the first time
The Duke Blue Devils have been one of the surprise teams of the season, winning their first four games and climbing to No. 17 in the rankings. The Blue Devils have been led by their defense, which has held all of their opponents to 14 points or fewer. Duke’s biggest win came in Week 1, when they upset the Clemson Tigers at home, 24-14.
Duke’s campus will be buzzing on Saturday, as the Blue Devils will host ESPN’s College GameDay for the first time in school history. The show will air live from Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, where thousands of fans are expected to show up and cheer for their team.
Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said he was thrilled to have College GameDay come to Durham, and he hopes his players will enjoy the experience.
“It’s a great honor for our program, our university and our fans,” Cutcliffe said. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our players and staff. We’re looking forward to having a lot of fun with it, but we also know we have a big challenge ahead of us.”
Notre Dame needs a statement win to stay in playoff contention
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered the season with high expectations, as they returned most of their starters from last year’s team that reached the CFB Playoff semifinals. The Irish started off strong, winning their first three games and scoring 40 or more points in each of them.
However, Notre Dame’s playoff hopes took a major hit in Week 4, when they lost a thriller to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 42-41. The Irish had a chance to tie the game with a two-point conversion in the final minute, but quarterback Sam Hartman’s pass was intercepted by Ohio State safety Josh Proctor.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said he was proud of his team’s effort, but he also acknowledged that they made too many mistakes to beat a top-ranked opponent.
“We played with a lot of heart and passion, but we also played with a lot of errors,” Kelly said. “We had some penalties, some turnovers, some missed assignments that cost us dearly. We have to clean those things up if we want to compete at the highest level.”
Notre Dame will have a chance to redeem themselves on Saturday, when they face another ranked team on the road. The Irish will need a convincing win over Duke to impress the playoff committee and stay in the hunt for a spot in the top four.
Key matchups and players to watch
The game between Notre Dame and Duke will feature some intriguing matchups and players to watch on both sides of the ball.
One of the key matchups will be between Notre Dame’s offense and Duke’s defense. The Irish have one of the most explosive offenses in the country, averaging 44 points and 506 yards per game. Hartman leads the nation with 14 touchdown passes, and he has a talented group of receivers, including Michael Mayer, Kevin Austin Jr. and Avery Davis.
Duke’s defense has been stingy all season, allowing only 10 points and 265 yards per game. The Blue Devils have a strong front seven, led by defensive end Chris Rumph II and linebacker Shaka Heyward. They also have a ball-hawking secondary, led by cornerback Mark Gilbert and safety Michael Carter II.
Another key matchup will be between Duke’s offense and Notre Dame’s defense. The Blue Devils have a balanced offense, averaging 31 points and 411 yards per game. Quarterback Chase Brice has been efficient, completing 64 percent of his passes for 948 yards and six touchdowns. He has a reliable target in tight end Noah Gray, who leads the team with 19 catches for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame’s defense has been solid, allowing only 19 points and 314 yards per game. The Irish have a dominant defensive line, led by end Daelin Hayes and tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. They also have a talented linebacker corps, led by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Drew White.
Some of the players to watch in this game are:
- Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame: Hartman is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and he will need to bounce back from his costly interception against Ohio State. He has thrown for 1,355 yards and 14 touchdowns with only two interceptions this season.
- Chris Rumph II, DE, Duke: Rumph is one of the best pass rushers in the country, and he will try to pressure Hartman and disrupt Notre Dame’s passing game. He has 3.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss this season.
- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Mayer is one of the best tight ends in the country, and he is a mismatch for any defense. He has 18 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns this season.
- Mark Gilbert, CB, Duke: Gilbert is one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and he will try to shut down Notre Dame’s receivers. He has two interceptions and four pass breakups this season.
Prediction and betting odds
The betting odds for this game favor Notre Dame by 5.5 points, according to the lines at SI Sportsbook, which set the total at 51 points.
The prediction for this game is that Notre Dame will win by a narrow margin, but Duke will cover the spread. The Irish have more talent and experience than the Blue Devils, but they also have more pressure and expectations. Duke will play with nothing to lose and a lot of energy in front of their home crowd.
The final score prediction is Notre Dame 27, Duke 24.
