No. 9 Notre Dame has its last ranked matchup of the regular season as it travels to Pittsburgh to face off against the No. 22 Panthers. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics With the College Football Playoff committee giving Notre Dame a substantial amount of respect, the Fighting Irish's path is right in front of them. Win and you're basically going to be in. There are two games that can throw a wrinkle in Notre Dame's march to December, as Texas and Oklahoma potentially dethroning two top 5 teams would be a detrimental hit for the Irish. Outside of this, if Notre Dame handles their business, they will be a near CFP lock. That brings the Irish to their next matchup with the Pittsburgh Panthers. A team that seemed to be lackluster before making a change at quarterback that has electrified their team. Since freshman Mason Heintschel has taken command of Pat Narduzzi's offense, the Panthers have been on a five-game winning streak. Heintschel has tremendous talent and some weapons around him that have made Pitt's offense one of the highest scoring units in college football. Defensively, the Panthers are stout against the run, an identity that is similar in all of Narduzzi's teams, but a bit lackluster in the aerial attack. Let's take a look at the keys to Notre Dame's matchup against Pitt. Turning Red Zone Trips into Touchdowns One of Notre Dame's biggest Achilles' heels this season has been sputtering once the Irish reach the red zone. Whether it be turnovers or short-yardage woes, Notre Dame has struggled converting red zone trips into touchdowns. On the inverse of that, Pitt has one of the worst red zone defenses in the country, and if the Irish are able to reach the red zone, they need to convert these trips into touchdowns. The fact that Pitt struggles to keep teams out of the goal line is surprising due to the Panthers' rushing defense prestige. Pitt has the No. 3 rushing defense in the country, and this will certainly be a battle for the Irish offensive line and running back tandem of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to tackle. It will be interesting to see if Pitt stacks the box like Boston College and Navy have done in recent weeks, but there is no doubt that the Panthers have to pick their poison between stopping Love and Price or attempting to limit CJ Carr's downfield passing. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Forcing Heintschel's Hand Mason Heintschel has had a phenomenal first five games for Pittsburgh, as he has racked up 1,547 yards and 12 touchdowns. Heintschel does it all from throwing with confidence from the pocket to scrambling and making the magic happen. Heintschel's playing habits remind you of a skilled freshman quarterback, like an Everett Golson for Fighting Irish fans. While his play style is electric, Heintschel does make his fair share of mistakes. Through five games, Heintschel has already thrown five interceptions, and he puts the ball in harm's way quite often. If Notre Dame can limit Pitt's rushing attack, that is an below-average unit, then Chris Ash and the Notre Dame secondary can confuse the young quarterback in his first big game. Pittsburgh has many capable weapons including Kenny Johnson and Desmond Reid, but if the Notre Dame pass rush can find a way to contain Heintschel's improvisation, then the opportunistic secondary can have a field day. Win the Middle Eight Part of Notre Dame's success this season has been their ability to perform out of the halftime break. Ash's defensive unit has played lights out in the second half of basically every game this season, as he has displayed a great ability to make the necessary adjustments from the first half. On offense, Notre Dame has stalled a bit in the second quarter this season, and ultimately rarely gets out to a big first quarter lead. With this in mind, the middle eight is ever important in a game of this magnitude. If the Irish can control the final four minutes on the first half and the first four minutes of the second half, it will be difficult for the more skilled team to fall behind in this game. Notre Dame's talent does outshine that of Pitt, but the Irish will need to play a disciplined game of football against the Panthers, as ACC officials will certainly be stingy against the Irish. Notre Dame is coming off the heels of their first penalty free game since the 1990s after being a rather heavily penalized team. One of the main differences last week was the fact that the referees were from the American conference. To continue to pile onto this notion, the ACC Football social media account has also attempted to put down the Irish's playoff legitimacy. With College Gameday and many eyes on this game, the Irish must play lights out for the officiating to not even come into question. However, if Notre Dame can lean on the run, exploit a heavy box with aerial deep shots, and confuse the eyes of a freshman quarterback, then the Irish can leave Pitt with two wins away from their second consecutive College Football Playoff appearance. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame gears up for what should be their biggest remaining test of the season. With playoff chances on the line, this is a "must-win" for the Irish, and it will serve as their last chance to perform well against another ranked opponent. Let's take a look at the matchups that favor the Irish, as well as the ones that don't. Advantages Notre Dame Passing Attack vs. Pitt Passing Secondary Overall, the Pitt defense is a pretty good unit, ranking in the top 40 in most defensive categories. One place Notre Dame could find success on offense is through the air. Throughout the season, CJ Carr and company have shown their ability to hurt teams in the passing game, especially when looking to capitalize on big play opportunities. This season, Notre Dame ranks second in yards per pass with 10.2. This stat points to an offence that has become incredibly efficient and is not afraid to take shots down the field. Looking at Pitt, this is exactly where they struggle as a defense. They rank 63rd in passing percentage against, allowing quarterbacks to hit just under 62% of their passes. What may be most concerning for the Panthers is the yards they give up in the passing game. In that category, they rank 101st in the entire country, averaging 246 passing yards allowed per game. Looking at these stats, Notre Dame should be able to exploit this weakness with talented players like Malachi Fields, Will Pauling, and Jordan Faison. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Taking Advantage of Pitt's Mistakes Football can often be a very opportunistic game. On Saturday, Notre Dame must take advantage of the opportunities Pitt gives them. So far this season, Pitt has proven to be a team that is prone to giving teams those opportunities. On the offensive side of the ball, Pitt ranks among the worst in the country when it comes to penalties. As a unit, they average just over eight penalties per game, resulting in 75 lost yards. This is something Notre Dame must use to their advantage. The Irish defense has to be able to get off the field and punish them for making those mistakes. Offensive penalties are often drive killers, so Notre Dame would do well to make sure they are on Saturday. Along with the penalties, Pitt is also prone to turning the ball over, which bodes well for a Notre Dame defense that has been causing turnovers at an impressive rate. Pitt ranks 119th in the country in turnovers per game, giving the ball away just under two times a contest. That means Notre Dame, a defense that averages two takeaways per game, should be able to cause chaos and get the offense extra possessions. It will be up to the offense to capitalize on those chances, as it could be the turning point in this game. Disadvantages Notre Dame's Secondary vs. Pitt's Passing Attack As Notre Dame may be able to take advantage of Pitt's secondary, Pitt may be able to do the same as well. In recent weeks, Notre Dame's secondary has gotten a lot better since the beginning of the year. With that being said, they still show some weaknesses, and this will be the best passing attack they've faced since USC. Pitt ranks 23rd in yards per completion, gaining an average of a little over eight yards per completion. This, combined with their top ten passing game in yards per game, makes Pitt a dangerous team. Notre Dame already allows 232 passing yards per game, so this could very well be an area of the game that Pitt will want to attack. Kenny Johnson and Raphael Willaims Jr. are both talented wide receivers for the Panthers who have both had solid seasons so far. The duo has combined for over 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns. These are both players that Leonard Moore and the young Irish secondary will have to stay on top of in order to slow down an offense that scores 37 points per