Staff Picks: No. 1 Clemson at No. 4 Notre Dame - 247Sports

If Notre Dame runs the ball as efficiently as it has throughout 2020, the Irish will upset Clemson. If they don’t, they will not…and it won’t be all that close in defeat.

(Can I stop there? I guess not, but that’s the sentence that will ring true—one way or the other—Saturday night.)

Efficiently for the Irish, to date, has meant the following:

A game-controlling 61% on second down, plus…
A remarkable 66% combined on third down and fourth down

(First down is a more human 50 percent over the last four contests—look for a few more short passing attempts on first down vs. Brent Venables vexing attack.)

But can the Irish hit either of those numbers vs. Clemson? Highly doubtful, yet a reasonable facsimile would suffice, allowing Ian Book to make a small handful (a ‘couple’ might not be enough) of plays downfield to go with the screen, drag, and short crossing route game that has been the staple of the offense to date.

The challenge noted above and in reality on Saturday is that the Irish must be able to stay in character against a defense that has made its living taking away the best dimension of each opponent it faces over the last seven games—actually, check that, of the last 5.5 seasons!

The pedestrian Irish passing game is wholly reliant on its rushing attack—it’s a bruising belief of veteran blockers and trio of young runners that will operate against a Clemson defense suffering from three crucial injuries up through the heart of its defense.

I think that’s the difference. That and Ian Book hitting two crucial passes in the red zone—the area that’s inexplicably plagued his overall passing performance throughout the 2020 campaign.

A win over the No. 1 team in the nation and one of the sport’s two elite programs will inarguably rank as the top victory of the Brian Kelly Era to date. It’s a program that has prevailed in 14 straight decisions on the road. (And, as Tim Prister pointed out, a hilarious 50 straight on Saturdays!)

Worry about Trevor Lawrence and a likely rematch in Charlotte later.

Notre Dame 27 Clemson 24

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Read Again Brow https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vMjQ3c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9jb2xsZWdlL25vdHJlLWRhbWUvTG9uZ0Zvcm1BcnRpY2xlL1N0YWZmLVBpY2tzLU5vLTEtQ2xlbXNvbi1hdC1Oby00LU5vdHJlLURhbWUtMTU0Mjc0MzE3L9IBc2h0dHBzOi8vMjQ3c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9jb2xsZWdlL25vdHJlLWRhbWUvTG9uZ0Zvcm1BcnRpY2xlL1N0YWZmLVBpY2tzLU5vLTEtQ2xlbXNvbi1hdC1Oby00LU5vdHJlLURhbWUtMTU0Mjc0MzE3L0FtcC8?oc=5

Bagikan Berita Ini