Notre Dame travels to Pittsburgh on Saturday with a victory under its belt and the intent to build momentum this season after a slow start. The Irish emerged in good physical and mental health from their impressive win over Michigan State, but can ill-afford a relapse against the 2-1 Panthers. Pitt is led by former Tulsa head coach Todd Graham, who took over when the school gave Dave Wannstedt his walking papers at the end of last season. The game will be televised nationally on ABC starting at Noon Eastern time.

The story for Pittsburgh this week is eerily similar to the backdrop for last week’s game at Notre Dame, where the Irish were coming off an unprecedented late game collapse in Ann Arbor. The Panthers were leading by 24-3 at Iowa last week, but were outscored by 28-3 in the last 17 minutes of the game. They return home now to face a highly regarded traditional foe and will obviously bring a lot of energy and emotion to the battlefield.

The Irish remain a work in progress in all phases of the game. Offensively, turnovers and mental errors remain prevalent, and the running game was not working in the second half last week when the Irish sought to protect a lead. Special teams were sparked by George Atkinson’s long kickoff return, but a fumbled punt confirmed that this area remains an unresolved issue. The biggest improvement was realized on defense, where the emergence of freshman Aaron Lynch sparked a much-needed pass rush.

Pittsburgh’s approach is guided by a desire to dominate physically through the running game on offense and a tough, hard-hitting defense. Junior quarterback Tino Sunseri has shown flashes of excellence in his career but is also prone to mistakes. The same can be said for Notre Dame’s Tommy Rees, so the outcome may depend on which signal caller can avoid disaster.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. PITTSBURGH’S DEFENSE

The Irish simply need to put together a consistent, error-free ballgame. Both the passing and rushing attacks have clicked on occasion to reveal the immense potential of this offense, but turnovers and inconsistency have frustrated fans, players and coaches alike. Rees is the key element for the aerial game, which is appropriately designed to emphasize his decision-making, timely release and accuracy as opposed to pure arm strength. The performances of Theo Riddick and T.J. Jones also factor heavily into Notre Dame’s success, as they can hurt opponents that must pay attention to defensive nightmares Michael Floyd and Tyler Eifert.

Cierre Wood and Jones Gray are growing into a solid one-two punch in the running game. Short yardage conversions and red zone success remain areas in need of improvement, and the Panthers’ front seven will provide a strong test. Chas Alecxih leads an experienced front line that nominally lines up in a 3-4 configuration. This is a change by Graham and his staff to Wannstedt’s traditional 4-3, but this year’s Panthers show multiple fronts in an effort to confuse the opposition. End Aaron Donald often comes in to rush the passer as a fourth lineman on third down.

Linebacker Max Gruder is coming off a 14 tackle performance at Iowa. He is joined by veteran Tristan Roberts and a pair of freshmen, Juan Price and Todd Thomas. The Pittsburgh secondary boasts two talented players in cornerback K’waun Williams, the team’s second leading tackler, and safety Jared Holley, who recorded an interception in last week’s game. Despite their respective contributions, Pitt ranks near the bottom of Division 1 in terms of passing yards allowed.

The Panthers are stout and will not be pushed around, but they will rely as much on guile as brawn. Graham will employ a variety of formations and shifts up front to confuse Irish run blockers, while Rees and his receivers will have to sort through multiple coverages in the passing game. Preparation, poise and execution will be at a premium for Notre Dame and will determine how much success they can realize against this motivated opponent. Big plays may be available if Rees can sort through the deception.

PITTSBURGH’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

Sunseri lost favorite target Jonathan Baldwin to the NFL, but 6’4” Devin Street has stepped into this role for Pitt. Wideout Mike Shanahan and H-Back Hubie Graham are adequate targets in the short zones, but Street is the main deep threat. The Panther passing game has not quite hit its stride so far this season, as Sunseri has more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3).

The Irish can keep Pittsburgh under control if they can duplicate the pressure brought by Lynch and company, aka The Lynch Mob, again this week. Sunseri has already been sacked 12 times in three games, so Graham has a few protection issues to work out. Guards Chris Jacobsen and Lucas Nix are experienced players, however Jacobsen’s status is uncertain in light of a knee injury suffered last week. Tackle Juantez Hollins and center Ryan Turnley are new starters for 2011.

The ability to run the football is the foundation of Pitt’s attack. Tailback Ray Graham is an exceptional ball carrier with a 5.2 yard average and six touchdowns this season. Notre Dame must not give him lanes in which to run or he will hurt them with quick bursts for big gains. The Irish front has effectively kept opposing running backs in check this season, but has been hurt by mobile quarterbacks. Sunseri is not a threat to run, which makes Graham a marked man.

Graham is the best running back that Notre Dame will have seen to date, and the Panthers have a chance to win if the running game can relieve pressure on Sunseri. Conversely, the Irish can tee off on the quarterback if they stop the run early and their own offense puts a few points on the board.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Irish coverage teams remain solid while the return game remains an adventure. Atkinson’s touchdown last week was enabled by the best blocking Notre Dame has exhibited on a return in a long time. Neither Riddick nor Goodman appears to be the answer on punt returns, but Coach Brian Kelly may be reluctant to place a freshman back there. Specialists David Ruffer and Ben Turk appear to have steadied after rocky starts to the season, but Turk’s consistency in the punting game is still a concern.

Pittsburgh did not hesitate to place a true freshman, Ronald Jones, in the role of punt returner, and he has done a credible job. His classmate, Corey Davis, is the primary kick return man. The Panthers are breaking in new specialists this year. Kevin Harper has converted on only four of seven field goal attempts, while punter Matt Yoklic has shared this duty with the versatile Sunseri during the first three games.

SUMMARY

Both teams have experienced a spate of self inflicted wounds in the form of turnovers and penalties. Pitt has also yielded an alarming number of sacks against mediocre competition, and the Irish will bring the best defensive line they have seen to date. Unfortunately, the painful lesson Notre Dame fans have learned this season is that football games are not won on paper. The Panthers are smarting after the debacle at Iowa, and Graham will have little trouble motivating them to play a team he beat last year while at Tulsa.

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

Will Pitt’s variable defensive alignments confound the Irish?

Can the Irish keep Graham in check and force Sunseri to the air?

Will Notre Dame be able to sustain its ground game against Pitt’s tough front seven?

Which team will make the costly mistakes?

Will we see growth or regression from Tommy Rees?

Will the Irish special teams turn in a solid, all around performance?

Can Pitt protect Sunseri from the Lynch Mob?

PREDICTION

Notre Dame has been inconsistent to date, and fans should not assume that the ship was permanently righted last week for smooth sailing going forward. Strange things can happen on the road against a motivated opponent, and the Panthers have more than a little talent. The game should swing toward the Irish as the visitors gain control in the trenches and allow their superior skill position talent to make plays. The Irish could be vulnerable if turnovers remain a problem, but Pittsburgh does not otherwise have enough ammunition to beat them.

NOTRE DAME 30 PITTSBURGH 17