Notre Dame hosts the South Florida Bulls of the American Athletic Conference on Saturday in a hastily-arranged matchup that was announced on August 27. Both teams won their respective openers last week as the Fighting Irish beat Duke and the Bulls manhandled The Citadel. The game will be televised on the USA network, which is owned by NBC Universal and carried on most cable outlets. Game time is 2:30 PM EDT.

Jeff Scott, 39, became the head coach at USF during the offseason. This is his first opportunity to lead a program, but he has outstanding credentials. Scott was a member of the Clemson football staff at his alma mater since 2008. He was Dabo Swinney’s Co-Offensive Coordinator in 2015 and 2018 when the Tigers defeated Notre Dame in South Carolina and more recently in Dallas during the college football playoffs. Scott’s newly hired Offensive Coordinator is a young, up and coming coach named Charlie Weis, Jr.

While he was looking forward to coaching in his first game at Notre Dame stadium this fall, Scott thought it would take place on November 7 with Clemson. With Swinney’s blessing, he jumped at the chance to take over in South Florida, however, and is pleased with the opportunity this game provides his new team.

“To have opportunities early in the year to play some of the best programs in the country, it’s only gonna make you better,” said Scott. “You never know, you play enough of them, then you’re gonna have a chance to upset somebody.”

The Irish would like to even the score with the Bulls for a 23-20 home loss suffered in the 2011 season opener. This was certainly a low moment in the Brian Kelly era. Most fans still remember the long delays due to heavy thunderstorms and the 96-yard fumble return by USF when Notre Dame’s opening drive reached the Bulls one-yard line.

Despite the painful history lesson, Notre Dame does not require additional motivation to charge into battle on Saturday. The team played well on defense last week, but they will face a more punishing ground attack from USF. The Irish offense was erratic against Duke, especially in the first half. Quarterback Ian Book and the offensive line would like to get off to a much faster start this week.

Two starters on the USF offensive line, guard Demetris Harris and center Brad Cecil, are nursing injuries and are listed as questionable for this contest. Notre Dame’s injury report is short, but significant because star safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle sprain) is on it. He reportedly could play in this game but may be held out as a precaution. On the plus side, the Irish will welcome back speedy wide receiver Braden Lenzy to the starting lineup. Brent Skowronek, who strained his hamstring against Duke, will miss some time.

Update: In addition to Hamilton, the Irish will play this game without the services of cornerback Tariq Bracy, linebackers Shayne Simon and Marist Liufau, slot receiver Lawrence Keys, running back Jahmir Smith, defensive end Ovie Oghoufo, and backup quarterback Brendon Clark. That’s quite a list and appears to wipe out the Buck linebacker position.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. SOUTH FLORIDA’S DEFENSE

Book and the Irish had a miserable first quarter last week, but adjustments in the running game and a few well-timed screen passes got them going. The passing game will get a boost from Lenzy’s return to the lineup. Defenses must respect his speed, and that will open up lanes for Lawrence Keys, Javon McKinley and Joe Wilkins. Tight end Tommy Tremble did not have a strong first outing and needs to bounce back, while freshman phenom Michael Mayer lived up to the preseason hype in his debut.

Notre Dame’s wide receivers accounted for only 74 yards last week, and that needs to change if the Irish expect to win on Saturday. The Bulls employ a 4-2-5 alignment, but will send players into the running lanes to slow down Kyren Williams and the Irish backs. The USF secondary is stocked with seasoned veterans. Cornerbacks Mike Hampton and K.J. Sails will frequently be put in man coverage, and these matchups will be critical.

The Bulls are led up front by nose tackle Blake Green and tackle Thad Mangum. Linebacker Antonio Grier is a force in the middle, and the corners are solid. Collectively, Notre Dame enjoys a size advantage and should be able to move the ball if they can improve on last week’s performance. Both USF safeties and Vince Davis at the STAR position in the backfield don’t crack six feet or 200 pounds, but Davis is still an impact player.

The Irish need better blocking from the tight end position and also by the interior linemen to get the running game on track. Play calling by Tom Rees was generally not a problem last week. He made effective adjustments, and took advantage of the talent disparity. Even an experienced coordinator can’t compensate for missed blocks, errant throws, and backs that miss the hole.

