Notre Dame, with a playoff bid on the line, travels to Southern Cal for its annual rivalry. Our staff make their official predictions for Notre Dame's biggest rivalry game. Photo by The Irish Tribune Liam Farrell - Associate Editor, Senior Football Writer Score Prediction: 28-17 Notre Dame I think the game relies on the matchup between the Notre Dame secondary and USC’s WR. I expect the Irish to give up an early touchdown and trail in the first quarter before kicking into gear. I expect at least one turnover for Jayden Maiava and the Irish to stifle the defense in the second half. Riley Leonard and the Irish offense will stall early but find out how to crack the Trojan defense and put up points in the second half. Noah Wehby - Writer Score Prediction: 31-13 Notre Dame In a rivalry game on the road, a good start is very important for Notre Dame. In recent games, they have been able to fix their problems of slow starts, which plagued this team early in the year. The matchup to watch in this game will be the Irish running attack versus USC’s suspect run defense. Notre Dame will take advantage of this mismatch with the dangerous running of Love, Price, and Leonard. USC has struggled against mobile quarterbacks all year, so Leonard may be able to really exploit that part of the defense. On the defensive side, USC does have some talented skill position players that could cause problems for the Irish, but Notre Dame’s dominance in the trenches will dictate this game, resulting in several turnovers. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Clayton Stohler - First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 35-13 Notre Dame What a season. ND culminates it by handing their rival. Lincoln Riley exposes his team by focusing way too much on the passing game. Al Golden gets a definitive victory, and USC’s offense is completely neutralized. ND’s offense flies as Jadarian Price and Julian Love have a competition on who can be more impressive. It’ll be a good day to be in South Bend. ND just punched their ticket to the playoffs, and the debacle that was week two is far in the rearview. Pete Mulroy - Associate Editor, First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 31-14 Notre Dame We've known for weeks that ND needed to run the table from Week 3 on to reach the CFP. And with one more hill to climb, that's exactly what is on the line. Against USC, the plan should be simple: Hammer the run, open up the passing game as needed, and slaughter the Trojans with your defense. This match-up massively favors Al Golden, and I expect Notre Dame's defense to more than rise to the challenge in what will be a historic victory. Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider Score Prediction: 38-14 Notre Dame Rivalry games are always scary. It doesn’t matter how good or bad they are that year; they always give all effort to beat you. USC would love nothing more than to be able to wreck ND’s playoff hopes or, at best, their seeding by winning. It would be the ultimate bragging rights for a longtime rival. USC will keep it close for the 1st quarter or so, but ultimately, Notre Dame’s defense will take over and lock them down. Notre Dame’s offense seems to play lethargic to begin games, although they did come out swinging against Army last week. Love and Price will be too much for USC to handle, and they will have a big day on the ground. Notre Dame will improve to 11-1 and wait for their final seeding after Conference Championship weekend. Until 12/6/24, get 50% off and/or 30 days free off select plans. Subscribe here Connor Regan - Long-Form Writer Score Prediction: 38-23 Notre Dame USC gives the Irish one of their most competitive games of the season in an all-out brawl that may be close for quite some time. The Irish defense wins the turnover battle once again while forcing USC to throw the ball. Riley Leonard eclipses 250 yards through the air for the first time this year while Jeremiyah Love takes care of business with another 100+ yard outing. Irish extend their win streak to 10 and close out their regular season 11-1. Brady Burden - Social Media Manager Score Prediction: 35-10 Notre Dame This is the last opportunity for the Irish to prove themselves before the Playoff committee finalizes the rankings. Notre Dame will come out with a chip on their shoulder and dominate the whole game. The defense will be very violent and too much for the Trojans to handle and will haul in multiple turnovers. The offense plays well above standards, showing great depth at the RB and WR position, with a lot of guys playing to that standard. The Irish prove they’re for real and not a team to mess with. Caleb Conrad - Basketball Contributor Score Prediction: Notre Dame 42-13 With it being a rivalry game, the stakes will be high, and both teams will come out firing from the start. USC will keep it close in the first quarter, but the Irish will open up the game in the second quarter and eventually pull away big in the third and fourth quarters. I expect big games out of both Riley Leonard and Jeremiyah Love! I believe that Notre Dame will win this game in convincing fashion and finish the regular season 11-1. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

