Overshadowed from the euphoria of Notre Dame's triumph against No. 1 Clemson last Saturday night is that the remainder of November offers two pretty good road challenges for the now 7-0 and No. 2-ranked Fighting Irish.
The first is this weekend at 5-3 Boston College — whose only two victories in 34 tries against top-five teams at the time of the game occurred versus No. 1 Notre Dame in 1993 (41-39) and No. 4 Notre Dame in 2002 (14-7).
After final exams week from Nov. 15-20, the Irish have a Nov. 21 bye before traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face North Carolina (5-2), which just missed making this week’s Associated Press top 25 after rising to as high as No. 5 earlier this season.
Who provides the stiffer challenge? Todd Burlage and Lou Somogyi offer their points and counterpoints.
The Eagles Catch The Irish At An Ideal Time
By Todd D. Burlage
My colleague, Lou Somogyi, tips his hand during this debate of whether North Carolina or Boston College is the more dangerous upcoming Notre Dame opponent when he says “if the Tar Heels can find any semblance of a defense,” North Carolina is more threatening.
The counter to Lou’s hypothetical is that so far this season, the Tar Heels have demonstrated nothing that resembles “any semblance of a defense,” so why would they suddenly discover one against Notre Dame?
During its final four games to close October, North Carolina gave up an average of 35.3 points per game, including 45 to Virginia Tech (which just lost to Liberty, the university not the insurance company) and 44 to Virginia, the latter a more offensively challenged opponent. There were indications the Tar Heels defense was sliding, not improving.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame enters the Boston College game after playing top-ranked Clemson in what was the most-hyped and most-draining regular-season matchup of the 11-year Brian Kelly Irish coaching era, making the matchup with the Eagles an obvious “trap” or “letdown” game.
Boston College showed how capable it is when focused while taking a 28-10 lead at Clemson two weeks ago before falling late, 34-28. It had its own letdown last week while squeaking by 1-7 Syracuse by a 16-13 count — but that will make it all the more alert against Notre Dame. Under new head coach Jeff Hafley, a former defensive coordinator at Ohio State, the Eagles possess a veteran defense that has forced 14 turnovers, which ranks fifth among 110 teams.
Add the intriguing side story of former Irish quarterback Phil Jurkovec — who has emerged this season as one of the better quarterbacks in the ACC after transferring to Boston College — playing against his former team, and the odds of a tight game and/or upset become magnified.
Boston College is well equipped physically and especially emotionally to deliver a similar performance and upset opportunity against Notre Dame as it did versus Clemson.
The Tar Heels Possess Better Balance
By Lou Somogyi
Nobody likes to review or study college football history more than yours truly, so it is understandable why there might be some angst among Fighting Irish faithful when having to travel to Boston College the week after having vanquished the No. 1 team in the country. Regardless, North Carolina poses a more serious threat for at least two reasons.
First is the balance on offense. Whereas Boston College is over-reliant on Jurkovec with his arm and legs on scrambles — leading rusher David Bailey averaged only 53.6 rushing yards per game during the 5-3 start — the Tar Heels, while starting 5-2, averaged 298.4 passing yards and 239.4 rushing yards, with running backs Javonte Williams (1,001 yards rushing, 8.2 yards per carry) and Michael Carter (907 yards rushing, 7.8 yards per carry) forming possibly the most dynamic running back tandem in the country.
Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell could be a future first-round pick, who has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,081 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. No team is going to thrive against this Irish defense with a one-dimensional attack, but the Tar Heels can beat you either with the run or pass.
Second, whereas first-year head coach Hafley is first trying to build at Boston College, former national champion and second-year head coach Mack Brown is attempting to take the Tar Heels to legitimate top-15 to top-25 status. They were way overrated at one point this year at No. 5, but learning from that “too much, too soon” setback should be an aid in future focus.
Both North Carolina and Notre Dame have a bye Nov. 21 before meeting the day after Thanksgiving, so that should be a wash for this meeting. If the Tar Heels can find any semblance of a defense in that time, they will be definitely more dangerous than the Eagles.
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