game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Notre Dame's Explosive Ground Game vs. Pitt's Stifling Run Defense This will be the matchup to watch all game. Although it may not be a disadvantage for the Irish, it is an area of the field that Pitt could have an answer for in parts of the game. Notre Dame's offense is centered around the rushing attack of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Together, they make up the best backfield in the country, and Love is even in some Heisman talks for his stellar play this season. This season, the running game is averaging almost 200 yards a game, which ranks at 20th in the country. This has been enough to dominate almost every opponent the Irish have seen this season. That reality could change on Saturday. Pitt boasts one of the best run defenses in the entire country, allowing only 2.5 yards per attempt. That puts them at fourth in all of college football. If they can slow down Love and Price like they have done to other backs all season, Notre Dame could have a very hard time moving the ball. Not only does the Irish offense rely on the run for much of its points and yards, but it is also a key part of their passing game. The run opens up opportunities for shots downfield. Pitt has not seen a backfield like Love and Price, so it will truly be put to the test in a matchup that could help determine the game. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics No. 9 Notre Dame is set to make their 2025 ESPN College Gameday debut against the No. 22 Pitt Panthers on Saturday. The 7-2 Irish travel to Pittsburgh for a noon meeting, looking to keep their CFP hopes alive. While the Panthers can afford a loss, like Head Coach Pat Narduzzi alluded to on Monday, and still make the CFP with an ACC Championship, there is no question he would love to upset the Irish. Pitt Results (7-2): 61-9 vs Duquesne (W) 45-17 vs Central Michigan (W) 24-31 at West Virginia (OT L) 27-34 vs Louisville (L) 48-7 vs Boston College (W) 34-31 at Florida State (W) 30-13 at Syracuse (W) 53-34 vs NC State (W) 35-20 at Stanford (W) As much as CJ Carr and the Notre Dame passing offense have impressed, it is no secret that the Irish’s bread is buttered with their run game. Irish RB Jeremiyah Love, a potential Heisman candidate, could be tasked with his biggest test since last season’s National Championship against Ohio State. While Pitt’s secondary has been prone to mistakes, their run defense is among the best in the country, with good run-stoppers at nearly every level. The Panthers’ ability to limit opposing teams' top rushers has no doubt been a factor in their current five-game winning streak. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Defensive Stats (National Rank): 21.8 points per game allowed (tied-43rd) 318.3 total yards per game allowed (25th) 4.67 total yards per play allowed (tied-16th) 80.89 rush yards per game allowed (3rd) 2.39 yards per carry allowed (1st) 7 rush touchdowns allowed (tied-14th) 237.4 pass yards per game allowed (97th) 10 interceptions (tied-22nd) 2.67 sacks per game (tied-18th) 7.78 tackles for loss per game (5th) 34.07% opponent 3rd down conversion rate (25th) 33.33% opponent 4th down conversion rate (tied-8th) 95.65% opponent red zone conversion rate (131st) The Panthers’ defensive braintrust is made up of HC Narduzzi and Defensive Coordinator Randy Bates. Before Pitt, Narduzzi was the long-time DC for former Cincinnati and Michigan State HC Mark Dantonio from 2004-14. After helping the Spartans to an 11-2 record featuring a Cotton Bowl victory in 2014, Narduzzi was hired to be the HC at Pitt. Since taking over in 2015, the defensive-minded coach has led the Panthers to a 79-58 overall record with an ACC Championship.  Bates was brought in by Narduzzi in 2018 after former Pitt DC Josh Conklin accepted the HC position at Wofford. Before working at Pitt, Bates served as the LB Coach at Northwestern under Pat Fitzgerald from 2006-17. Personnel: Interior Linemen: Francis Brewu - The first of three good interior linemen that Pitt features is this starting sophomore DT. Brewu has 24 tackles, four for a loss, one sack, and a forced fumble this season. The 6-2, 280-pound DT has at least one tackle in seven games, including a season-high of nine at WVU, where he also recorded a sack. Brewu has two missed tackles on the year. The sophomore has been good against the run, with 10 stops and no misses, and as a pass rusher, with 13 pressures, including two QB hits across 163 attempts. Sean FitzSimmons - Next to Brewu is this redshirt junior DT. FitzSimmons has 20 tackles, two for a loss, and one sack this year. The 6-3, 295-pound lineman has at least one tackle in seven games, including a season-high of six at WVU, where he also recorded a sack. FitzSimmons has been good against the run with nine stops, but three of his four missed tackles have come here. The junior has also performed well as a pass rusher with 11 pressures, including two QB hits across 150 attempts. Nick James - This redshirt junior starts off the bench but is a key rotational piece on Pitt's line. James, a pass-rush specialist, has 15 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and one pass breakup this season. The 6-2, 280-pound DT has been good against the pass with 14 pressures, including four QB hits across 191 pass rush attempts. James has also been reliable against the run with seven stops, but both of his missed tackles this year have come trying to stop the rush. Others to watch: Jahsear Whittington Edge Rushers: Jimmy Scott - Arguably, Pitt’s top pass-rusher is this redshirt junior DE. Scott has 15 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, four sacks, one pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery this season. The 6-3, 260-pound edge rusher has at least one tackle in six games. He recorded a season-high two sacks with four tackles in his last game out at Stanford. The junior also impressed against Central Michigan when he tallied four tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup in the early-season win. Scott leads the team with 22 pressures, including six QB hits, across 248 pass rush attempts. Against the run, he has been solid with five stops; however, three of his four missed tackles have occurred here.  Isaiah Neal - The other edge rusher to keep an eye on is this redshirt sophomore OLB. Neal has 22 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and one pass breakup this season. The 6-2, 265-pound edge rusher has at least one tackle in each game, and tallied a season-high of five at FSU. A solid pass rusher, Neal has 14 pressures, including six QB hits on 197 attempts. The sophomore has been decent against the run with eight stops, but four of his six missed tackles have come trying to stop ball-carriers. Neal can, but rarely does, drop into coverage. Others to watch: Joey Zelinsky, Nate Temple, Blaine Spires (missed last game with injury) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Linebackers: Braylan Lovelace - The heart of this Pitt defense is undoubtedly the linebacking core, specifically Lovelace and Louis. Lovelace, a junior LB, has a team-high 55 tackles, with 3.5 for a loss, one interception, and a pass breakup this season. The 6-2, 220-pound interior backer has at least two tackles in each game, and recorded a season-high of 10 tackles against Louisville and then at FSU. Lovelace also had a nice performance in the loss at West Virginia, when he racked up nine tackles with an interception and a pass breakup. While the junior does lead the team in tackles, he also leads the Panthers with 13 misses. Regardless, Lovelace has proven to be an elite run-stopper with a team-high 23 stops with eight misses. The LB has been decent in coverage, with 157 yards allowed on 13 receptions across 17 targets. He has also performed as a good pass rusher, with 20 pressures, including six QB hits across 119 attempts. Lovelace will affect Saturday’s game; how much of an effect may be the difference between a win and a loss. Kyle Louis - My favorite player to watch on the Panthers' defense is this redshirt junior LB. Louis, at 6-1 and 220 pounds, offers versatility for the Pitt defense. While mainly lining up as an ILB, the junior is capable of rushing off the edge or playing coverage out of the slot. In eight games played this season, Louis has 53 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. The LB left the Syracuse game in the first quarter with an injury and then did not play the following game against NC State. Louis has at least five tackles in seven games and has had multiple impressive performances. In his return from injury two weeks ago at Stanford, the LB recorded 11 tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception. In the season-opener against Duquesne, Louis recorded a season-high two sacks in a six-tackle outing. Against Boston College, he had five tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble and recovery in a dominant win. Finally, the star LB recorded eight tackles and an interception in the overtime loss at WVU. All-around, Louis has been good. He has 13 stops against the run, with two of his missed tackles coming here. In coverage, he has allowed 26 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown across 37 targets. As a pass rusher, Louis has recorded 12 pressures, including three QB hits on just 69 attempts.   