For most of the season, Notre Dame has had an advantage on one side of the ball.
Despite all the injuries, Notre Dame’s defense carried this team to the semifinal of the College Football Playoff.
When the Fighting Irish face Penn State, they’ll face a defense that has been just as good against what some would deem better competition. Penn State’s defense overwhelmed SMU and made Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty look ordinary.
Could this be the first game of the season where Notre Dame’s offense will need to win a game?
If so, are they capable?
Notre Dame couldn’t consistently run the ball against Indiana or Georgia, and now Jeremiyah Love is dinged up. Jadarian Price missed cuts against the grain multiple times in the Georgia game. Notre Dame would have had an easier time if he had seen the hole.
Those are mistakes they can’t make against Penn State. Notre Dame must stretch the field beyond quick screens and comeback routes. Passes that depend on yards after the catch.
Notre Dame’s receivers haven’t shown they can run by opposing defensive backs. That means Mike Denbrock will have to find a way to set up opportunities to exploit Penn State’s defense down the field. Can Denbrock do that without putting the Fighting Irish offense behind the chains?
If Notre Dame’s offense doesn’t fire on all cylinders, the game must look like the Texas A&M game. The only problem with that is that Penn State’s quarterback Drew Allar is playing as well as he’s played all season.
Allar has a premium tight end in Tyler Warren and two 1,000-yard rushers (Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton) behind him.
Al Golden has been masterful all season, but could this be the first game where the injuries finally end a magical season?
