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 Previous meetings between Notre Dame and Florida State, with the Seminoles holding a 6-3 advantage after losing the most recent, 42-13, at Notre Dame’s 2018 Senior Day. FSU is one of only two teams since the start of the Knute Rockne era in 1918 to have a plus-three lead in a series versus the Irish, with Georgia (3-0) the other.
Notre Dame has a chance to make up ground tonight and win it opens the 2021 season at FSU on Sunday, Sept. 5.
8 Straight wins by Notre Dame, dating back to last season, which is tied with Tennessee for the second-longest current streak in the 130-school Football Bowl Subdivision. Air Force owns the longest winning streak with nine, but it doesn’t play again until Oct. 24 at San Jose State. Meanwhile, Tennessee plays at Georgia this weekend.
7 Losses by Florida State in each of the last two seasons, the most since finishing 3-8 in 1975 — the year before new head coach Bobby Bowden was hired and transformed the program into a superpower in the 1980s and 1990s.
Florida State also was picked to finish 7th among the 15 ACC teams in this year’s preseason poll, but is already in an 0-2 hole with defeats to Georgia Tech (picked 15th, or last) by a 16-13 count and Miami (picked 6th), a 52-10 slaughter.
6 Third downs converted this season in 30 opportunities by Notre Dame’s two opponents, a .200 percentage that ranks No. 2 in the country, behind only 3-0 Oklahoma State’s .163 (7 of 43). In third is 3-0 BYU at .237 (9 of 38).
5 Career receptions by Notre Dame junior wideout Kevin Austin, who is expected to make his debut this season after undergoing foot surgery on Aug. 3 and sitting out last year while under suspension. All the catches were made his freshman season (for 90 yards) in 2018, yet he is considered the next Irish NFL receiver prospect to follow in the footsteps of second-round pick Chase Claypool (2020), third-round choice Miles Boykin (2019) and junior sixth-round selection Equanimeous St. Brown (2018).
4 Notre Dame’s 50 consecutive weeks in the Associated Press top 25 poll (currently No. 5) are the fourth most in the country, behind Alabama (201), Clemson (90) and Georgia (54).
It also is the fourth-longest string at Notre Dame since the advent of the AP poll in 1936, behind the 124 from 1987-94, and then 97 (1969-75) and 75 (1942-50).
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.
2 Notre Dame defenders who were listed as “not available” (generally a code for the virus) by head coach Brian Kelly for tonight’s game with the Seminoles: senior defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and sophomore Buck linebacker Jack Kiser.
Tagovailoa-Amosa is a second-year starter, while Kiser earned the game ball for his team high eight tackles versus USF on Sept. 19 while replacing the co-starting tandem of sophomore Marist Liufau and junior Shayne Simon, who are listed back for this contest.
1 Victory needed by Notre Dame — this weekend versus Florida State — to tie Ohio State for the second-longest home winning streak in the nation. The current 20 in a row is also the second longest in the 90-year history of Notre Dame Stadium, which opened in 1930. The record is 28 from 1942-50.
UCF had its 20-game winning streak at home snapped last week by Tulsa, which currently leaves Notre Dame behind only Clemson (24) and Ohio State (21), which doesn’t play at home until Oct. 24 versus Nebraska. The Tigers host No. 7 Miami tonight.
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