Notre Dame (7-5) will take on the LSU Tigers (8-4) on Tuesday afternoon at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee. The Irish hope to end a four game losing streak that occurred during a disastrous November, marked by turnovers, injuries, and uninspired play. The Tigers have a young team that began to gel late in the season, and are anxious to make a statement in this contest. Notre Dame hopes the return of Sheldon Day and Cody Riggs to the defensive lineup will enable it to be competitive, but Jarron Jones and Joe Schmidt remain on the sidelines. The game will be televised by ESPN beginning at 3:00 PM EST.
The Irish offense may have a different look at quarterback, where Malik Zaire is expected to see plenty of action. Everett Golson’s performance deteriorated at the end of the regular season, and the senior was pulled against USC after a horrible start. It remains to be seen who will start the game for Coach Brian Kelly, but it may be more interesting to see who finishes it.
LSU relies on a powerful rushing attack wherein they run the football 69% of the time for an average of 220 yards per game. Freshman Leonard Fournette is the featured back, and he is supported by seniors Terrence Magee and Kenny Hilliard. Quarterback Anthony Jennings is also a threat to run the ball, but his passing has been the issue that has kept the Tiger attack from becoming more of a factor within the powerful SEC West. Jennings has completed fewer than 50% of his passes this season, but has recently promised Tiger fans that they will see significant improvements against the Irish.
Fournette and friends will run behind a massive front line led by left tackle and team MVP La’el Collins. One potential problem for LSU is the loss of starting center Porter Elliott to injury. It remains to be seen if Notre Dame can take advantage without Jones in the lineup and Day at less than 100%. When Jennings elects to pass, the Irish must account for explosive wide receiver Travin Dural, who averages more than 20 yards per catch.
The Tigers also have one of the nation’s best defenses, and they were first in the SEC with only 305 yards allowed per game. End Jermauria Rasco, linebacker Kwon Alexander and safeties Ronald Martin and Jalen Mills are the leaders in this group that specializes in recording tackles for negative yardage. LSU is particularly effective against the pass and have had some difficulty with dual threat quarterbacks, so there would seem to be an opportunity for Zaire to play a significant number of snaps. If Kelly sticks primarily with Golson and elects to press the attack through the air, it could be a long afternoon.
Regardless of the strategy employed by the Irish, LSU’s physicality should prevail. Only an inspired performance by the Irish and exceptional quarterback play will keep the game close, but I don’t foresee either scenario happening.
LSU 41 Notre Dame 14
ccb says:
This otherwise meaningless bowl game is pivotal for 2015. A 41-14 loss followed by the blowout at USC
will carry over to next year.
mike in california says:
JVan,
If the LSU team that played Alabama to the wire shows up, I totally agree with your
prediction.
Last year a very “flat” LSU team sleepwalked in their bowl game against Iowa and held
on for a tight victory against a very average Iowa team..
Kelly needs to have this team “sky” high from the onset.. Anything less, and they should
fire him at halftime and not let him back on the field. And the “special” teams better play
at a high level.. Kelly should be on the hot seat but is not..
My expectations are so low that I don’t know if I can even watch the game….
Happy New Year to all!!
flirish says:
even with a different look at QB ND still has a major problem. we don’t have a different look at our coach. If he abandons the run after one series and continually de-emphasizes special teams we could find ourselves in an identical situation as we saw the last four weeks of the season.
For all EGs problems, and I do think a change is not a bad idea, I don’t think he can be blamed for all the turnover. with poor offensive game plans and constantly putting the QB in a bad situations, it is hard for any QB to look good.
In order to win, Kelly needs to :
Motivate his team–he didn’t do that since FSU. If he can’t inspire the team to play well he should not be coaching team–he hasn’t motivated them well at all in big games for the past five years
Run the ball
Have special teams step up to slightly above average from the pitiful level they have been at for five years
PC says:
When this match up was first announced I thought oh great we will add an embarrassing SEC beating to our November collapse but as the game gets closer I think ND is the far more motivated team which helps in these meaningless bowls. The switch to Zaire will prove to be perfect to add a wrinkle for LSU to deal with. I also think because LSU is fairly one dimensional on offense it could help Our D have a chance to make a few stops early and settle into the game. Ill be gutsy and call the upset- ND 23-21
RandalGraves says:
I actually agree with commenter PC on this one. I think this will be a close game with a possible upset. Reason being ND is a desperate team right now with players vying for future roster spots in the spring. The whole roster is on notice which most likely will lead tp greater focus in the film room and practice this past month. This coupled with LSU probably not giving a shit about this game and an overall lack of offensive firepower on their roster compared to previous years. I don’t think this LSU team has the high level skill players ie Odell Beckham that will lead to a blowout in the same fashion as the final USC game. Their OL and running game worries me but I think we will be fine there after a month of ND healing themselves in the front seven.
