NFL
By: Greg Rector
Notre Dame vs. North Carolina State 12 Noon EDT ABC
Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to Raleigh to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack in their first road game of the season. The Fighting Irish are currently ranked as the number nine team in the country and the Wolfpack are currently ranked as the 23rd-best team. Let’s look at the matchup.
Notre Dame Defense
The Fighting Irish defense must be ready for the ground game to be used by the N.C. State offense as they piled on 209 yards rushing against their week one opponent—N.C. State Wolfpack have former Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong who ran for 96 yards and scored two touchdowns for N.C. State in their 24-14 victory over UCONN.
Meanwhile, the Notre Dame defense hasn’t been challenged by either Navy or Tennesee State with very much passing and Armstrong only went 17 of 26 passing the ball for just 155 yards. The Fighting Irish will need to be aware and focus on keeping Armstrong in the pocket and preventing him from running with the football. Jordan Houston added 57 yards on the ground for the Wolfpack.
Look for Notre Dame to use plenty of their linebackers in Marist Liufau JD Bertrand and Jack Kiser to cover Armstrong and limit his ability to use his legs. The secondary has yet to be challenged and must answer the call this week. Cam Hart and the rest of the secondary will need to limit the Wolfpack’s variety of receivers including freshman Kevin Concepcion who had 4 catches for 36 yards against the UCONN Huskies.
Notre Dame Offense
While Devyn Ford will miss this game the Notre Dame ground game is going to be led by Audric Estime Jeremeiyah Love Jadarian Price and Gi’Bran Payne. Good luck to the North Carolina State Wolfpack’s defense in trying to limit their damage along with the highly effective offensive line where Joe Alt and Blake Fisher have led the way at the two tackle positions it’s been the work on the inside led by center graduate Zeke Correll along with the two new guards in Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler who have really opened up massive holes for the running backs.
Sam Hartman leads the Fighting Irish and the man has simply been phenomenal as the leader of the Fighting Irish offense. Hartman just comes out onto the field with so much poise and his history of playing twice already against NC State in Raleigh while he was playing for Wake Forest will come in handy. Hartman’s teams lost both of those contests so you know he wants to end that streak.
QB Sam Hartman in his first 2 games:
– 33/40 passing completions
– 82.5% completion percentage
– 445 passing yards
– 11.1 yard passing average
– 6 passing touchdowns
– 1 rushing touchdown
– 0 interceptions #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/3AQssoB6Mf— Notre Dame Fighting Irish (@Insidetheirish) September 5, 2023
Mitchell Evans was highly effective in the passing game against Tennesee State and he will be needed again. I was impressed with the efficiency that both Hartman and Steve Angeli found the receivers all game long against the Tigers.
The Wolfpack defense is led by Payton Willis and the linebacker was phenomenal against the Huskies in week one piling up 10 tackles.
My Outlook
I have the Fighting Irish winning this game in a much closer game than the first two games went for Notre Dame. I believe the Notre Dame offense will overwhelm the Wolfpack’s defense. I see Notre Dame going to 3-0 as they get the victory in Raleigh by a score of 31 to 21.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish coverage will be here every week. Watch our YouTube show the College Football Forecast with Bill Carroll and Brock Viera.
You can find me on X @GregCowboys
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