Since the home loss to Northern Illinois, Notre Dame has been playing for wins and style points.
Last weekend’s win over Virginia only checked one box. Despite being up 28-0 at halftime, the Fighting Irish’s 35-14 win did not result in any style points.
The first half saw two touchdowns overturned because of a penalty, and the second half was an exercise in getting to the end of the game. Nothing gained. Nothing lost.
As Notre Dame prepares for Army, the Fighting Irish have put themselves in a firm position to make the College Football Playoff and have an outside chance to host a game.
Notre Dame can’t afford a letdown. A loss will eliminate the Fighting Irish from the playoffs, and a less-than-impressive win will lessen the likelihood of Notre Dame hosting a playoff game.
The reality is the SEC and Big Ten are going to be fighting and scratching for home games for their two-loss teams.
Keys:
Get Up Big Early: Notre Dame needs to turn this into the Navy game. Make it a no-doubter as early as possible, and keep pouring it on. Marcus Freeman would never admit it, but the Fighting Irish would love to avoid a trip to places like Tuscaloosa.
No Turnovers: Don’t bail out the Cadets on either side of the field. Don’t give them a short field. When the Fighting Irish are in a position to score, don’t blow those opportunities with turnovers. Being careless with the ball is one of the few ways Army can stay close.
Penalties: Last week, Notre Dame could have scored close to 40 in the first half if penalties had not wiped out big plays. Yes, the coaching staff still disagrees with the call on the fake punt, but that’s neither here nor there. The Fighting Irish can’t afford to be that undisciplined this week.