SOUTH FLORIDA’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

USF’s ran through The Citadel for 302 yards last week behind a hefty offensive line. Veteran center Cecil and the massive left side manned by Harris at guard and tackle Donovan Jennings paved the way for tailbacks Kelly Joiner and Johnny Ford to run downhill.

Coach Scott has not settled on a full-time starter at quarterback, so Notre Dame will see both Jordan McCloud and Noah Johnson. Both are built more like tailbacks, and carry that mentality onto the field. Johnson is the more dangerous runner, while McCloud is a slightly better passer. Most of USF’s passes are short throws to slot receiver Bryce Miller or end DeVontres Dukes.

South Florida’s diverse running game and large front line will test the Irish defense. The Bulls will attempt to use their size advantage to maintain possession and keep Notre Dame’s offense on the sideline. If the Irish can force the Bulls to throw the ball by stopping the run and taking an early lead with a potent offensive start, victory will follow. A sluggish start by Book and company, combined with a successful ground game by the visitors, will result in an uncomfortably close game.

There will be pressure on the Irish linebackers to shed blocks and fill the gaps without getting caught out of position. The group improved in these areas last week after some initial breakdowns, but USF is a better running team than Duke and will be less forgiving. Focus on the Buck linebacker tandem of Shayne Simon and Marist Liufau this week to see if they are making plays in front of them or chasing.

Notre Dame may ask its safeties to play closer to the line of scrimmage in this game to defend the run and short pass, but they may have to do it without Hamilton. If the talented sophomore plays at all, he may be limited to third and long situations.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Notre Dame was solid last week in coverage, while the return teams managed just one notable effort by Chris Tyree. The punting and kicking specialists were excellent as both kicker Jonathan Doerer and punter Jay Bramblett were error-free and made meaningful contributions.

Conversely, USF struggled in all phases of its special teams last week. Punter Trent Schneider averaged only 34 yards, while kicker Spenser Shrader missed an extra point and his only field goal try from 43 yards. The return teams generated a meager 12 yards on its one kickoff chance and zero yards on three punts.

SUMMARY

South Florida can cause problems for Notre Dame if the Irish have too many unproductive offensive possessions. The Bulls will try to control the clock and limit the scoring chances by the hosts. The objective is to stay close into the fourth quarter and win against a tired defense. A fast start by Book with a few big chunk plays sprinkled in will be a most welcome development. A productive first twenty minutes by Notre Dame will force USF to become more of a passing team than it is built for, and the Irish will be in good shape.

The Irish have options if the Bulls clog the line of scrimmage with linebackers and safeties. Jet sweeps, counter plays and screen passes featuring speedsters such as Tyree, Lenzy and Kyren Williams should be employed to keep them honest. Both defenses must also contain the scrambles of the opposing quarterback, and the unit that is most successful in this area is likely to be on the winning side.

Here are a few questions that will help determine the outcome:

Can Notre Dame stand up to the frontal assault from USF’s offensive line?

Which young Offensive Coordinator will have the better game?

Will Lenzy help jump start Notre Dame’s intermediate and long passing game?

Can the Irish special teams make a meaningful difference in the outcome?

Which team will record the most explosive plays?

Will Book bounce back to display the passing accuracy expected from him?

Which team’s cornerbacks will fare best in man coverage?

How many Irish fans won’t be able to find the USA network?

PREDICTION

We’ve seen Notre Dame start slowly against mediocre teams too many times, so it’s time for a change. All too often, the Irish are forced to react to an unexpected strategy by a weaker but inspired opponent. Most teams on recent schedules don’t have the talent to sustain momentum and pull off an upset, but many games are closer than they need to be. If USF had a well-developed passing game to balance its offense, this matchup would frighten me a bit more. That said, I would like to see Notre Dame become the aggressor at the outset, put an opponent on its heels, and coast to an easy victory. Will Saturday be the day it happens? Given the pedigree of Coach Scott, I wouldn’t bet on it.

NOTRE DAME 31  SOUTH FLORIDA 21

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