Cameron Lindsey - While Louis and other depth LB options have dealt with injury, this versatile redshirt freshman has stepped up. Lindsey, who can rush off the edge, made his first start against NC State. The 6-1, 210-pound LB has 25 tackles, five for a loss, two sacks, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble this season. He has at least one tackle in six games and two missed tackles on the year. In his second start at Stanford, Lindsey tallied a season-high eight tackles with a sack and a pass breakup in the road win. The freshman has been solid in coverage, with 11 receptions allowed for 97 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. It appears Lindsey has learned from his upperclassmen LBs because he has been great against the run with seven stops and no misses. He has also added six pressures on just 48 pass rush attempts this season. Others to watch: Rasheem Biles (has been out since week 8 with injury) , Nick Lapi (has been out since week 9 with injury) Defensive Backs: Javon McIntyre - One of Pitt’s starting safeties is this redshirt senior. McIntyre, who can play some slot corner, has 28 tackles, one interception, and one pass breakup this season. The 6-1, 195-pound S has at least one tackle in eight games, including a season-high of seven against Central Michigan. In the Panthers' last outing at Stanford, McIntyre hauled in his first pick of the year while adding two tackles in the win. Overall, the senior has played decently with 274 yards allowed and three touchdowns on 22 catches across 29 targets in coverage. He has come up with four run-stops, but three of his six missed tackles have come against the rush. Kavir Bains-Marquez - The other starting safety for this defense is the UC Davis grad-transfer, who also can play some slot corner when needed. Bains has 39 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception this season. The 5-10, 175-pound S has at least one tackle in eight games, including a season-high of 13 at FSU. Bains recorded his interception at Syracuse, where he also tallied five tackles in the road win. The grad-transfer has five missed tackles on the year. In coverage, Bains has been decent with 293 yards allowed, including a touchdown, on 26 receptions across 33 targets. Shadarian Harrison - Starting out wide at CB is this redshirt sophomore. Harrison has tallied 26 tackles, one pass breakup, an interception, and a forced fumble in eight games played. He did not play at Syracuse. The 6-1, 190-pound CB has at least one tackle in each game played, including a season-high of nine against Central Michigan. Harrison’s interception occurred against Boston College, where he added two tackles in the win. The sophomore has allowed 204 yards and a touchdown on 15 receptions across 27 targets in coverage this season. He has also come up with three stops against the run, but two of his four missed tackles have come here. Shawn Lee Jr. - Pitt’s freshman CB has put the seatbelts on everyone in front of him this season. Lee has 22 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, four pass breakups, and an interception this season. He has at least one tackle in eight games, including a season-high of five at WVU. In his last outing at Stanford, the 5-10, 180-pound CB recorded two tackles, a pass breakup, and a 30-yard pick-six in the win. Lee has missed three tackles this year. The lockdown CB has allowed 10 receptions and a touchdown for just 28 yards across 25 targets. This weekend will be a big test for the freshman, who should be receiving more national recognition than he currently is. Tamon Lynum - The final player to highlight is this sixth-year CB. In six games played, Lynum has 16 tackles, one pass breakup, and an interception this year. He missed a three-game stretch with an injury but is back healthy. The CB has at least one tackle in each game played, including a season-high of four at Stanford. Lynum has no missed tackles this season and hauled in his interception at Syracuse. The graduate has been decent in coverage, with 51 yards and two touchdowns allowed on five catches across eight targets. He has been good against the run, though, with four stops and no misses. Others to watch: Josh Guerrier, Cruce Brookins (missed last game with injury) , Rashad Battle (exited last game with injury) Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame continues its tremendous run of landing top talent in the 2027 class, as Elite 4-Star Safety Khalil Terry announced his commitment to the Fighting Irish. Terry is a 6’0", 185lbs Safety out of Tustin High School in Tustin, California. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the No. 198 overall recruit nationally, and the No. 21 overall Safety in the country. Art by The Irish Tribune Before committing to the Irish today, Terry held 33 Division 1 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, USC, and Notre Dame, among others. Notre Dame adds to an already impressive class, with more star-studded talent expected to join the Irish in the near future. Terry is now the sixth member of the Irish's 2027 recruiting class, joining Composite 4-star QB Teddy Jarrard, Composite 4-star LB Ellis McGaskin, 3-star DL Ritchie Flanigan, 3-star LS Sean Kraft, and 4-star OT James Halter. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics At noon on Saturday, all eyes will be on the top-25 matchup held at Acrisure Stadium between Notre Dame and Pitt. The Irish travel to Pittsburgh looking to extend their win streak over the Panthers to five while keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Pitt, in the thick of a heated ACC battle, certainly would like to keep their recent momentum going with an upset win before dates with Georgia Tech and Miami.  Pitt Results (7-2): 61-9 vs Duquesne (W) 45-17 vs Central Michigan (W) 24-31 at West Virginia (OT L) 27-34 vs Louisville (L) 48-7 vs Boston College (W) 34-31 at Florida State (W) 30-13 at Syracuse (W) 53-34 vs NC State (W) 35-20 at Stanford (W) Seven days after not being asked to do much against Navy’s heavy-run attack, the Irish’s middling pass defense will be tasked with a challenge this week against Pitt’s pass-heavy offense. Following back-to-back early-season losses, the Panthers benched second-year starting QB Eli Holstein in favor of freshman Mason Heintschel. Since the move, both the offense and wins have picked up with Pitt entering this weekend 5-0 with Heintschel leading the way.  Offensive Stats (National Rank): 39.7 points per game (6th) 426.8 total yards per game (36th) 302.6 pass yards per game (11th) 24 pass touchdowns (tied-7th) 12 interceptions (tied-129th) 124.22 rush yards per game (104th) 3.65 yards per carry (tied-112th) 70% 4th down conversion rate (tied-15th) 2.89 sacks per game allowed (120th) Following a disappointing 3-9 2023 season, long-time Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi let go of Offensive Coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., brother of Curt. Narduzzi brought in Western Carolina OC and QB Coach Kade Bell prior to 2024 to work at Pitt in the same roles. In 2023, Bell was the mind behind a Western Carolina offense that led the FCS in total offense and finished top-10 in scoring. Last season, Bell’s first at Pitt, he made the Panthers a top-50 offense as they finished 7-6. As seen by the stats above, the 32-year-old has Pitt’s offense, specifically the pass, playing at a high level at this point of the year. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Personnel: Quarterback: Mason Heintschel - Bell and the Panthers made the switch to the true freshman following a 2-2 start to the season. Heintschel has performed well as a passer and showcases promising potential. The 6-2, 215-pound QB has completed 64.1% of his pass attempts for 1,547 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions in six games played (five starts). Heintschel has thrown for over 300 yards with at least two touchdowns in four of his five starts. He threw for a season-high 423 yards against NC State on 28/48 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Against Boston College, the freshman threw a season-high four touchdowns on 30/41 attempts for 323 yards with no picks. One unfavorable trend has been the number of sacks Heintschel has taken on the road. Across three road starts, the QB has taken 14 sacks, and his overall performance has suffered as a result. Heintschel took a season-high seven sacks at Syracuse when he threw for just 140 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. At FSU, he took five sacks and threw two picks in the game. Two weeks ago at Stanford, the freshman took two sacks in a four-turnover performance, including two interceptions and two lost fumbles. Another lowlight of Heintschel’s start to his career is that his deep ball has cost him four interceptions, something that the Notre Dame secondary has made opposing QBs pay for. The freshman signal-caller likes to work between the numbers and can really hurt defenses if given a clean pocket. However, his completion rate drops to 38.6% and he has thrown three interceptions when under pressure this year.  