This team statistically gears up to stop what we are best at — the run. It is a stout team with a turnover ratio that is Top 10 in the country.

 

NC State is No. 6 in the country in rush yards allowed per game. They are 14th in yards per carry allowed.

 

Now, they did play Marshall and Furman to help add to those stats. But hey also held Louisville to just 116 yards rushing (70 or so of them from L. Jackson).

 

Our other two big matchups for transparency of what is ahead.

 

Miami gives up 180 yards per game on the ground (86th in country) and is 57th in yard per carry allowed. Stanford is even worse, giving up 195 yards per game (98th) and allows 5.3 yards per carry (109th overall).

 

Miami and Stanford are good teams but haven't been great at stopping what ND does well. I will also add that Michigan had a top defense prior to the whooping they took at Penn State.

I do feel this being a home game is also key. But we all know ND has to avoid that letdown from such a big USC win. It is tough to get up for a lot of big games.

 

My gut tells me they haven't faced a team though yet that is close to as talented to Notre Dame. I think if we play stout defense and keep the opposing team 19 points and under as we have all season we have a great recipe for success this season.

 

Turnovers are the great equalizer of course. Have to avoid giving up free points.

 

Cheers all and GO IRISH!

Good point. NC State hasn't played a run team though ranked higher than 71st. They've played 3 below 92. Louisville is ranked highly, but Jackson is basically the whole team. They don't have the balance ND does.

 

Their secondary isn't as strong and overall their defense is fairly middle of the pack. I really think ND gets to 38 again this week. Whether the defense can stop them enough is the big question IMO.

NC State's signature win is at FSU who are 2-4.

 

They have played Furman and Marshall as noted in the OP. We are -7.5 but should be winning this game by two TDs and moving onto Wake Forest.

It is hard for college kids to not have at least one "letdown" game. And BK teams are known for that. In my gut I know it is coming (even though we might still win whatever game that is).

 

USC game gives me a different vibe around this 2017 squad but it is also the first time we have had to get up big for two games in a row.

 

Need to come out sharp, focused and keep NC State out of striking distance and not let them build any confidence.

NC State's signature win is at FSU who are 2-4.

 

They have played Furman and Marshall as noted in the OP. We are -7.5 but should be winning this game by two TDs and moving onto Wake Forest.

 

Yeah I think we're on the level of an Ohio State this season, I won't say Bama but I think we can beat them too. This is no different than Kentucky for Bama or Nebraska for Ohio State.

 

It's so obvious that every opponent is at such a disadvantage when it comes to size, talent and speed, save Georgia. I'm not trying to discredit NC State but our left side of the line is better than a majority of NFL lines, Coney and Morgan would start at Bama, Adams is a Heisman contendor etc...

 

I agree, I'm sure the team is not looking past but I think everyone is hyping this game up too much. NC State has 3 losses with our schedule, they lost to arguably the worst SEC team and their two best wins are against teams with a combined record of 7-7.

 

NC State will be lucky to keep this game within two scores. This ND team will be in the playoff, NC State will be in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Edited October 23, 20177 yr by ndomer4

They're not our toughest test. We are their toughest test. We've already played 2 teams light years better than them.

 

IMO they are no different than Wash U before they ran into the Cal wall. And we are way, way better than Cal.

Edited October 23, 20177 yr by echo88

It is hard for college kids to not have at least one "letdown" game. And BK teams are known for that. In my gut I know it is coming (even though we might still win whatever game that is).

 

USC game gives me a different vibe around this 2017 squad but it is also the first time we have had to get up big for two games in a row.

 

Need to come out sharp, focused and keep NC State out of striking distance and not let them build any confidence.

 

But what if the letdown game was North Carolina and they still won by 20+?

 

Also, not to discredit your point, but did it seem like ND even had to try that hard to beat USC by 35? It wasn't like it was tooth and nail the entire game or anything that would have been emotionally draining. They more or less came out, took care of business, made a few plays in the 3rd quarter and had the 4th quarter off.

 

Had it been a 3 OT thriller, I'd totally agree with you. But it just seemed like a glorified scrimmage for the most part.

But what if the letdown game was North Carolina and they still won by 20+?

 

Also, not to discredit your point, but did it seem like ND even had to try that hard to beat USC by 35? It wasn't like it was tooth and nail the entire game or anything that would have been emotionally draining. They more or less came out, took care of business, made a few plays in the 3rd quarter and had the 4th quarter off.

 

Had it been a 3 OT thriller, I'd totally agree with you. But it just seemed like a glorified scrimmage for the most part.

 

Yeah I think the fact we've had the backups in so much is one of the reasons we are so healthy right now. This team is very deep to boot.

 

Imagine if we didn't call off the dogs, we likely put up 63-70 on USC, we broke their will and I have never seen ND do that to a good team.

Yeah I think the fact we've had the backups in so much is one of the reasons we are so healthy right now. This team is very deep to boot.

 

Imagine if we didn't call off the dogs, we likely put up 63-70 on USC, we broke their will and I have never seen ND do that to a good team.

 

Looking at it, USC ran 67 plays. They had 14 in the 4th quarter with Fink in the game, so I'm assuming ND had their starters out as well.