One of the greatest intersectional rivalries in college football history renews this Saturday, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish make their biannual trip to Los Angeles to face off with longtime arch rival USC. The series first began in 1926, and has been played every year since with the exception of World War II and the COVID-19 season in 2020. This will be the 95th matchup in the series, and the Irish currently hold the edge 51-38-5. Photo by The Irish Tribune The winner will receive the hallowed “Jeweled Shillelagh” trophy, and will have the chance to add an emerald for an Irish win or a ruby for a Trojan one. Like Florida State, USC has had a disappointing outing in 2024, and expectations for this season finale matchup were much higher prior to the start of the season. Even then, the edition of the rivalry still has major implications for Notre Dame’s CFP hopes, and the Trojans have a chance to redeem themselves and keep their coach off the hot seat. These two schools have one of the most decorated rivalries in all of college football. Between the two programs, they have 22 National Titles, 15 Heisman winners, 193 All Time All Americans, 83 College Football Hall of Fame Inductees, and 1,048 NFL Draft picks. Although this season’s matchup doesn’t have its usual primetime billing, the rivalry lives on as one of the most significant traditions from the sport’s storied past. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s game. USC After 5 years at Oklahoma and a stellar 55–10 record, Lincoln Riley jumped ship for USC in 2022 where he’d lead the Trojans to an 11-3 record, including a 38-27 win over first year Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, and a Heisman Trophy for QB Caleb Williams. Unfortunately, it ended with a heartbreaking 1-point loss in the Cotton Bowl to No. 16 Tulane, and the Trojans finished their season at No. 12 in the polls. 2023 held even more promise for Riley and his Trojan squad, but their doom was a dismal defensive unit so bad their DC Alex Grinch was let go midseason after only 9 games and in only his 2nd year with the program. Notre Dame proceeded to spoil what was supposed to be USC’s CFP campaign in 2023, ending the Trojans’ 6-game win streak with a 48-20 thumping. Even with the 2nd highest-scoring offense, USC was overwhelmed by Notre Dame’s defensive attack, surrendering 6 sacks on Caleb Williams along with 5 turnovers on the day. The loss sent USC on a 2-4 spiral in their final stretch to finish the season 8-5 and unranked. The ugly season finished with a bright spot, as former backup QB Miller Moss balled out in USC’s Holiday Bowl matchup with Louisville, tossing 372 yards and six touchdowns in the wake of Caleb Williams’ opt out. Riley and the Trojans started the 2024 season strong, knocking off former Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and the No. 13 LSU Tigers in the season opener. After pummeling Utah State 48-0, USC traveled to Ann Arbor to face the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, but fell 24-27 for their first loss of the season. They bounced back the following week against Wisconsin, but a road trip loss to Minnesota started a 3-game losing streak that changed the entire outlook of their season. The Trojans lost 17-24 to the Golden Gophers, 30-33 against No. 4 Penn State, and 28-29 on the road at Maryland, dropping them to a surprising 3-4 record. Riley and Miller Moss seemed to get things back on track the following week against Rutgers, but another road loss against unranked Washington dropped USC to 4-5 and saw Moss benched in favor of UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava. Since the QB swap, the Trojans have notched back to back wins against Nebraska, 28-20 and at UCLA 19-13 to get themselves above .500 for the first time since week 6. 