On the ground, Heintschel is not much of a threat in my opinion. He has rushed for 143 yards and one touchdown on 49 attempts. The freshman QB has five fumbles on the year, and has lost two of them. Heintschel rushed for a season-high 64 yards on 16 carries at FSU, but he did fumble twice in the game. He has shown some ability to make defenders miss with eight missed tackles forced this season. Running Backs: Ja’Kyrian Turner - While starting RB Desmond Reid has dealt with a nagging injury, Pitt has given this freshman an increased workload. Turner is the Panthers’ leading rusher with 88 carries for 399 yards and six touchdowns in eight games played this season. The 5-9, 180-pound RB has had five games with at least 10 carries for 40 yards. He rushed for a season-high 127 yards and two touchdowns on 22 attempts in the win at Stanford. Turner is a good, elusive runner with no fumbles and 12 missed tackles forced, who can beat defenses inside and outside.  Turner is not much of a receiving threat in my opinion. He has 13 receptions for 119 yards through the air this season. The freshman has at least one catch in six games, including a season-high of four at FSU when he tallied 34 yards. Turner recorded a season-high 36 yards at Stanford across three receptions. The RB has proven to be a capable short-yardage option but has two drops on 17 targets. Turner’s 9.2 yards per reception and 8.8 yards after catch per reception highlight what he can do with an open field. Desmond Reid - Pitt’s star RB has missed three games this season, including the Panthers’ latest game at Stanford, while dealing with an injury. Reid was a game-time decision against the Cardinal, so I would expect to see him suit up this Saturday, assuming Coach Narduzzi wants to win this game. In six games played, the senior RB has 55 carries for 266 yards and two touchdowns with no fumbles. Reid has at least six carries for 30 yards in each game he has played this year. The 5-8, 175-pound RB rushed for a season-high 66 yards and a touchdown against Duquesne on eight attempts. Reid is another good runner with 11 missed tackles forced. He prefers to get outside the edges on his touches. What makes Reid special is his receiving ability out of the backfield. The senior has tallied 254 yards and two touchdowns on 17 receptions this season. He has at least one catch in four games and exploded at FSU when he recorded 155 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches in the road win. Reid has no drops across 20 targets this season while averaging 14.9 yards per reception and 10.4 yards after catch per reception. While mostly utilized as a short-yardage option, the speedy back is capable of taking the top off defenses. Others to watch: Juelz Goff Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Receivers: Kenny Johnson - The Panthers’ leading receiver also serves as a dangerous return specialist. Johnson’s 16.4 all-purpose yards per play are 11th among all FBS players, while his 102 all-purpose yards per game rank 50th. As a receiver, the junior has 573 yards and four touchdowns on 37 receptions. The starting wideout’s 63.7 receiving yards per game are tied-79th among FBS pass-catchers. He has at least one catch in each game and recorded a season-high 115 yards and one touchdown on nine catches against Boston College. Johnson did lose a fumble against Louisville this year. The 6-1, 205-pound target averages an impressive 15.5 yards per reception and 6.6 yards after catch per reception. He has shown his elusiveness with 10 missed tackles forced, the most among Pitt receivers. However, Johnson also leads Pitt’s WRs with three drops across 57 targets. The junior is a solid deep threat with four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown on six targets of 20 or more yards. Like most of the Panthers’ receivers, most of Johnson’s production comes between the numbers. Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr. - Starting in the slot is this solid redshirt senior. Williams has 525 yards and a team-high six touchdowns on 36 receptions this season, including at least one catch in each game. The 5-10, 165-pound receiver recorded a season-high 119 yards in the overtime loss at West Virginia on six receptions, including a touchdown. Williams hauled in a season-high two touchdowns against Central Michigan across five catches for 81 yards. The slot-man averages a productive 14.6 yards per reception and has no drops on 56 targets this year. Williams is capable of beating defenses in the short or long game and does most of his work between the numbers. Cataurus “Blue” Hicks - Starting opposite of Johnson is this redshirt sophomore Louisville transfer. Hicks has totaled 353 yards and four touchdowns on 19 receptions this season, including at least one catch in seven games. His 18.58 yards per reception ranks 20th among all FBS pass-catchers. The 5-10, 175-pound wideout recorded a season-high 120 yards against NC State on just four receptions, including a touchdown. Hicks had a season-high two touchdowns against Duquesne across four receptions for 55 yards. The sophomore is a decent receiver, averaging 7.2 yards after catch per reception. He does have two drops across 33 targets this year. Hicks is another capable deep threat with 224 yards and three touchdowns on five catches across 12 targets of 20 or more yards. Again, Hicks also finds most of his production between the numbers. Others to watch: Deuce Spann, Bryce Yates Tight Ends: Justin Holmes - Pitt’s starting TE is this senior transfer from Marshall. This season, Holmes has 16 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He has at least one catch in seven games, including a season-high of four at Stanford when he recorded 34 yards. The 6-3, 245-pounder tallied a season-high 40 yards and a touchdown against Boston College on three catches, but he did fumble in the blowout win. Holmes is a decent receiving threat who is averaging 9.5 yards per reception and has no drops on 23 targets this year. The senior serves as a good short to medium yardage option but is not a deep threat. Others to watch: Jake Overman, Malachi Thomas Offensive Linemen: LT Jeff Persi (has been out since week 7 with injury) OR Kendall Stanley (left Stanford game early with injury) OR Jiavani Cooley, LG Ryan Carretta, C Lyndon Cooper, RG BJ Williams, RT Ryan Baer - As you can see, Pitt is dealing with some injury issues at LT heading into this weekend. Persi and Stanley are both transfers who have performed as solid pass-blockers but have struggled with the run. Cooley, a redshirt freshman, has struggled in limited snaps this season, with two pressures, including a QB hit, allowed across 33 pass-block snaps. LG Carretta earned a starting role this season and has performed well as a pass-blocker and decently as a run-blocker. C Cooper, RG Williams, and RT Baer are all returning starters. Cooper and Williams are both good all-around blockers. Baer is the best run-blocker on this unit, but his pass block has been questionable with a team-high 22 pressures and five sacks allowed across 361 attempts. After not playing last week against Navy, look for Notre Dame edge rusher Boubacar Traore to have an impactful game. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Coming into this game, there were a lot of questions and concerns about the Irish after a lackluster performance against Boston College last week. Coming off a bye week, it was expected that Notre Dame would make easy work of Boston College, but that wasn't the case, which left many wondering: What the heck happened during that bye week, and did the Irish even prepare at all? What I saw was a team that overlooked a bad 1-7, which ultimately led to a poor performance. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Coming into this week's game, fans wondered how Notre Dame would respond against a 7-1 Navy team at home. I was alerted by a source close to the Navy program early on in the day that it was a possibility that Navy's starting QB, Blake Horvath, would be ruled out due to a lingering injury suffered the week prior against North Texas. I announced this possibility on social media, and it was confirmed to be true 5 hours later, right before kickoff, that Horvath was indeed out for the game. The Notre Dame defense came out on fire in their first series, holding Navy to 5 plays for only 17 yards on a drive that lasted just over 3 minutes and resulted in a punt. The Notre Dame offense staggered a bit out of the gate, with two runs to Jeremiyah Love resulting in no yards gained. The offensive line struggled all game in run blocking, but it didn't help that Navy stacked the box the entire night to try and take away the running game, the same tactic employed by Boston College last week. The offensive line, however, did a fantastic job in pass protection, allowing CJ Carr a lot of time in the pocket for the majority of the night. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The Irish offense struggled in its second offensive series, which ended in a quick three-and-out on 3 plays for an abysmal 5 yards, but went on to score a total of 3 touchdowns in the first half while the defense gave up a total of 10 points. Poor tackling continues to rear its ugly head at times with this defense and has been a problem the entire season for the Irish. The Notre Dame defense gave up a total of 206 yards on the ground, which would have been a lot less had they been able to effectively tackle. They have to find a way to clean this up if they want to continue this win streak and make a run in the playoffs, especially in the first half. The second half of this game was a completely dominant effort from the Irish, both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The Notre Dame defense locked in and pitched a shutout in the second half against the midshipmen offense, allowing 0 points in the final two quarters. The Notre Dame offense, led by CJ Carr, put 28 points on the board in the second half, starting with one of the greatest 48-yard runs you'll ever see by Jeremiyah Love. In my mind, he's the best overall player in college football and deserves to be in consideration for the Heisman Trophy. All in all, not much to complain about when it comes to the performance that the Irish displayed last night, but the job is not done, and it continues next week against Pittsburgh. And don't let anyone fool you into believing that game is an easy one. This Pittsburgh game is a big test for the Irish next Saturday, and the only one I'm worried about for the remainder of the regular season. The great news here is that Marcus Freeman is 5-1 in noon kickoff games, with his only loss coming at the hands of Clemson in 2023. The Irish once again control their own destiny as it relates to their playoff hopes. Win out and they're in; it really is that simple, but it's up to them to finish the job. Onward to the next game.... Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @bruce_straughan  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1 Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

No. 10 Notre Dame played their most complete game of the season, as the Irish rolled past the Navy Midshipmen 49-10 at Notre Dame Stadium. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame delivered on both ends of the football in this primetime matchup against the Navy Midshipmen. Despite being without their starting quarterback, Navy was able to move the ball down the field in the first half thanks to Braxton Woodson's running ability. Woodson was the first 100-yard rusher against the Fighting Irish defense this season. While Woodson put up impressive numbers, the Fighting Irish defense got stops when they had to, as Notre Dame held the Midshipmen to 10 points in the first half. Then, out of halftime, the Fighting Irish looked to be a completely different team. The Irish opened up the second half with a scoring drive that featured Jeremiyah Love's most improbable rushing touchdown of his career: a 48-yard scamper that looked to be a three-yard loss, but Love broke a tackle, rolled over a defender's body, and took it to the house. If Love needed a play to show at the Heisman ceremony, he certainly found one tonight. He finished this game with 94 rushing yards, 27 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. While Love was the hot hand tonight, Jadarian Price had a good bounce back performance after his fumble last week against Boston College sidelined him for most of the game. Price ended this one with 47 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Aneyas Williams added a touchdown run as well, a 54-yard home run that ended this one with an exclamation point. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! While the Irish had some success on the ground, it was once again CJ Carr's performance that highlighted Notre Dame's offensive triumph. Carr finished the game 13/16 with 218 yards and three touchdowns. Navy adopted a similar philosophy to Boston College last week, in which they stacked the box and forced the Irish to beat them in the air. Well, Carr accepted the challenge and did just that. Malachi Fields was the leading receiver in this one, ending with four catches for 97 yards. Fields proved to be a reliable option for Carr with his big frame and athletic ability. The two receivers that caught touchdowns were KK Smith and Jordan Faison. Smith's touchdown reception was on a 34-yard deep shot, while Faison scored on a well-executed rub route. While the Irish didn't get a touchdown reception from a tight end through the first eight games of the season, Ty Washington ended the streak with a four-yard touchdown catch. As it pertains to the defense, Chris Ash continues to make excellent half time adjustments as the Fighting Irish defense pitched another second half shutout. In this one, Jaiden Ausberry played the best game tonight, as the linebacker from Louisiana was all over the Naval Academy's backfield. Ausberry's fellow linebackers, Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, were extremely gap sound as well. While Blake Horvath was ruled OUT an hour before the game, Notre Dame still displayed an impressive performance. Navy's offense wasn't nearly as explosive without Horvath, but the Academy shifted to a more physical approach with Woodson. While it may have caught the Irish off guard early, Notre Dame settled in and extended their win streak to seven. All attention now shifts toward a Top 25 matchup next week against Pittsburgh, but if the Irish can put together a performance similar to theirs tonight, then Notre Dame should be ready to roll. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame is coming off the back of one of its sloppiest performances all year against Boston College. With the Irish seemingly in control of their playoff destiny moving forward, can they get right against a familiar foe who presents the same unique challenge year in and year out? The Irish Tribune Staff weighs in on the game below. Brenden Duffy - Editor/Sports Writer: 52-21 Notre Dame Notre Dame’s offense should come out with some fire after an underwhelming outing at Boston College last week. Jeremiyah Love should be in store for another big day; look for the Heisman hopeful to crack over 100 yards and 2 TDs once again.  On defense, I expect the Irish should be able to turn over the Navy offense a couple of times. QB Blake Horvath is a special talent who will get his production, but he has put the ball on the ground more than a few times this season. Look for Notre Dame to take advantage of this. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Max Uretsky - Sports Writer/Recruiting Analyst: 45-17 Notre Dam e Notre Dame hasn't truly strung together a dominant 4-quarter performance since the Arkansas game, but this would be the week to get back on track before travelling to take on a sneaky good Pittsburgh team next week. Navy ranks in the bottom 25 when it comes to pass efficiency defense, and has given up 30+ points in 4 straight contests, so I look for CJ Carr to take his shots and be able to connect on a handful of explosive plays through the air. They are a little more stout defending the ground game, giving up under 4 yards a carry on the year, but Jeremiyah Love has hit his groove as of late, and I would expect that to continue for what should be a statement game for the offense. Defensively, Notre Dame will give up some yards playing against the ever-tricky triple option. Even in last year's 51-14 rout, Navy was still able to put up over 200 rushing yards at over 5 yards a carry. Gap integrity and properly leveraging the ball are two areas that need to be amplified anytime you are taking on the option. Navy will also let QB Horvath take the occasional shot downfield to try to catch the Notre Dame secondary sleeping after having to come down vs the run majority of the game. Horvath is not your typical drop-back QB, but he did throw for 339 yards earlier in the year vs Air Force, so eye discipline will be important on the back end for the Irish to limit any chunk plays through the air.  Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider/Sports Writer: 34-6 Notre Dame Navy comes into this game with a record of 7-1 but has yet to play anyone with a pulse, having a pre-season strength of schedule of 135th in the nation. Notre Dame will be too much to handle for the Naval Academy. Navy likes to run the ball the majority of the time, which will limit the number of possessions the Irish will have offensively and the number of scores.  This is the only day of the year that I wish for our military to lose. The other 364 days of the year, I hope they dominate the world, but tomorrow, that'll be different. Connor Regan - Editor/Sports Writer: 41-16 Notre Dame Notre Dame is once again in a position for a get-right game. After stumbling against BC, Notre Dame's offense needs to figure a few things out. There has yet to be a game this season where both the running game and the passing game truly clicked at the same time while the defense takes care of business. This should be that game. The Irish defense is going up against a solid Navy attack and will likely give up a few field goals on stalled drives, but nothing too substantial to worry about. On offense, the Irish passing game finds a way to work out the kinks and get Carr a true rebound performance. Navy will load the box and sell out for the run, which should give the passing game enough opportunities for success. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Liam Farrell - Editor/Senior Sports Writer: 34-10 Notre Dame The Irish and CJ Carr are able to jump out to an early lead with touchdowns on their first two possessions. Navy will be put behind the 8-ball as their early deficit forces them to become more aggressive through the air. The opportunistic Irish secondary will intercept Blake Horvath twice, as the Irish cruise for the rest of the game. Notre Dame continues their win streak and handles the Midshipmen in a game that feels more like a blowout than the score entails. The Irish will score more touchdowns through the air than on the ground, and there will still be one missed PAT.  Noah Wehby - Sports Writer: 42-13 Notre Dame Notre Dame vs Navy can always be a tricky one for the Irish. Navy's well-known triple option offense has always been something that gives teams trouble, but under Freeman, Notre Dame has seemed to handle it well.  This time around, it will be no different. Notre Dame's defense will shut down Navy for most of the game with its elite speed on that side of the ball. Luckily for Notre Dame, much of this game will be played in the trenches, which is exactly where the strength of the defense is.  Offensively, the question will be if Notre Dame can play a complete game. During this winning streak, the offense seems to only be able to put together one good half of football. On Saturday, an early offensive surge by Notre Dame will make it seem like 56 is possible, but they will slow down in the second half. Malachi Fields is primed for another big game, as Navy just does not have the athletes to match up. And as always, Jeremiyah Love will add another great game to a special 2025 campaign. Clayton Stohler - Podcaster: 52-17 Notre Dame At a certain point, this Notre Dame team either has to put it all together or they just are who they are. And who they are right now is a really talented team, and a playoff contender. Games like this one determine if they're destined for more. The Irish have been knocking on the door of their full potential. On this night, they need to kick the door down and make themselves at home.  On offense, that looks like a deeper WR rotation that features Malachi Fields and uses Faison and Pauling as complementary pieces of the aerial assault. It also reveals Eli Rairdon as not just one of the 5 best TE's in the country, but THE best TE in the country. Navy will load the box, but that doesn't mean Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love can't come close to their output vs USC. And the short yardage, red zone woes have got to be addressed. If not now, never.  On defense, it will feature massive days from all 3 levels. Tae Tae Johnson, Luke Talich, and Adon Shuler...this is the game for you. Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, and KVA...be ready to create havoc through discipline. Jared Dawson, Jason Onye, and Elijah Hughes - be ready to stop the dive and have more tackles than you've had all season long. Oh, and Josh Burnham - hope you're prepared for the best game of your career to date.  If these things happen, which I expect them to, then Notre Dame will emerge from a havoc-ridden weekend across the country as a team that hosts a playoff game. If they don't, then we know who this team is. And when a team repeatedly shows you who they are - believe them. We’ll see who the Irish show themselves to be on Saturday.   Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

No. 10 Notre Dame faces off against their storied rival in a game that always presents a difficult challenge. Photo by The Irish Tribune The Navy Midshipmen have always presented Notre Dame with an interesting test of patience and assignment responsibility. Navy's triple option scheme has been modified over the past two years, especially with offensive coordinator Drew Cronic reinventing the system. Cronic has been able to make Navy much more well-rounded, which has been especially easy with Blake Horvath operating the offense. Horvath has been one of Navy's best quarterbacks in recent memory, channeling a unique blend of arm talent and overall speed. For the Irish, the main storyline coming into the game will be how defensive coordinator Chris Ash handles the triple option in his first season. While Ash is new to the system, Notre Dame's entire defensive coaching staff was present for the Irish's thrashing last year against the Midshipmen at the Meadowlands. However, last season Navy handed the Irish the game on a silver platter due to six total turnovers. Let's look at the keys for Notre Dame against Navy. Maximizing Possessions One of the biggest X-factors whenever Notre Dame plays an academy team is maximizing possessions. While Navy's triple option offense offers a bit more explosiveness, the Midshipmen still hold the ball for a lot of the game. With the clock being drained when Navy has the ball, it makes every single offensive possession even more important. Starting fast normally isn't an issue for the Notre Dame offense, besides last week when the Irish were shutout in the first quarter for the first time since week one against Miami. However, this week more than ever, capitalizing in the red zone and not settling for field goal attempts will also be imperative. It may be sad to say, but the extra points will also be a premium this week. Every possession matters when you play an academy team, so Notre Dame's offense needs to be firing on all cylinders for all four quarters. Limit Navy on Early Downs Navy's offense used to be all about three yards and a cloud of dust. While the big play affect is more apparent than ever, and so is the aerial passing game, Navy still likes to get their consistent yards. Even in this revolutionized offense, Navy is still a not on-par with a traditional passing team. If the Irish can force Navy into 3rd and longs, or even 3rd and medium, the Irish will be in the driver's seat. In the past, aggressive Notre Dame teams have had the most success against Navy. The ones that struggle are those that are too concerned about missing their assignment that it's already gone. If the Irish defense can play with their instinctiveness and aggression, then Notre Dame's athletes should outshine the Midshipmen's. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Get an Early Lead Notre Dame's offense is their greatest strength in this game, but because of the complementary nature it can have for the Fighting Irish defense. If the Irish can get up on Navy early and force them to press the issue, then it makes the Midshipmen offense even more one dimensional, but more importantly, one dimensional in the skill they have less talent in. Last season, Notre Dame got the ball first and marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead. The following possession, Navy turned the ball over and then the Irish scored once again to jump out 14-0. The game was basically over from then. If Notre Dame can get up multiple possessions over Navy, and keep them at an arm's length, then Navy's trickery and clock management strengths can be resolved. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @ LiamFarrell_IT  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle   here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

