Notre Dame concludes its home football schedule on Saturday afternoon by hosting Wake Forest, who is 3-6 on the season and coming off a bye week. Pregame ceremonies will be held to honor the outgoing Fighting Irish seniors and their families, including Sheldon Day, Nick Martin, Ronnie Stanley, Romeo Okwara, Elijah Shumate and Chris Brown. The Demon Deacons are coached by Dave Clawson, who is in his second year at the school after achieving success at smaller programs such as Bowling Green and Richmond. The game will be nationally televised by NBC starting at 3:30 PM Eastern time.

The stakes remain high for Notre Dame, as it is the first time since 2012 that the Irish are part of the national championship conversation so late in the season. Currently ranked fourth by the Playoff Selection Committee, Brian Kelly’s team must win its last three games and hope that other contenders fall by the wayside or simply can’t match Notre Dame’s resume when the final votes are tallied.

A quick review of the two-deep roster provides an indication why Wake Forest’s 110th ranked offense has struggled to date. Only six of the 22 slots are held by upperclassmen, with 12 freshmen in the mix. There is a greater degree of veteran presence and leadership on the 33rd ranked defense, which had been keeping the team competitive in most games. In their last outing, four second half interceptions caused the Deacons to squander an early lead and lose a heartbreaker to Louisville by 20-19 in what Clawson termed “the low point of the season.”

Notre Dame would like to start fast in this game with a goal of resting defensive players such as Day and Isaac Rochell who have logged a lot of snaps this year, and other stars such as C.J. Prosise, who have been nursing injuries. The Irish should be happy to return home after two tough road battles and with trips to both coasts on the horizon to conclude the regular season.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE VS. WAKE FOREST’S DEFENSE

The Irish should be able to rest Prosise if necessary, as freshmen Josh Adams and Dexter Williams have proven their ability to carry the load when called upon. The Deacons feature a 3-4 alignment and blitz heavily on passing downs, but they won’t match up well against Notre Dame’s running game unless they bring extra men into the box. Other teams have tried a similar strategy and paid a heavy price against the balanced Irish attack.

Brandon Chubb is the team leader in tackles by a wide margin, while fellow linebacker Marquel Lee is a disruptive force. End Duke Ejiofor is the best pass rusher, and he is joined up front by 295-pound sophomore nose tackle Zeek Rodney. Cornerback Brad Watson is the leader in the Wake Forest secondary, and he may draw the unenviable task of shadowing Will Fuller. The Deacon defense may lack superstar quality, but they play well as a unit and manage to stop an impressive 70% of their third down plays.

The other corner spot has been problematic for Clawson’s defense. Freshman Dionte Austin recently replaced senior Devin Gauldin in the starting lineup, but it’s not certain which player will open against the Irish. Chris Brown would undoubtedly like to have a big game in his home finale, and he may get a chance to shine against this pair.

Notre Dame’s speed should create problems for the Deacons in the passing game. Aside from the ever-dangerous Fuller, the Irish would be well served to target tight end Alize Jones and slot man Torii Hunter. Quarterback DeShone Kizer will need reliable options if future opponents take extreme measures to defend Fuller, even though none of these strategies have worked well to date.

WAKE FOREST’S OFFENSE VS. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

The quarterback position has been relatively unsettled for Wake Forest due to inconsistent play and injuries that have impacted both John Wolford and Kendall Hinton. Wolford, a sophomore, is a more traditional pocket passer who has a slightly better command of the offense than Hinton, a versatile freshman and the team’s leading rusher. An ankle injury has hampered Wolford, but he has been deemed 100% healthy this week and will start.

Hinton, who has been nursing a sore back for the past few weeks, will also see action in this contest. Although his passing statistics are mediocre, Hinton’s playmaking ability has been a plus for an offense that struggles to sustain drives and create big plays. The Irish pass rush should have opportunities to pressure the less-mobile Wolford when going against an offensive line that features two freshman tackles, so Hinton may be on the field sooner than later.

Still, this pair was a combined nine of 30 for 226 yards against Louisville. Each threw a long scoring pass in the first half, but completed more passes to the Cardinals after intermission than their own teammates. The Deacons don’t have a dynamic receiver in the lineup, but they do spread the ball around to a number of different players. Tight end Cam Serigne leads the team in receptions and K.J. Brent is the only senior wideout. Freshman Cortez Lewis and Jabari Hines have played well and have bright futures.

Yet another freshman, Tyler Bell, starts at tailback. He is backed up by another freshman, Matt Colburn, and sophomore Isaiah Robinson. The team has managed only 3.1 yards per carry this year, as the young linemen and backs simply need more time to gel. That probably won’t happen this week, at least until Kelly and Brian VanGorder begin to substitute liberally.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Irish appear to be solid in the kicking game as Justin Yoon has not missed since September and punter Tyler Newsome has regained his form with long, high kicks on a more consistent basis. While the return teams have not generated many yards this season, the coverage teams have been reliable and have not surrendered the big play.

Both Wake Forest specialists have been hurting of late. According to Clawson, punter Alex Kinal is now expected to be available on Saturday. Place kicker Mike Weaver could pull double duty if necessary, but he is recovering from a hip flexor. Following the Louisville game, Clawson was asked about their status going forward. “Those guys just have to put it in an ice bath for the next two weeks. I think this time off will be good for them as well.”

Weaver has been accurate within 40 yards, but that is about the limit of his effective range. The Deacon return teams have not impressed this season while their coverage units have been adequate.

SUMMARY

The main concern for Notre Dame is whether the season-long wear and tear will begin to show for key players, particularly along the defensive line. Wake Forest can cause a few headaches for the Irish if Wolford has time to throw or if Hinton can duplicate his outstanding performance against Florida State, where they took the Seminoles to the wire before losing by 24-16. The overachieving Deacon defense won’t be able to keep Kizer and company contained through four quarters, but they can keep things interesting for a while. The sooner Day and Rochelle can take a seat on the bench, the better.

Here are a few questions that will have a bearing on the outcome:

Will either Deacon quarterback be able to move his team with any consistency?

Which Irish receiver other than Fuller will distinguish himself?

Can Wake Forest establish a credible running game against Notre Dame?

Will the Notre Dame secondary turn back to look for the ball in the air?

How will the Deacons young offensive line hold up in pass protection?

Can Adams and Williams give Prosise a much-needed rest?

Will Kelly be able to give his second teams meaningful minutes?

Which playoff contenders will help Notre Dame by losing on Saturday?

PREDICTION

This year is probably a good time for Notre Dame to play Wake Forest, as their young players show promise that will be better developed next season and beyond. It seems more advantageous for the Irish to defend Wolford rather than the elusive Hinton, although Clawson will rotate them both into the lineup and stay with the one who is most productive. Kizer and company need to maintain focus despite the Senior Day distractions and put an end to the suspense as soon as possible.

NOTRE DAME 38 WAKE FOREST 13