I have the sense that ND is going to come out with more focus and keep it a close game due to LSU sleepwalking in the first half and a lack of offensive firepower that can exploit ND’s seconday ND will have a 14-0 lead heading into halftime and will hold on for deadear life in the second half. Final score ND 20 – LSU 17.
We all hate life as Harbaugh is introuted at UM and realize we are stuck in forever Brian Kelly purgatory after an improbable win.
Joe Schaefer ND '59 says:
Kelly reminds me of my Irish grandmother Murphy. What a nag!
Kevin McNamara says:
Unfortunately you should expect a USC type result. Our team has lost its leadership and any physicality it had, which will be ugly vs. LSU.
ND Chicago says:
Brian Kelly’s buffoonery will be on full display; no running game, no game plan, no motivation, no special teams, no defense, and no clue. So pitiful that the best we can hope for is that ND isn’t embarrassed in the iconic Music City Bowl. I wish ND took football as seriously as, it appears, Michigan does.
mpsND‘72 says:
What difference – at this point – does it make?
SW says:
I agree with PC and RandalGraves. We should be more motivated than LSU. Zaire in particular should be very motivated, now that he is getting the start. That should light a fire under Golson as well. I’d like to see Bryant get some playing time as well so he can continue some of what he showed against USC. My fear is that, motivated or not, the defense might be too depleted to stop LSU. However, LSU averaged only 11.5 points/game over their last 4 games, so maybe they’ll stop themselves.
Going way out on a limb: ND 35 LSU 28
SW ’73
GOND88 says:
I am not hopeful or optimistic that ND will resemble anything other than the train wreck of a poorly coached and injury riddled team that we saw in the second half of the season. Again, the best we can hope for is a close, respectable loss instead of being completely eviscerated and humiliated by an opponent.
Nebraska won’t tolerate 9-3 seasons, but Swarbrick and the administration seem perfectly content with finishing 8-4 or 7-5. And ND will finish a pedestrian 8-4 in 2015 resulting in a lifetime contract extension for Brian Kelly. It seems ND wants to become the Boston College of the Midwest.
I’m just glad we don’t play Michigan anymore since they hired Jim Harbaugh as Kelly doesn’t fare too well against marquee coaches.
At any rate, I predict a game full of head scratching offensive play calling, poor special teams and injuries resulting in an LSU victory of 45-21 with most of ND’s points coming late in the 4th quarter against LSU’s third and fourth string defense.
Aaron says:
What are we trying to prove by playing LSU in this bowl other than we are going to continue our losing streak!?!??? There is enough blame to go around on this season besides BK….you can include Jack, administration, and Cesear!!!!! Well, this game is going to be ugly and nothing good is going to come of it other than disappointment, setbacks, anger, and resentment. Happy New Year……my new year resolution is a Notre Dame school and Program to be relevant on and off the field!!!!
PanDomer73 says:
I don’t think we can beat any bowl eligible team. Can’t believe I still care… hope the team still does to keep it respectable. Kelly needs to show us something otherwise I’m ready for him to go elsewhere. LSU 35 – 17.
Eddie says:
I really think “14” is quite generous, given MZ in his first start, Kelly’s penchant to pass all the freaking time and LSU’s #1 pass defense. This is a team that took Alabama to OT – the only question in my mind is just how embarrassing is this going to be?
Actually the other question in my mind is – “how much embarrassment are Jack Swarbrick and the PTBs willing to endure?” Notre Dame Stadium has become, sadly, nothing more than a museum dedicated to long-past greatness. Notre Dame cares not about football excellence.
35-3. Stone.
Andrew says:
Prediction
GLORYglorygloryglory
GLORYglorygloryglory
GLORYglorygloryglory
GLORYglorygloryglory
CHOOOCHOOOOOOOOO!
Glory.
ND 42, LSU 28
rm says:
Nd will roll. Mark my words. Kelly gets sick thus someone else calls the plays. 28 to 10 Nd
mrm says:
The game isn’t as much about winning or losing, as it will be about Kelly’s ability to put the “fight” back in the Irish. And to a lesser extent, will Kelly be able to put his ego aside and run the damn football.
Dslayer says:
Hard to stop LSU offense without a middle linebacker. He’s out of position or easily blocked all day.
Chuckie says:
Written after the marvelous Victory of last night. How wonderful, and humbling. I eat my words about skipping the bowl and reorganizing for next season.
The team and Coach Kelly proved the nay-sayers wrong.
So, how RIGHT it was to play the Music City Bowl against LSU, which is a very good team in its own right.
Congratulations, Fighting Irish! Thanks for keeping the team faith!