For the first time since 2021, the Navy and Notre Dame rivalry returns to South Bend on Saturday evening. The 10th-ranked Irish welcome a 7-1 Midshipmen squad coming off their first loss of the season. We provide an offensive overview of Navy amidst their hot start below: Navy Results (7-1): 52-7 vs VMI (W) 38-24 vs UAB (W) 42-23 at Tulsa (W) 21-13 vs Rice (W) 34-31 vs Air Force (W) 32-31 at Temple (W) 42-32 vs FAU (W) 17-31 at North Texas (L) Navy enters this weekend with CFP and American Conference Championship dreams still alive for the time being, much like last season, when the Irish dominated an undefeated Midshipmen squad 51-14 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This season, Navy has a gauntlet of a schedule to end the year that began last week with the loss at North Texas and is followed by contests with Notre Dame, USF, Memphis, and the historic Army rivalry game. While it appears unlikely they will achieve these dreams, the Midshipmen’s heavy run-option offense is not one to mess around with. North Texas held Navy to its lowest point total of the season last week, in large part thanks to three turnovers from QB Blake Horvath, including two interceptions. The Midshipmen feature tough rushers all over the field, and it all starts with Horvath. Below are Navy’s offensive stats with their respective national ranking: 34.8 points per game (tied-27th) 30 rush touchdowns (tied-1st) 466.3 total yards per game (16th) 7.47 yards per play (2nd) 317.25 rush yards per game (1st) 6.61 yards per carry (1st) 149 pass yards per game (130th) 14.4 pass attempts per game (135th) 161.07 passer rating (18th) 53.85% 3rd-down conversion rate (4th) Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Offensive Personnel: Quarterback: Blake Horvath - The leader of not just this offense, but the whole team, is the senior signal-caller. Horvath’s prowess can be seen from his 10 points per game, a stat typically dominated by kickers, which ranks eighth among all FBS players. While they still do not throw nearly as much as a typical offense, it is important to be wary of the pass play, which can confuse opposing defenses. Horvath has completed 63.6% of his pass attempts for 1,143 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He has completed between 6-8 attempts in every game this season, except against Air Force. Navy and Horvath aired it out against their military rival when he threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns on 20/26 attempts in the win. Obviously, the interceptions are an issue as he has thrown two picks in the road contests at North Texas and Tulsa. In general, the 6-2 dual-threat is a pretty good passer with a nice deep ball. On throws of 20 or more yards, Horvath is 14/27 for 552 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.  Where Horvath really excels is with his feet, leading the Navy run attack. The QB has 138 rushes for 926 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. To give you an idea, below is where Horvath ranks among all FBS rushers: 115.75 rush yards per game (5th) 6.71 yards per carry (27th) 13 rush touchdowns (tied-2nd) Besides the season-opener, Horvath has at least 17 carries, 72 yards, and a touchdown in every game. He has rushed for over 100 yards in six games, including a season-high 174 yards and four touchdowns against FAU on just 21 carries. While he is a really good runner, the biggest issue for the senior has been nine fumbles, with at least one in six games. Expect Notre Dame to take advantage of this weakness as they did last season. Horvath is a tough runner, though, averaging 3.36 yards after contact per carry, and he has forced 23 missed tackles this season. The QB likes to get outside the edges when he carries the ball. Others to watch: Braxton Woodson, Jackson Gutierrez *both mainly used for rushing purposes Weapons: Alex Tecza - Navy’s second-leading rusher is this six-foot, 199-pound back. Tecza has 90 carries for 523 yards and six touchdowns with no fumbles this season. The senior’s 65.38 rush yards per game and 5.81 yards per carry are both top-80 among all FBS rushers. He has six games with at least 10 carries and 50 yards. Tecza rushed for a season-high 111 yards against UAB on 15 carries, including a touchdown. He tallied a season-high two rushing scores at Tulsa when he ran for 72 yards on 15 attempts. Tecza is a good runner, averaging 3.92 yards after contact per carry, who is capable of beating defenses outside or up the middle. Tecza also serves as a good short-yardage receiving option. The senior has nine catches for 101 yards this season, including at least one reception in six games. He recorded a season-high three catches and 53 yards against Rice. The RB has one drop on 11 targets while averaging 11.2 yards per reception and 9.9 yards after catch per reception. Eli Heidenreich - Listed as “Snipe Z” on Navy’s depth chart, this senior playmaker can do it all as his 114.6 all-purpose yards per game are the 24th-most among all FBS players. On the ground, Heidenreich has 49 carries for 342 yards and three touchdowns with no fumbles. His 6.98 yards per carry are tied-16th among all FBS rushers. The six-foot back has between 5-9 carries in seven games. He rushed for a season-high 72 yards and a touchdown at Tulsa. Heidenreich is a great, tough runner who averages 3.69 yards after contact per carry and has forced 15 missed tackles. Most of the senior’s run production has come from going outside to the right. He can line up in the backfield, inline, in the slot, or out wide, and a good chunk of Navy’s jet sweep action involves this rusher. As good as Heidenreich might be as a rusher, he is an even better receiving option. As Navy’s leading receiver, the senior has tallied 575 yards and four touchdowns on 31 catches. His 18.55 yards per reception and 71.9 receiving yards per game are both top-50 among FBS pass-catchers. Heidenreich has at least two catches for 20 yards in each game this season. He exploded against Air Force for a season-high 243 yards and three touchdowns across eight receptions in the win. The playmaking senior has no drops across 44 targets this year. As mentioned above, Heidenreich is versatile and can line up basically anywhere on the field. Additionally, he averages a solid 6.9 yards after catch per reception and is 6/7 on contested catch attempts this season. Across 11 targets over 20 yards, Heidenreich has 285 yards and three touchdowns on seven catches, serving as a possible deep threat for opposing defenses. Brandon Chatman - Listed as “Snipe A” on the depth chart, this 5-9, 174-pound senior is another do-it-all back. On the ground, Chatman has 41 carries for 360 yards and two touchdowns with no fumbles. His impressive 8.78 yards per carry ranks third among all FBS rushers. The senior back has received between 3-10 carries in each game. He ran for a season-high 141 yards against FAU on just 10 attempts. Chatman is another good, tough runner, averaging 3.36 yards after contact per carry, and he has forced nine missed tackles. Most of his rushing production comes outside the edges. Chatman is not as much of a threat through the air compared to Heidenreich, but he is still a capable receiving option. The senior has 13 receptions for 124 yards this season, including at least one catch in six games. In addition to his impressive rushing performance against FAU, he also tallied a season-high five catches and 43 yards as a pass-catcher. Chatman averages an impressive 9.5 yards per reception entering this weekend. He has two drops across 17 targets and is 4/4 on contested catch attempts. The back is more of a short-yardage option but can go over the top occasionally. Others to watch: WR Nathan Kent, WR Joshua Guerin, TE Jake Norris, TE Theo Elwell, TE Cody Howard (was out last week with an injury) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Offensive Line: LT Sean Crowley, LG Ben Purvis, C Cam Nichols, RG Hoke Smith II, RT Jaylin Acevedo OR Malcolm Johnson - Overall, this group has held up solidly. In a system that asks for a lot from run-blockers, this front has done a good job helping Navy establish an elite ground game. The leaders and most talented blockers on this line are the two returning starters: Senior LG Purvis and Junior C Nichols. Purvis is the only senior in this group and entered the year with 19 starts in the previous two seasons. Nichols started nine games last year and assumed his starting role against Air Force after rehabbing a fall camp injury. LT Crowley and RG Smith are both solid all-around blockers who have started every game this season. RT has been a bit of an issue for the Midshipmen offense this year. Acevedo, a sophomore, has six starts in seven games played, but leads the offense in penalties and really struggles in the rare pass-blocking scenarios. Johnson, a freshman, has made starts in the past two games with three appearances this season. He has good potential but is still a bit away from being able to hold up against good-elite edge defenders, such as Boubacar Traore. