BGI Staff Predictions: Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest

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Notre Dame is looking to improve its College Football Playoff resume tomorrow as the Irish take on Wake Forest.

Blue & Gold Illustrated has broken down the game, and now it's time to make our predictions.

Sooner or later there is going to come a game where Notre Dame has multiple turnovers with Brandon Wimbush (zero in his last four starts) at quarterback, or where the defense gives up a couple of fluke plays for scores, or where the team is not in a rhythm, or where it doesn’t win by at least 20 points (another on Saturday would tie the school record of seven in a row from the 1966 national champs) … But it’s getting more difficult to believe with each passing week that it will be this time. Maybe next week in Miami, which reminds me a lot of the 2002 Irish team that started 8-0.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 35, Wake Forest 10

I predicted Notre Dame to beat USC and NC State, but I didn't envision the type of blowouts we saw, at least not against NC State. I'm finally going to jump on the blowout bandwagon this week.

The Fighting Irish have been truly impressive, and the presence of defensive coordinator Mike Elko should help keep the team from being tempted to overlook the 5-3 Deacons, assuming that temptation would have been there, which we've seen no evidence of existing with this team thus far in the season.

Wake Forest will make its fair share of plays on defense, but Notre Dame's ground attack is going to once again prove to be too much. With rain expected for much of the day, the Wake Forest perimeter game will have a hard time getting going. I also expect the Notre Dame defense to attack and dominate the Wake Forest offense.

Notre Dame will pull away and win handily, improving its playoff resume.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 34, Wake Forest 7

You’ve all heard the term “trap game,” and it’s exact kind of colloquialism people want to attach to these kind of games. I’m not buying it. Wake Forest is talented, to be sure, but its also missing its top offensive weapon and an important piece to its defense. This really isn’t a game I see Notre Dame losing. The Irish have bullied better teams with their run game, and if the NC State game was any indication, the passing attack is about to come on in a big way.

There’s also the notion that Notre Dame could get distracted with the No. 3 ranking, but if we’re to believe all the players, that shouldn’t be a problem. I believe them. Maybe the Demon Deacons keep it close for a while, but the Irish have come to far to lose a game like this now.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 49, Wake Forest 24

Some will look at this as a potential trap game, but Notre Dame’s focus has been good all season. Wake Forest played Clemson even through the final three quarters after falling behind 14-0 early without starting quarterback John Wolford.

The Irish will have to try and slow down Wolford, but he will be without star wide receiver Greg Dortch, who suffered an abdominal injury against Louisville. Dortch caught 53 passes for 722 yards and nine touchdowns in the team’s first eight games, so Dave Clawson will have to find a way to replace his production.

Wake Forest’s defense will also be without star safety Jessie Bates, who leads the Demon Deacons in tackles with 63.

It would have taken a very good game on both sides for Wake Forest to pull the upset in South Bend, but without Bates and Dortch the task becomes even more daunting. The Demon Deacons may keep it close for the first half, but I expect Notre Dame to continue rolling and move to 8-1.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 38, Wake Forest 13

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