Notre Dame (7-2) places its major bowl aspirations on the line at Clemson (4-4) on Saturday. The Fighting Irish are currently slotted at 15^th in the Playoff Committee rankings and need to ascend to the top twelve in order to qualify. Coach Marcus Freeman’s squad has been riding a strong defense and rejuvenated special teams of late as they strive to reach their full potential. Meanwhile, the Tigers have won the statistical battle against all opponents this year but have failed in critical moments including two overtime losses.  ABC will televise the game beginning at 12:00 Noon Eastern time.

Coach Dabo Swinney is in his sixteenth season at the school. Swinney’s record is 165-43 with two national championships in six playoff appearances. The program has encountered adversity this season for the first time in over a decade. Swinney and quarterback Cade Klubnik are the primary targets of criticism which intensified after last week’s loss at North Carolina State. After Swinney accepted full responsibility for the team’s struggles this season, star linebacker Barrett Carter went public with a passionate defense of his coach.

“You don’t want your coach to have to stick up for you and take the blame for anything like that because I feel like it’s also on us players to go out there and execute whatever’s being called…it’s on us to line up and dominate the person in front of us so it’s great that Coach Swinney does that, but I don’t want him to have to ever do that again,” Carter said.

Meanwhile, Swinney lashed out at critics of Klubnik this week: “We’ve made it acceptable and okay just to attack people. It’s sad. I mean, it really is”, he said. “This kid works his butt off. He’s not perfect. He’s growing. I think he’s gonna be a superstar, I really do. He ain’t right now. But he’s a hell of a competitor. He gonna get better and better and better. I’ll go to battle with that dude any day of the week.”

The majority of the issues for the Tigers this year are on offense. Clemson is in its first season under new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and the results have been well below expectations. Swinney managed to lure Riley away from TCU after the Horned Frogs made the National Championship game last season but the transition has not been smooth. The Tiger attack has sputtered as Klubnik has thrown an average of 37 passes per game, including 50 last week against only 22 tailback runs.

Injuries have also been a problem for Clemson. Walter Parks, a third-year starter on the offensive line, was lost for the season in September. Star tailback Will Shipley and wide receiver Tyler Brown, a freshman phenom, have missed time. Both left the game against NC State with new ailments. They remain questionable for Saturday. Strong safety R.J. Mickens had an appendectomy a week ago and is out indefinitely.

The Irish received some good news this week regarding injured starting cornerbacks Cam Hart (shoulder) and Benjamin Morrison (quad). Both will be back in the lineup this week. Unfortunately, tight end Mitchell Evans (knee) is out for the season.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. CLEMSON’S DEFENSE

Clemson’s 4-3 base alignment features highly regarded seniors up front and a pair of excellent linebackers. Tackle Tyler Davis is the best of the group in the trenches. He and Ruke Orhohoro plug the middle while ends Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll line up outside. Freshman T.J. Parker has advanced quickly as a capable pass rusher and has earned plenty of snaps.

The linebackers are athletic and fast. Carter will provide a stiff challenge for the Irish tight ends while Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. creates havoc in the middle. This pair leads the team in tackles. Notre Dame had success on the ground in 2022 running the ball straight at this group. Swinney refused to bring his safeties forward into the box and paid a heavy price. Since Sam Hartman represents a significant improvement at quarterback for the Irish this season, Swinney may once again be reluctant to overplay the run.

If there is a weakness in this defense that is ranked sixth in the nation in fewest yards allowed, it is in the secondary. Free safety Jalyn Phillips is a veteran leader of the unit and a leading tackler for the Tigers. Mickens’ absence on the strong side leaves a hole that Andrew Mukuba or freshman Khalil Barnes must fill. Cornerback Nate Wiggins is the Tigers’ best cover man. Poor tackling has hurt this group from time to time and is a common theme in the team’s more painful losses.

Notre Dame’s rushing attack has been excellent at times but hurt by poor execution in numerous other instances. One missed block has all too often resulted in no gain when 5-10 yards could have been realized. We are at the point in the season where the line must put those mistakes behind them and play at a high level.

CLEMSON’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

A quick look at the statistics makes one wonder why the Tigers have struggled on offense. Clemson has scored 29 points per game, Klubnik has completed 64% of his passes, and they have outgained their opponent in seven of eight games. Only Miami, who beat the Tigers in overtime, edged them by a mere 17 yards.