 

So the first team defense only played 53 plays. With the rotation, most guys were probably in the 30's along the D-Line. Should have plenty in the tank for this Saturday.

We win going away this week. This team is special. There no surprises with this team. You know exactly what you're getting. A running team that will take shots down field that doesn't turn the ball over, a fundamentally sound defense that takes the ball away. It's the winning recipe in football and the winning recipe for winning in November. We win out... 10/23/17

FSU has the hardest strength of schedule in the country. While they are having an off year they are not playing Utah State and Florida Atantic back to back like WI.

 

Any team on ND's schedule can beat ND if ND takes a day off.

 

On top of that ND needs to wins some the remaining games convincingly to eliminate any question they are the best 1 loss team.

 

ND needs to play like there is no tomorrow.

The pair on college football live's opinion is that NC STATE will be our most difficult test of the remaining three ranked teams we play

 

They say---NC STATE has the best defense and the best defensive line we will face of the remaining teams---they say they have Good Balance on offense and can make big plays but they will be tough because they think their DLINE is will make it hard for us to win the game running and that Wimbush will be forced to pass

 

one shows opinion but clearly this will be a tougher game then USC

 

aloha

The pair on college football live's opinion is that NC STATE will be our most difficult test of the remaining three ranked teams we play

 

They say---NC STATE has the best defense and the best defensive line we will face of the remaining teams---they say they have Good Balance on offense and can make big plays but they will be tough because they think their DLINE is will make it hard for us to win the game running and that Wimbush will be forced to pass

 

one shows opinion but clearly this will be a tougher game then USC

 

aloha

 

I don't buy it, I think nc state and Miami are both overrated. I think Stanford is our toughest remaining test

I don't buy it, I think nc state and Miami are both overrated. I think Stanford is our toughest remaining test

 

I think NCSt will be tough because of the letdown factor. It is just really hard for college kids to get up and ready to play every week.

 

That being said, I agree that Stanford will be our toughest test. We never play a complete game out there.

Looking at it, USC ran 67 plays. They had 14 in the 4th quarter with Fink in the game, so I'm assuming ND had their starters out as well.

 

So the first team defense only played 53 plays. With the rotation, most guys were probably in the 30's along the D-Line. Should have plenty in the tank for this Saturday.

 

Great point, Cory - they'll be fresher due to less snaps, and have the bye week before U$C - so nice ramp up if this goes long, - a lot in the tank.

Another point, is that they played U$C Lou - mean & tough because they were embarrassed in LA last year & they remembered. I have a feeling that the bitterness of the monsoon loss last year in Raleigh also sticks with this club & they will go in pi**ed off.

I don't buy it, I think nc state and Miami are both overrated. I think Stanford is our toughest remaining test

 

FPI agrees with you. ND has a 50% chance of beating Stanford. ND is favored against everyone else

Good point. NC State hasn't played a run team though ranked higher than 71st. They've played 3 below 92. Louisville is ranked highly, but Jackson is basically the whole team. They don't have the balance ND does.

 

Their secondary isn't as strong and overall their defense is fairly middle of the pack. I really think ND gets to 38 again this week. Whether the defense can stop them enough is the big question IMO.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Remember Marshall and Furman make up about 40% of their schedule. NC State is very good but Notre Dame keeps getting better and better on both sides of the ball. Team health is at an all time high (check my thread on injuries).

 

Stepherson added another dimension to this expanding offense with the jet sweeps and downfield capability. Wimbush keeps getting better and is now dangerous downfield. I'm thinking double digit win.

NC State isn’t Georgia. We’ve seen tougher. And we should have won that game.

 

What nc State does well is pass and stop the run, so they match their strength to ours and our weakness to their strength.

 

We better get pressure on the qb, or else we might win a high scoring game.

Yeah I think we're on the level of an Ohio State this season, I won't say Bama but I think we can beat them too. This is no different than Kentucky for Bama or Nebraska for Ohio State.

 

It's so obvious that every opponent is at such a disadvantage when it comes to size, talent and speed, save Georgia. I'm not trying to discredit NC State but our left side of the line is better than a majority of NFL lines, Coney and Morgan would start at Bama, Adams is a Heisman contendor etc...

 

I agree, I'm sure the team is not looking past but I think everyone is hyping this game up too much. NC State has 3 losses with our schedule, they lost to arguably the worst SEC team and their two best wins are against teams with a combined record of 7-7.

 

NC State will be lucky to keep this game within two scores. This ND team will be in the playoff, NC State will be in the Pinstripe Bowl.

 

I think Bama and Penn State are in a League of their own. I think ND could beat just about anyone else if they play their very best. And I wouldn't get so cocky about the Pinstripe Bowl, ND was their just a few seasons ago. Don't get me wrong, this a very good team, but let's not crown them yet. NC State has one of the best DLs in the country and will almost certainly force Wimbush to throw the ball to beat them.

Penn State is nowhere near Bama...

While I don't think ND can take a day off and win, I respectfully disagree that NC State will be our toughest test

 

That would be Stanford

 

I will say that NC State will probably be a tougher test than Miami

 

I've been watching Miami and from my observation, they are far from a Top 10 team; probably 18th in the country

 

I actually wouldn't be surprised if Miami's "luck" finally runs out when they play Virginia Tech.