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Notre Dame is coming off one of their worst performances of the year against Boston College. With just a few more days before their matchup with Navy, there are certainly a few key areas where Notre Dame have faltered and need to improve upon down the stretch. Photo by The Irish Tribune Offensive Consistency Although Notre Dame's offense was extremely explosive last week, it lacked the rhythm to sustain a team that was in need of points late in the game. Against BC, the offense only had a few bright moments, resulting in three of their four touchdowns. Those bright moments included two deep balls to Will Pauling and Malachi Fields and, in perfect Jeremiyah Love fashion, a 94-yard touchdown run to ice the game. Besides that, the offense looked lethargic for most of the game. One of their biggest issues was on third down. On those crucial downs, the Irish were only 3/10 on the day against a subpar defense. Notre Dame was forced to punt often, try their luck with a field goal (yikes), or go for it on fourth down. When they did go for it, Notre Dame was not much better, only converting two of their four attempts. One reason for some of these tough third down situations was the lack of a consistent running game. Notre Dame's success this year has been geared around the dominant rushing attack of Love and Price. Last Saturday, that run game was nowhere to be found for much of the game. This led to a lot of the offensive pressure being put on the shoulders of their freshman quarterback. CJ Carr is talented, but the Irish passing game still seems to lack the ability to completely carry an offense. Overall, the offense was just clunky and needs to find their footing and stay on schedule moving forward if they want to reach their goals that are still very much in reach. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Special Teams It does not take a genius to understand how dire Notre Dame's kicking situation currently is. Right now, they have three kickers who all seem incapable of making an extra point. This was not just a BC problem. It has been lingering over this team since the beginning of the season. Marcello Diomede and Noah Burnette both missed extra points, while Erik Schmidt missed a 35-yard field goal right before half. This performance was just the culmination of an issue that has turned into an embarrassing feature of this Notre Dame team. There is no telling how many more misses there could have been on Saturday if Marcus Freeman had elected to kick every time he had the chance, and that is why this problem is so concerning for the Irish. It forces them to go for it much more than they would probably like to, causing them to leave potential points on the board. Against BC or other opponents, it may not matter, but it could be the flaw to end their season if the problem is not corrected soon. Avoiding Crucial Mistakes Whether it was some costly, undisciplined penalties or a fumble inside the 5-yard line, Notre Dame made too many mistakes against BC that could have easily cost them the game. In total, Notre Dame was responsible for three personal foul calls that extended drives. Luckily for the Irish, the first personal foul did not result in any points for BC, which cannot be said for the other two. The second one is hard to blame on Notre Dame. Joshua Burnham was flagged on a sack that would have gotten Notre Dame the ball back, but after replay, it was clear that he never grabbed the BC player's facemask. The third one happened early in the fourth quarter with the result still in doubt. BC was going for it on fourth down at around midfield. Notre Dame's defense did a great job to put pressure on the quarterback and cover options downfield. The play was going nowhere, looking like Notre Dame was about to get the ball with good field position with a chance to distance themselves from BC and put the game away. Instead, Jaylen Sneed pushed the BC quarterback well after he had thrown the ball and stepped out of bounds. It truly was a head-scratching decision by Sneed that enabled BC's offense to stay on the field with a chance to tie the game. Like the kicking, this mistake may not have caused Notre Dame to lose this time, but habits like this can come back to bite teams against strong opponents. The other crucial mistake that the Irish need to clean up going forward revolves around Price's fumbling trend. For was good as Price has been this year, he does have a bit of a fumbling issue, especially when near the end zone. At the time of the fumble, Notre Dame was already leading by one score and looking to make it two. Price's fumble not only wiped a potential touchdown off the board, it also gave BC the momentum they needed to stay alive. Turnovers at that spot on the field just can not happen for a team with Notre Dame's talent. This is not the first time this has happened for Price this season, which could see him lose snaps near the goal line going forward. This also points to a larger issue this offense has had all season, which is short yardage situations. Notre Dame, for as good as they are running the ball, can't seem to be efficient when only a few yards are needed. Whether it is fumbles, interceptions, or plays going nowhere, Notre Dame has seemed largely unable to be a dangerous team in short yardage situations. Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame Men’s Basketball kicked off year three of the Micah Shrewsberry era with an 89-67 win over the LIU Sharks in Purcell Pavilion. Markus Burton and Cole Certa combined for 46 points in a game where the Irish shot over 50% from three and never trailed.  The Irish controlled the first half from the tip with Burton and Certa each scoring 11 points. Certa, who started on the bench, nailed three of his four three-point attempts in ten minutes played. NAU Transfer Carson Towt made his impact felt on the glass with 12 first-half rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Defensively, five different Irish players were able to record a steal as they held LIU to 25 first-half points. Top Freshman Jalen Haralson kicked off the scoring with his first career points on a two-point jumper. Haralson and Burton pushed the Irish out to an early 10-2 lead under four minutes into the game. Then, Garrett Sundra and Certa poured in threes to extend the Notre Dame lead to 16 with over 14 minutes on the clock. After some back-and-forth, LIU went on a 12-4 run led by Jamal Fuller to cut their deficit to nine, 32-23, with 3:23 remaining in the half. A Burton layup and Sir Mohammed free throw put the Irish up 40-25 at the break. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Early foul trouble led to a higher-scoring, but tighter, second half as the Irish outscored LIU by just seven. Freshman Ryder Frost lit it up in the second half, shooting 4-4 from three as part of a 15-point outburst. Burton added 13 while Certa contributed another 11 points as Notre Dame managed to keep LIU away from legitimate striking distance. Towt added another seven rebounds in the half, bringing his game total to 19, the most by an Irish player since John Mooney in 2020.  Notre Dame began the second half on an early 9-4 run, led by Burton, who hit a three to extend their lead to 21 under four minutes into the half. LIU responded with an 8-3 run of their own, led by Shadrak Lasu, to cut the Irish lead to 15 with 13:28 to play. Certa and Frost then got hot from deep, piling in threes to put the Irish up 67-46 with under ten minutes remaining. LIU was not done, though, as a 10-3 Sharks run cut the lead to 13 with just over six minutes to play. The Irish were able to bounce back again and extend their lead back to 19 thanks to a Certa three-pointer and Burton and-one jumper. Notre Dame closed the final 3:12 on a 10-2 run to secure their season-opening 89-67 victory. Up next, Notre Dame hosts Detroit Mercy on Friday evening. Irish Stars: Markus Burton  - 24 points (7-13 FGs, 2-4 3FGs, 8-9 FTs), +23, 27 minutes played Cole Certa  - 22 points (6-10 FGs, 6-9 3FGs, 4-4 FTs), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, +13, 25 minutes played Carson Towt  - 19 rebounds (6 offensive), 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, +24, 28 minutes played Team Stats Comparison: Field Goal Percentage: ND 49% - LIU 38% Three Point Percentage: ND 52% - LIU 33% Rebounds: ND 45 - LIU 31 Second Chance Points: ND 21 - LIU 12 Bench Points: ND 52 - LIU 19 Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here  to support our independent journalism. Follow The Irish Tribune on social media: Facebook  / Instagram  / X  / Threads  / TikTok Follow @Brenden_Duffy  on X Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list  and get every story in your inbox. Check out our Irish partners: TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here! Legion of the Leprechaun - Join  the #1  Notre Dame fan community on Facebook today!