6-5 is a pretty rough record any way you slice it, but the closer you look at USC’s season schedule, the more they register as a legitimate threat. Each of their 5 losses have come by a single score, by a combined difference of only 19 points. Even when they’ve lost, it's been close, and they’re riding a 3-1 record over their last 4 matchups. Their UCLA road win last week made them bowl eligible and gave them something else to play for outside of spoiling Notre Dame’s playoff run. Lincoln Riley may be in the midst of his worst season in LA thus far, but he’s still one of the best offensive schemers in the country and has arguably the most talented roster the Irish have seen since A&M. USC won’t need to play a perfect game to beat this Notre Dame team, but they’ll have to show us all a side of themselves we haven’t seen up to this point. Can Lincoln Riley lead the Trojans over their “one-score loss” hump and finally seal the deal in a close one? Or will Notre Dame become just another possible win USC let's slip away once again? USC Injury Report ● OL Micah Banuelos - Undisclosed Injury (11/24) - Questionable ● DE Solomon Tuliaupupu - Undisclosed Injury (11/24) - Questionable Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Notre Dame Notre Dame destroyed the Army Black Knights last week. The defense played their usual brand of ball and held Army to a single 1st half score and nothing again until the final minute of the game when 2nd and 3rd stringers had already subbed in and the game was well out of hand. The Irish won the turnover margin yet again, this time with a single fumble recovery and a clean slate on offense. Riley Leonard was an efficient 10/13 for 148 yards and 2 scores through the air, but the real fireworks came from the backfield. RB Jeremiyah Love exploded for 136 and 2 touchdowns on only 7 carries, along with a single 6-yard catch that he took to the house for his 3rd visit of the day. The win extended Notre Dame’s win streak to 9 straight, and gave the Irish their 4th win over a top-25 opponent of the season (TAMU, Louisville, Navy). Although impressive, the win wasn’t perfect, and the Irish still have two areas in need of improvement that were made clearer against Army. First being the series where the Irish offense had a 1st & goal at Army’s 5 and turned the ball over on 4th down after 4 consecutive rushes. While it's not the end of the world, an offense that specializes in the run failing like that against an AAC opponent is something that just can't happen, not even once. The second area of concern is once again the kicking game, as Mitch Jeter had yet another field goal blocked. Thankfully, the Irish haven’t been in a position to NEED the kicking game to be consistent and put points on the board, but its recent struggles and Jeter’s nagging injury will be a serious liability if the USC game comes down to a kick. The 7 touchdowns against the Black Knights put the Irish up 134-31 over opponents in November alone and moved them up to No. 5 in the CFP rankings. As of right now, the Irish would have the 7th seed in the official CFP bracket, and would face the current 10th seed SMU. The winner of that projected game would go on to face the No. 2 seed, currently the Texas Longhorns. Notre Dame Injury Report ● DL Howard Cross III - Left Ankle (11/16) - Questionable ● QB CJ Carr - Elbow (11/16) - Questionable ● LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - Knee (11/25) - Out ● WR KK Smith - Collarbone (11/25) - Out ● LB Bodie Kahoun - Right Leg (11/25) - Out The Matchup Notre Dame's Defense vs. USC's Offense This is yet another strength v. strength game for the Irish. Notre Dame’s defensive unit is playing elite level ball, and their ability to control and stifle opponents’ production has been the leading force behind Notre Dame’s success. The only time the Irish lost this season was due to the offense’s lack of success, not the defense’s inability to keep opponents from scoring. In that game, NIU only scored a single touchdown, and the Irish D held them to 3 field goals for the rest of the game. USC on the other hand is led by Lincoln Riley’s offensive genius and a prolific passing game. QB Miller Moss had impressive numbers through the air, but his record as the starter was too much of a detractor to keep him in the starting spot. Enter Maiava. The redshirt Sophomore transfer from UNLV has changed the Trojans’ fortunes with back to back wins after a 4-5 start from Moss, and has given USC a spark to a productive offense struggling to step up when it counts. When looking at the numbers here, it doesn't bode well for the Trojans. The Irish are elite in every category except for their 48th rank in rush YPG allowed, partly due to playing 3 option-oriented teams (Georgia