Notre Dame wraps up a three game homestand on Saturday afternoon by hosting Wake Forest (5-3) from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Fighting Irish (7-1) have been impressive in winning six straight games by comfortable margins, and were rewarded with a #3 ranking by the college playoff committee earlier this week. NBC will televise the game nationally beginning at 3:30 PM Eastern time.

The Demon Deacons are coached by Dave Clawson, who is in his fourth season with the team. Clawson’s efforts to resuscitate a moribund program turned a corner last season when he led Wake to its first bowl game in eight years. Irish Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko was part of that improvement until he was hired away by Notre Dame during this past off-season. Elko has already received significant and well-earned praise for the resurgence of the Irish defense.

For Clawson, an offensive-minded coach, going up against Elko will be a familiar exercise after doing so every day in practice for three years. “Defensively, we know that they are going to be really well coached. Mike has made a big impact there already. They are talented and play hard, fast and know what they are doing. With a new coordinator and a new defense, they are very few busts on film. They are playing with confidence and have a couple elite players at every level.”

Notre Dame is relatively healthy for this contest. Running back Tony Jones, Jr. may be limited due to a hip pointer, while tight end Alize Mack is questionable after suffering a concussion last week against North Carolina State. Quarterback Brandon Wimbush, defensive tackle Jonathan Bonner and linebacker Nyles Morgan were also dinged up last week, but all have been full participants in practice this week.

The health report for the Deacons is not quite so rosy. After several weeks of good fortune, the team has been hit by injuries to a few of its best players. Star wide receiver Travis Dortch suffered an abdominal injury last Saturday and underwent season-ending surgery just hours after he left the game against Louisville in which he caught ten passes and scored four touchdowns. Safety Jessie Bates, the team’s leading tackler, and starting tailback Cade Carney were hit by less serious injuries, but will sit out this week’s battle against Notre Dame.

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

The Irish game plan has evolved quite clearly over the last few weeks: Utilize a powerful offensive line and stable of running backs led by Heisman candidate Josh Adams to physically dominate opponents. The continued development of Wimbush as a passer is part of that equation, and he has clearly demonstrated improvement in that regard. Although Wimbush poses a dangerous running threat, the coaching staff prefers to minimize his exposure to contact until the level of competition warrants the risk.

The Deacons will attempt to slow down Adams with a capable front four led by end Duke Ejiofor. The 275-pound senior has a team-best 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Middle linebacker Grant Dawson commands the second level, and is flanked by Jaboree Williams and rover Demetrius Kemp. This is a solid group, but it should be noted that it has surrendered twice as many rushing yards per game than NC State had yielded coming into last week’s game with the Irish.

Wake’s secondary will be hard pressed to replace its emotional leader Bates at strong safety. Cornerbacks Amari Henderson and Essang Bassey are competent players, as is free safety Cameron Glenn. The unit has been statistically solid against the pass with Bates in the lineup, and are adept at making plays on the ball when it is in the air.

Notre Dame will counter with improving receivers Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown and Kevin Stepherson. Tight end Durham Smythe has emerged as a clutch receiver and capable run blocker, while Mack remains inconsistent. The Irish have not featured Adams out of the backfield on many occasions, and the screen game has not been well-executed to date.

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

Quarterback John Wolford is enjoying an excellent season for the Deacons. His 341 rushing yards and six touchdowns leads the team, and he is a 66% passer with 15 touchdowns through the air against only two interceptions. Dortch was far and away Wolford’s leading receiver with 53 receptions and nine of those scoring passes.

Tabari Hines, a former starter and last year’s leading receiver, will reclaim his place in the slot for Wake Forest. Hines is the second-leading receiver on the club with 18 catches for 250 yards and one touchdown Wolford has averaged 237 yards per game through the air in eight games to date, but threw for a personal best 461 yards and five touchdowns last week against Louisville.

The Deacons employ a running back by committee approach. Carney was the starter but his replacement Matt Colburn and the swift Arkeem Byrd also shared the workload. The offensive line has no seniors among the starters, but left tackle Justin Herron, guard Phil Haynes and center Ryan Anderson started in 2016 and have plenty of experience. They have done a credible job protecting Wolford but will face a much greater test at Notre Dame than they have encountered all season.

The Deacons have capable pieces but do not pose much of a threat in terms of stretching the Irish defense and quick strike capability. The backs and receivers are on the small side with 6’5” wideout Scotty Washington standing as the lone exception. Wolford is a versatile performer, and the loss of Dortch could thrust capable tight end Cam Serigne into the spotlight as the primary third down and red zone target.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Dortch had been the primary kick and punt returner for Wake Forest, with Bates as his alternate. Their absence will force others such as Wade or Colburn into service. Kicker Mike Weaver has performed well, hitting 11 of 13 field goal tries, although none longer than 39 yards. Punter Dom Maggio has also been solid despite suffering one blocked attempt. The Deacons have generally done a good job in coverage, where the lone exception is an 81-yard kickoff return by Florida State.

Notre Dame’s Justin Yoon has not attempted a field goal in a month, but the Irish have been so proficient in the red zone that his participation has been limited to extra points. Punter Tyler Newsome was swamped by NC State during his first appearance last week, which Coach Brian Kelly attributed to a communication error among his blockers. The coverage teams should not be challenged this week with Dortch out of action, but it would be nice to see an improvement in the return game. I’m not holding my breath.

SUMMARY

Another 300-yard rushing total seems realistic, although Wake is well-coached and won’t give away yards early. The Irish must punish Wolford if he attempts to move the chains by himself, and continue last week’s practice of tight coverage now that Dortch is no longer a threat. The Deacons have committed only five turnovers in their eight games, but Notre Dame’s pressure should force one or two this week.

The problem with the injuries impacting Wake Forest is they have not yet had time to adjust to the absence of key offensive and defensive players. Clawson will replace Dortch and Bates, but the proverbial next men in will need time to get up to speed. For this reason, the Irish are a bad matchup for the Deacons right now. The hosts have been on the right side of the health equation on this homestand, considering the untimely injuries suffered by USC’s defense, Nyheim Hines of NC State and now Wake’s misfortunes. Collisions happen in football, however, and luck in this area is an ingredient in any successful season. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that Notre Dame’s players, by virtue of their focus on the physical, are dishing out a lot more pain than they are receiving. Or maybe it’s not.

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

Who will win the chess match between old friends Clawson and Elko?

Will the Deacon backs and receivers be able to provide much-needed help to Wolford?

Can the Irish bottle up Wolford in the pocket and force him to throw the ball under pressure?

Will Wimbush continue to improve his efficiency as a passer?

Can Adams turn in another 200-yard performance?

Will the Notre Dame special teams finally demonstrate competence?

Can the Irish maintain the high level of motivation they have carried throughout the season?

Now that the playoff rankings are released, will Notre Dame start playing for style points?

PREDICTION

Wake Forest is an above average team that is well-coached, but the spate of injuries and the physical nature of Notre Dame will be too much to overcome after the first 20-25 minutes. Another successful afternoon for the Irish would include 50 runs by the backs and 20 passes by Wimbush with at least a 60% completion rate. Clawson is one of the good guys in the game and is well-respected among his peers, so Kelly won’t let this one get too far out of hand.

NOTRE DAME 38 WAKE FOREST 14