Digging deeper, however, one recognizes a few harsh truths. Clemson has averaged only 19 points against Power Five teams, they rank near the bottom in red zone scoring efficiency, and turnovers have bitten them in close games. Furthermore, Klubnik ranks 90^th nationally in yards per pass attempt (Hartman is 12^th). Explosive plays have been few and far between. This is surprising given the talent level of the skill position players. There is no statistic that tracks the failure to make winning plays in key moments, but this has been a major criticism of Klubnik and the offense.

The offensive line is young and has struggled to protect the quarterback. Center Will Putnam is the only senior, and Swinney has been rotating the other spots in search of the right combination. Klubnik has faltered under pressure despite the ability to extend plays with his athletic ability. His accuracy and decision making in those instances is comparatively poor. Perhaps this will improve as Klubnik’s career progresses but it is not likely to dramatically change in a week. Notre Dame’s defensive line has an advantage in their matchup and should be able to add to Klubnik’s discomfort in the pocket.

At wide receiver, the injury to Brown will impact the Tigers if he cannot play or is limited. Clemson already lost starter Cole Turner for the season in September. Beaux Collins remains a big play threat at one spot while tight end Jake Briningstool has established himself as the most consistent component of the attack. Troy Stellato and Adam Randall are other viable options, particularly if Brown is sidelined.

Shipley and veteran backup Phil Mafah are critical components of the Tiger offense. Shipley provides speed and shiftiness, and Mafah is a bruiser at 6’1” 230. Both are capable receivers out of the backfield. In recent games, however, the rushing attack has not delivered enough to keep the pressure off the passing game. Tiger insiders cite poor blocking up front, where the coaches are still experimenting to plug holes and cover weaknesses.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Clemson’s kicker Jonathan Weitz took over in September when Robert Gunn proved ineffective. Weitz has hit six of ten field goal attempts but none longer than 41 yards. Veteran punter Aidan Swanson averages 44 yards and has been solid, although Notre Dame could find an opportunity to set up a return or two.

The Tigers have used Shipley on kickoff returns but that won’t happen this week even if he is able to take snaps at tailback. Brown is the punt return man, so the same logic applies if he is not completely healthy.

Notre Dame’s recent success on kick and punt returns could have an energizing effect on this units for the foreseeable future. A long return that changes field position in this game could be significant in a battle that the respective defenses will likely dominate. Similarly, the strong leg of Irish kicker Spencer Shrader could be a factor since he is able to convert a three-pointer from 10-15 yards further out than Weitz.

SUMMARY

Notre Dame has forced five turnovers in each of the past two games and won handily. If something similar happens again (and it could), they will win comfortably again. Clemson’s players and coaches have circled the wagons in light of this week’s adversity, and it seems more likely that they will play one of their best games of the season.

This points to a defensive battle where field position, blocking, tackling, and quarterback efficiency decide the outcome. Turnovers will be critical, therefore neither Hartman nor Klubnik can afford to squander scoring chances by throwing reckless interceptions.

The Irish offensive line will be the key element in this contest. If they can run the ball reasonably well against the powerful Tiger front seven, Hartman will have plenty of opportunities to generate points. Defensively, the Irish must contain Mafah and stifle the Tiger ground game. If they can put Klubnik in third and long situations, they can create havoc.

Here are a few questions that will shed light on the outcome:

• Can the Irish replicate last season’s success in the ground game?
• Will Notre Dame’s defense be able to create turnovers?
• Can Hartman and the Irish receivers deliver explosive plays?
• Which offensive line will do the best job of protecting its quarterback?
• How far can Clemson ride the emotional wave driven by fan criticism?
• Can the Notre Dame special teams continue to provide a spark?
• Will Briningstool outperform the Irish tight ends without Evans?
• How long will the Big-10 honchos be able to shield Michigan from punishment?

PREDICTION

Both Offensive Coordinators are in their first season at their respective schools and both have faced difficult stretches thus far this season. The job won’t be easy for either Clemson’s Riley or Notre Dame’s Gerad Parker this week due to the high level of competition. Obviously, the one who has a better plan and makes timely adjustments is likely to emerge victorious. Defensive Coordinator Al Golden should be able to develop a plan to keep the Tigers in check, especially with Hart and Morrison back in the lineup. The Irish have an advantage at quarterback and on special teams that they must find a way to exploit.

The intangibles favor what figures to be a fired-up Clemson team at home but I believe it won’t be enough for the Tigers to prevail. They will fight hard and well enough to make it a four quarter slugfest though.

NOTRE DAME 23  CLEMSON 17 

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