Tech, Navy, Army) but also due to an inability to move the ball against Notre Dame’s oppressive secondary. Notre Dame’s secondary will be tested this week, by the best aerial attack they’ve seen since Louisville, but the game changer may lie on the ground. If the Trojans can beat Notre Dame there, they may have a better shot at moving the ball than through the air, but ultimately, they’re outmatched here. If the Irish can force Maiava to pass because of an inability to move it on the ground, Notre Dame should have no problems winning the turnover margin and forcing the Trojans off the field. Advantage: Soft Notre Dame Notre Dame's Offense vs. USC's Defense Weakness v. weakness. This matchup will likely be where the game is won or lost, as the playing field here is noticeably more even. Notre Dame has successfully progressed and improved their aerial attack each week since the NIU loss, but it went from anemic to average. The Irish offense is in the bottom half of passing production across the nation, and have only recently begun to really toss the ball around. In looking at the numbers, Notre Dame’s primary strength on offense is far and away their rushing attack, and subsequently their ability to score while doing so. Much of that is due to Riley Leonard’s dual threat ability, and it’ll come down to who USC can stop, Leonard or Love. They likely won’t be able to stop both of them, at least not all game long, and in a head-to-head matchup with two pretty average groups, Notre Dame’s success on the ground is the only elite number between the two. Like the head-to-head between Notrre Dame’s defense and USC’s offense, this matchup comes down to one thing: If Notre Dame is running the ball without much struggle, it's going to be a long day. So, if USC has any chance of messing with Mike Denbrock’s recent production, it’ll be by forcing Leonard to pass. That’s not to say it's a foolproof blueprint to victory - if Leonard is hitting his guys, Notre Dame could take this easily, but if Leonard is forced to pass and begins to struggle, USC’s defense may be able to make an unexpected difference. Yes, that's a lot of “ifs” but USC’s defense and Notre Dame’s offense aren’t leagues apart. If the Irish offense of late decides to mail this one in or fail to meet the moment, they may fall behind early and be forced to play catchup. With all that said, it would be a genuine surprise to see this offense flounder now, and if it's going to happen, it’ll be apparent from the jump. While this is USC’s best path to victory, it's unlikely to happen. The Irish ground game and Leonard’s legs are just too much to count out, and chances are Notre Dame won't be “forced” to do anything they don’t want to. Advantage: Soft Notre Dame Prediction Up to this point, Notre Dame has rolled over their less-than-impressive competition with little issue, but USC poses a different kind of threat. While this year’s Trojans aren’t necessarily the prototypical “spoiler” team, the sheer level of talent on this team and the intensity of this storied rivalry, combined with what's technically only Notre Dame’s 3rd true road win of the season makes this a perfect storm of intangibles that could very likely result in a massive upset win. Unlike so many of Notre Dame’s other opponents this season, the Trojans aren’t batting out of their league in this game, and they don't have to be flawless to steal it. The outcome of this one will come down to what Notre Dame does - or doesn't - do. This is the steepest mental test the Irish have encountered since the great NIU catastrophe of 2024. It's the first time since then people are giving Freeman and his squad their flowers, and speaking of their future before the work is done. We saw what happened last time that happened, how will the Irish respond this time? You better believe Lincoln Riley is brewing up something special for Freeman, and being back on top only means everyone is waiting for you to fall. This should be somewhat competitive in the first half, but the Irish will find a way to separate after halftime and come away with a tough-fought win by a respectable but not necessarily commanding margin. Look for: ● Notre Dame’s defense - forces 2+ interceptions ● Notre Dame’s defense - holds RB Woody Marks under 100 yards rushing ● Jeremiyah Love - records 150+ rushing yards for the 1st time this year ● Riley Leonard - records 250+ passing yards for the 1st time this year ● Mitch Jeter goes 1/1 on field goal attempts WIN (11-1) ND: 38-13 :USC Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following Notre Dame’s losses to Rutgers and Houston this past