Notre Dame once again faces a ranked opponent as the North Carolina State Wolfpack (6-1) travel north to battle the Fighting Irish on Saturday afternoon. The visitors have won six straight games and are rolling over opponents with an efficient, mistake-free offense and an experienced, physical defense. The challenge for Notre Dame is to put the euphoric victory over USC behind them and focus on what promises to be a tough 60-minute battle. NC State is coming off a bye week and will be well prepared for this contest. NBC will provide national television coverage beginning at 3:30 PM Eastern time.

The Wolfpack have steadily improved under Dave Doeren, who is in his fifth season. Quarterback Ryan Finley has completed 69% of his passes and has not thrown an interception in his 248 attempts this season. Defensively, NC State’s front seven boasts a quality senior at each position, and they have allowed only 91 rushing yards per game.

This battle in the trenches will closely resemble an NFL game given the level of talent on both sides. “They have four senior starters on their offensive line and we have our four on the defensive line,” Doeren said. “It will take technique and grit to win the battle. Our D-linemen are excited about the matchup.” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly was very complimentary of the Wolfpack run defense. “I think what I’m impressed with is that they’re not only physical, but they play hard every snap,” he said. “Again, this is a defense that’s very stingy against the run. They do a great job schematically of putting their guys in a very good position.”

Both teams are in good shape on the injury front. For Notre Dame, linebacker Greer Martini and running back Dexter Williams are available to play after sitting out last week. NC State has been healthy all season and has enjoyed the luxury of very few forced alterations to its starting lineup.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. NORTH CAROLINA STATE’S DEFENSE

The Irish were able to establish both the run and the pass early in last week’s contest. This allowed quarterback Brandon Wimbush to exploit running lanes when he could not find an open receiver, and kept the Trojan defense on its heels. The Wolfpack intend to tip the scales in their favor by stuffing the run, forcing Notre Dame into uncomfortable third down situations, then turning loose a quality pass rush to create sacks or force incompletions.

End Bradley Chubb will lead the charge in this endeavor. He is joined up front by a four-man rotation of 300+ pound tackles in B.J. Hill, Justin Jones, Eurndrous Bryant and Shug Frazier, along with interchangeable ends Kentavious Street and Darian Roseboro. Chubb has an impressive 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks to his credit, while the rest of the group simply engages in creating tag team mayhem. While Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson should hold their own against this onslaught, the bigger question is whether the right side of the Irish line can keep Chubb and others from blowing up plays and battering Wimbush.

NC State employs a pair of linebackers in a 4-2-5 alignment. Seniors Jerod Fernandez, the team’s leading tackler, and Airius Moore form the second line of defense and are joined by nickel back Shawn Boone, who plays a role similar to that of Notre Dame’s Drue Tranquill.

Opponents have fared much better through the air against the Wolfpack secondary, which does not list any seniors among the starters in the current depth chart. This group has surrendered 287 yards per game, and the team overall has allowed a 41% third down conversion rate, which is higher than one might expect given their experience and the level of competition they have played. Conversely, the number for the Irish defense is 34%.

Cornerback Johnathan Alston and safety Jarius Morehead are NC State’s leaders along the back end. Notre Dame must make the Wolfpack defend the entire field, so Equanimeous St. Brown and Kevin Stepherson need to have an impact and Alize Mack must finally break through with a solid performance. Josh Adams can also be a factor on screen passes and wheel routes, but he must first hang onto the ball.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

The Wolfpack offense is highly efficient, balanced and low-risk. Finley’s short passes are targeted to athletes who can turn short completions into long gains by avoiding tacklers in space. The primary threat is Jaylen Samuels, who is both physical and elusive as someone who can line up in the slot or the backfield. The versatile Samuels already has 54 receptions, while also rushing for seven touchdowns. He will be a constant headache for Tranquill and the rest of the Irish defense.

NC State also has three quality pass receivers who are 6’2” or taller. The best of the group is Kelvin Harmon, who joins Stephen Louis and Jakobi Meyers to give Finley multiple choices in the passing game. Tight end Cole Cook is used mainly for run blocking and he usually comes out in favor of Samuels on passing downs.

Nyheim Hines is the busiest tailback. He has above average speed and has rushed for 5.6 yards per carry. Reggie Gallaspy is the change of pace back and is 30 pounds heavier than Hines. Both run behind a massive line consisting of four juniors and senior right guard Tony Adams. This offense has allowed only five sacks, yielded just three turnovers and committed very few penalties, so the Wolfpack will not stop themselves.

The Irish secondary will be challenged to play tight coverage and make crisp tackles. Stopping the run is critical to force Finley into lower percentage passes. Although he is not a Wimbush-level threat to run the ball, the 6’4” junior has a 46-yard romp to his credit this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Irish return game remains poor in terms of both kickoffs and punts, although there were signs of life last week. Long marches against the NC State defense won’t be easy, so every yard produced in these areas will matter. Specialists Justin Yoon and Tyler Newsome continue to be above average. A blocked punt was the winning margin last year for the Wolfpack in the infamous hurricane game, but Kelly claims his team has plugged that hole.

Hines doubles as the primary return man, and he averages just under 20 yards on punts with one touchdown. His kickoff returns are just average from a statistical standpoint, but he remains a dangerous weapon in these roles.

Punter A.J. Cole does an adequate job, while place kicker Carson Wise has struggled at times. He has converted just six of eleven field goal attempts and is two for six from mid-range. Wise did make his lone attempt over 40 yards.

SUMMARY

The outcome will hinge on how well the Irish run the ball against the stout Wolfpack front. The vulnerable NC State secondary may invite Notre Dame to throw the ball, but that is neither their identity nor their strength. The Wolfpack will certainly try to push the Irish outside their comfort zone while maintaining more of a balance in their own offensive approach. Finley hopes to sustain marches with quick, accurate throws that do not allow sufficient time for Notre Dame’s pass rush to have an impact.

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

Will Wimbush have time to find receivers, set his feet and deliver accurate passes?

Can the Irish defensive line force Finley out of his comfort zone?

Which team will be able to generate turnovers?

Can the Irish secondary tackle well and prevent excess yards after a catch?

Which team will perform best in the red zone?

To what extent will special teams impact the outcome?

Can the Irish sustain the level of intensity needed to beat another quality opponent?

PREDICTION

Wimbush is the key performer in this game for Notre Dame. He must demonstrate poise and accuracy, and his receivers need to catch the football. Every dropped or overthrown pass will be magnified, as will penalties and turnovers. I expect NC State to play with high energy and take advantage of the extra week of preparation to attack the Irish with some success before things settle down. Their performance to date leads one to believe they won’t commit turnovers or careless penalties, so Notre Dame will have to earn its way to victory. The Irish are a team that runs the football well and takes the ball away on defense. NC State is built to stop the run and protect the ball. Something has to give. In the end, the home crowd and athleticism of the hosts will prevail, but it may take sixty minutes or more before the issue is decided.

NOTRE DAME 27 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 24