10 Wins minimum posted by Notre Dame each of the past three seasons: 10-3 (2017), 12-1 (2018) and 11-2 (2019), matching the school record from 1991 (10-3), 1992 (10-1-1) and 1993 (11-1). Reaching double digits in win totals a fourth straight would be a program record.
9 Tackles, a team high, recorded by senior rover and All-America candidate Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in last week’s opener versus Duke, a 27-13 victory. Two were behind the line of scrimmage, including a sack, and his forced fumble that safety Shaun Crawford recovered early in the third quarter near midfield set up the touchdown that extended Notre Dame’s lead to 17-6.
8 Catches last week by the Notre Dame tight ends, with junior Tommy Tremble nabbing a team high five for 38 yards and freshman Michael Mayer three for 38 yards. Mayer's total was the most by an Irish freshman tight end in an opener.
Meanwhile, the Irish wide receivers totaled seven catches for 74 yards while in a huge state of flux from last season. That is an area where improvement is especially being sought today.
7 Ranking of Notre Dame in the Associated Press poll this weekend after currently non-playing Big Ten members Ohio State and Penn State and Oregon from the Pac-12 were dropped out. It is tied for the highest ranking for the Irish entering a second game of the season in head coach Brian Kelly’s 11 seasons. It was also No. 7 last season when as a 34.5-point favorite it defeated New Mexico, 66-14. It is “only” a 25.5-point favorite this time.
6 Points allowed by South Florida last weekend in the 27-6 victory versus FCS foe The Citadel and its triple-option scheme. It was notable that the Bulldogs averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry (200 on 54 attempts) because USF ranked in the nation’s bottom 20 in rushing yards allowed per game each of the last two seasons.
Notre Dame likely will be expected to improve upon its 178 yards rushing in 42 attempts (4.2 per carry) last week versus Duke. Still, sophomore Kyren Williams' 205 all-purpose yards (112 rushing, 93 receiving) led the nation.
5 Teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision that have defeated Notre Dame without the Fighting Irish returning the favor: Connecticut (0-1), Georgia (0-3), Oregon State (0-2), Tulsa (0-1) and USF (0-1) . The list can be pared down to four today.
4 Notre Dame players who made Pro Football Focus’ Team Of The Week for their performances in the 27-13 victory versus Duke: left tackle Liam Eichenberg, left guard Aaron Banks and center Jarrett Patterson on an offensive line that graded out No. 1 among the teams that played last weekend. Junior cornerback TaRiq Bracy also made the unit by not allowing a pass completion and not missing a tackle while playing 66 of a possible 68 defensive snaps.
3 Touchdown passes needed by graduate student Ian Book to move past Jimmy Clausen and tie Notre Dame offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Tommy Rees for the second most touchdown passes in school history (61). Much farther away in first place is Brady Quinn with 95.
USF also was without three of its starting offensive linemen last week, listed as “unavailable.” Whether they will be available versus the Irish would play some factor in how effective scatbacks Kelly Joiner Jr. (5-9, 179) and Johnny Ford (5-5, 172) can be.
2 Youngest offensive coordinators in the FBS will be featured today with South Florida’s 27-year-old Charlie Weis Jr. and Notre Dame’s 28-year old Rees — who nearly rallied the Irish from a 16-0 halftime deficit as a sophomore in the Sept. 3, 2011 opener between these two teams while relieving starter Dayne Crist in the third quarter.
The Irish lost 23-20 to the Bulls, coached by Skip Holtz, another son of a former Notre Dame head coach.
1 Victory needed by Notre Dame — this weekend versus South Florida — to achieve sole possession of the second-longest winning streak in Notre Dame Stadium, which opened in 1930. The current 19 in a row is tied for second that was accomplished from 1987-90. The record is 28 from 1942-50.
The home winning streak also is the fourth longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision, behind Clemson (23), Ohio State (21) and UCF (20).
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