3-2-1: Notre Dame observations, questions & prediction following UNC win
Irish head coach Brian Kelly rightfully stopped short of calling Notre Dame’s 44-34 win Saturday over North Carolina a perfect victory.
Allowing 34 points and season-highs in both passing yards (341) and total yards (564) would disqualify any team from such consideration.
“We’ve got to be able to handle offenses that show some things that are different, and make some adjustments,” Kelly explained when asked about having to beat the talented Tar Heals, the fifth straight opponent Notre Dame played off of a bye week.
That said, winning a shootout against the best offense the Irish will face this season needs to be recognized.
And now eight games in, the No. 8 Irish (7-1) not only remain relevant in the national picture, but they’re very much in line for a lucrative and prestigious New Years Six Bowl … and who knows, maybe even more.
3 Numbers/Observations
34ish — Hours remaining before the College Football Playoff Committee releases its first rankings at the time of publishing this article.
After staying relatively flatlined in the AP Poll since dropping from No. 9 to No. 14 after its loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 2, Notre Dame made some progress this week after beating North Carolina and jumped three spots from No. 11 to No. 8.
We’ll anxiously await to see where the committee slots Notre Dame Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) and what the playoff consideration scenarios surrounding it look like.
418 — Rushing yards for junior running back Kyren Williams the last three games, a stretch that also includes four of his seven rushing touchdowns this season and a 6.3-yard per-carry average.
Through his first five games, Williams tallied just 289 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns with a 3.8 per-carry average.
19.0 — MPH that Kelly said grad senior quarterback Jack Coan believed he reached Saturday on GPS data during his rather impressive 21-yard touchdown run.
“I’m calling liar on that,” Kelly joked of Coan’s personal speed estimate, “but he’s feeling good about himself right now.”
And rightfully so.
Not known for his speed or nimbleness, Coan had 28 rushing yards on three carries against UNC to go along with 213 yards passing, with one scoring toss.
Because of lost sack yardage, Coan entered the UNC game with minus-88 rushing yards this season.
2 Questions
1. How nice is it to see critical contributions from Irish freshmen?
There’s an old adage surrounding Notre Dame — and perhaps rightfully so — that Coach Kelly never trusts his freshman players enough.
And while there was some merit to that complaint in previous years, there is not this season.
Kelly’s rookies continue to find more expanded roles and provide valuable contributions, no more than they did against North Carolina.
*Backup quarterback Tyler Buchner went 2-for-2 passing for 17 yards with a touchdown and added 16 rushing yards on four carries.
*Running back Logan Diggs — an emerging star — recorded 11 carries for 42 yards with a touchdown.
*Wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. — who we’ll see more and more of in weeks to come — recorded three receptions for 74 yards.
*Offensive lineman Joe Alt started again at left tackle and continues to provide stability and reliability at an all-important position that tried four different players before Alt settled in as the starter.
*Kelly also insists that linebacker Prince Kollie and wide receiver Deion Colzie are performing well in practice and ready for greater roles.
“It’s nice to see all those young players get a lot of work,” Kelly said post UNC. “So again, I really like this team. I love their grit. But I also love the fact that they’re getting better each week.”
2. Is there an upset left on Notre Dame’s schedule?
Never say never, but with the meat of the schedule behind it, Notre Dame will be a sizable favorite in its last four regular-season games. In fact, the Irish opened as a 21-point favorite against Navy this Saturday, even after the Midshipmen (2-6) pulled a 20-17 upset at Tulsa this past weekend as an 11-point underdog.
Playing Virginia (6-3) Nov. 13, on the road could be ornery but the Cavaliers were dumped 66-49 by BYU on Saturday.
Georgia Tech (3-5) lost 26-17 at home Saturday to Virginia Tech and Stanford (3-4) also lost at home, 20-17, to Washington.
Notre Dame’s four remaining opponents are 14-17 combined, leaving little doubt that the seven-win Irish will run their streak to five consecutive seasons with double-digit victories.
1 Prediction
Kyren Williams will return to Notre Dame in 2022 for his senior season.
If it’s possible to find a blessing in disguise after the sluggish start Williams and the Irish offensive line slopped through early this season, it’s that the preseason All-American and marginal Heisman Trophy mention saw his 2022 NFL Draft stock take a hit through the first five games.
And while a late-season surge could repair his professional profile and put him back in the second- or third-round conversation, Williams’ passion for Notre Dame as a school and his commitment to lift its football team to greater heights will be too enticing for him not to return.
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