week, the Fighting Irish now have a meeting with the number 21 ranked Creighton Blue Jays on Saturday. The Irish enter the matchup riding a three-game losing streak that dates back to Nov. 22 when they fell to Elon. As they close out the inaugural Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, Notre Dame is looking to pick up a big time win as they head into the next ‘several weeks’ without their star player, sophomore guard Markus Burton. Photo by The Irish Tribune   The Blue Jays enter the game on a three-game losing streak of their own after falling to Nebraska, San Diego State and Texas A&M all in the last week. In those three losses, Creighton is averaging 63 points per game while giving up an average of 74 to opposing teams.   Junior guard, and Las Vegas native, Pop Isaacs has been the leading scorer for the Blue Jays in all three of those games, averaging 22.6 PPG on 37.7% shooting along with 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals. Isaacs has taken a liking to the three-ball during Creighton’s skid, shooting 32 shots from beyond-the-ark, only knocking down 12. It’s going to be important to ensure that there is a hand in Isaacs face and someone on the perimeter to make him uncomfortable. Senior guard Matt Allocco will be the man for the job when defending Isaacs and keeping him on the outside of the three-point line. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Down low, the Blue Jays’ best player Ryan Kalkbrenner has been in an unusual slump during the losing streak. During the first four games, the 7’1” senior center was averaging 25.8 PPG, including a 49-point performance against UT Rio Grande Valley in the opening game of the season where he shot 20-22 from the field.   Compare that to the last three games, Kalkbrenner is averaging just 8.0 PPG, putting up just 18 shots and converting nine of them. Despite this, it will be important for guys like junior Tae Davis to keep Kalkbrenner at bay especially on the glass. He’s averaging 8.6 RPG on the year and has collected 38 in his last four games. Too many of those, more specifically on the offensive side of the glass, will nix any chance the Irish have at winning this game. Expect Davis and junior forward Kebba Njie to split responsibilities on Kalkbrenner, with Davis getting more time.   That leaves fifth-year senior guard Steven Ashworth who is averaging 15.7 PPG, 5.5 APG and 3.7 RPG in his second season with the Blue Jays. This will be sophomore guard Braden Shrewsberry’s assignment with help from fellow sophomore guards J.R. Konieczny and Logan Imes. Ashworth missed the first game of the Players Era Festival with a “badly sprained ankle,” however he did play Wednesday night against Texas A&M where he finished with 14 points on 4-11 shooting.   Most of his shot attempts come from three-point land, like Shrewsberry himself. He averages 9.8 shots per game with 8.5 of them going from three, knocking down 41.2% of them. If Shrewsberry can keep him contained and hold him to less than 15 points, the Irish will be fine in that department.   Shrewsberry’s impact with Ashworth will not only come on the defensive side of the ball, but also his ability to answer back. On the year, he’s been very up and down, averaging 15.1 PPG on 32.8% shooting from three. He has seen a rise in not only his three-point shots per game from 6.4 last year to 8.3 this year, but also has been focused on getting inside the three-point line. Last year, 72.7% of Shrewsberry shot attempts came from three, while only 63.3% of have been from deep thus far in his second season. Shrewsberry is going to be a huge part of this game with the Irish needing a win in the worst way as they head into a stretch without Burton.   If Notre Dame keeps Allocco on Isaacs, a tandem of Davis-Njie on Kalkbrenner and Shrewsberry-Konieczny-Imes on Ashworth, the Irish are going to be in a great spot. It would be interesting to see the Irish take an approach like Nebraska who allowed Kalkbrenner to put up just one shot in the entire game. This would allow both Isaacs and Ashworth to put up more shots, however you would rather be beat by them than Kalkbrenner.   The game will tip off at 1 p.m. EST on truTV and will be for seventh place in the Players Era Festival. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost their third straight game against Houston, 54-65. Tae Davis led the way for the Irish in scoring, finishing with 22 points on 9-15 shooting. The poor shooting and a six minute scoring drought led to the eleven-point loss. Photo by The Irish Tribune The starting line up for the Irish remained the same with one change: Braeden Shrewsberry, Matt Allocco, Tae Davis, Kebba Njie and Logan Imes getting the start replacing Markus Burton, who is out on a week-to-week basis after suffering a knee injury early in the game against Rutgers. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The Irish trailed 13-17 at the 11:46 mark in the first half. Davis had the hot hand and had seven early points. At the 7:11 mark, The Irish trailed 15-21. Coach Shrewsberry let the refs hear it at the media timeout, and was visibly upset at several no calls. Heading into the half, Notre Dame was down 31-39. The Irish were hanging in, but the Cougars had been the more disciplined and physical team. Davis now had fifteen early points, and the Irish had shot 50% from the field, and 44.4% from three at the half. The Irish came out of the half strong, trailing 39-45 at the 15:56 mark. Njie grabbed several rebounds and was going at it in the post with Houston forward J’Wan Roberts. Notre Dame went on a 6-0 run to force a Houston timeout with 13:40 remaining in the second half after a Shrewsberry three and a Davis layup. Up to that point, the Irish had gone on 6+ minutes without a field goal after forcing a lot of contested shots. However, it was only a five point game at the 7:21 mark, as both defenses had played physical and strong. Houston would pull away after Emanuel Sharp hit a forty foot three pointer, and put a dagger into Notre Dame's comeback hopes. The Irish had to play the foul game and ultimately the Irish would be unable to close the gap Notre Dame stayed competitive in a tough loss to Houston, 54-65. Davis and Shrewsberry both had double figures for the Irish in the loss. Notre Dame played solid and showed many good strides this game, especially with the absence of Markus Burton. The Irish ultimately lost the game due to going on a six minute scoring drought in the second half. They will take on Creighton on Saturday at 1:00 PM EST in their final game in the Players Era Festival on truTV. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell in heartbreaking fashion this past Tuesday to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 84-85. The Irish have now lost two straight, moving them to 4-2 on the year. Photo by The Irish Tribune It was a rough start to the game for the Irish, as Markus Burton suffered a knee injury and left the game at the 16:36 mark in the first half. Burton was in visible pain, and Burton’s father was called to come down to the locker room. Burton eventually returned to the bench in sweats, and elevated his right leg with ice, as we await the results of an MRI. Coach Shrewsberry offered some words on Burton's condition “I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re just going to put this in God’s hands, and let him handle it. Whatever happens next, we’ll handle.” Braden Shrewsberry had the hot hand early, and led the Irish to a 14-12 lead with 11:55 remaining in the first half. The sophomore had nine points in this span, and was 2-4 from behind the arch. The Irish had taken a 22-14 lead with 7:53 remaining in the first half. Shrewsberry remained hot, and Allocco had a nice take away that led to an easy fast break. Notre Dame led 35-34 at the half. Shrewsberry now had twelve points and Allocco had eight points and seven rebounds. Shrewsberry and Allocco have stepped up big time with the absence of Burton. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The Irish took a 62-56 lead with seven minutes remaining after Logan Imes and Burke Chebuhar knock down back to back threes. Imes took a big role with the absence of Burton, and was running the offense with a lot of confidence. Rutgers went on a 9-0 run to take the lead 65-62 with 3:25 remaining. Matt Allocco tied it up at 69 with a three after scoring nine points in 30 seconds for the Irish. Notre Dame and Rutgers would head to overtime all tied up at 69. The Irish got out to an early lead, but had multiple turnovers that Rutgers was able to take advantage of and allowed them to take a 79-73 lead with 57 seconds left. Notre Dame had to start fouling, and Allocco hit multiple threes to put the Irish within three points, and eventually Allocco tied up the game with 11 seconds left in the extra frame. Cole Certa lost track of the score, and committed a foul on Dylan Harper to send Rutgers to the line. Shrewsberry would offer some encouragement after a costly mistake. “I lose no faith in Cole Certa. He’s going to play tomorrow. I guarantee he’ll make a shot tomorrow.” Allocco got a good look at the buzzer, but it rimmed out and the Irish would go on to lose 84-85. Notre Dame battled and fell just short to a solid Rutgers team. They will take on the talented Houston Cougars at 12:30 AM EST in their second game of the Players Era Festival this Thursday on TBS. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Another week, another decisive victory for Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Irish sit at 10-1, still squarely in control of their own destiny headed into the Battle for the Jewelled Shillelagh this Saturday against the Trojans. While the College Football Playoff picture might have changed drastically for other teams vying for a spot this past weekend, the Irish have proven to be the model of consistency week over week since their historically incompetent performance against that dreaded Mid-American Conference opponent who shall remain nameless for the sake of sanity. Photo by The Irish Tribune While some of the bravado of this performance in Yankee Stadium may fall on deaf ears for a multitude of reasons - "It's just Army" being the one I'm seeing a lot - It becomes more impressive when you analyze the season outside the vacuum of a single game. Given the choice, would you rather have a team that comes out of the gates slowly before finding a consistent rhythm, or a team that starts incredibly hot before tailing off at a crucial juncture? One of these teams highlights a coach’s ability to adapt, finding ways to play to their team's strengths while developing a winning formula and a winning culture. The other relies solely on talent, and is often exposed for coaching ineptitude. The point I wish to make is that Marcus Freeman deserves his flowers up to this point. For a man who's job security was in question by many some months ago, he has more than overcome what could have been a program-shifting defeat. Now unfortunately, we've seen this type of failure from Marcus Freeman before. The easiest comparison anyone could make is the loss to Marshall early in the 2022 season. It was a similar story; the Irish come off an extremely emotional and close road game to open the season, only to fall squarely on their face as a multiple touchdown favorite on their home field. After the dust settled, the Irish would turn in a myriad of inconsistent performances for the rest of the season, including another loss to an incredibly mediocre Stanford team at home. It really seemed like you didn't know which Notre Dame team would end up taking the field on a weekly basis. Would it be the one who overpowered No. 4 Clemson by three scores? Or would it be the team who handed the Heisman trophy to Caleb Williams? Inconsistency in approach and philosophy were apparent - perhaps the largest issues under Freeman's regime. But if the last nine games have shown us anything, it's that Marcus Freeman has taken tremendous strides in this area, and is NOT the same coach he was to start the season. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here "Winning is hard" Was the moniker Brian Kelly liked to use a lot. And while he's proving that in Baton Rouge, Marcus Freeman has avoided blanket statement excuses, and let his team's preparation and execution on game day do the talking. The staff has identified areas of weakness and simplified them to a degree where the execution might not be flawless, but it certainly won't be costing them wins anymore. It certainly helps that two of the best coordinators in the country are at Freeman's disposal, but the philosophy and mindset the program is churning out right now doesn't show up in X's and O's. I don't think this shift in philosophy and mindset could be better summed up by Freeman's pregame interview. When asked what he was looking to see from his team before the game, his message was simple and effective: "Violence." As someone who has seen Notre Dame play conservative "try not to lose" football for the better part of my lifetime, this level of confidence and assurance from a head coach punctuated Freeman's development in my eyes. This has been reflected in nearly every performance since their home opener, and it's no coincidence. So, as Notre Dame looks to ascend further up the CFP rankings this coming Tuesday, it's incredibly important to acknowledge the amount of growth and reflection this coaching staff has gone through this season. Talent can only get you so far, and the lifeblood of every college football program in America is reflected through how the program is being led. Beyond coaching, Marcus Freeman has led this program through a landmine that very well should have destroyed any meaningful achievements this season. And because of this, their season is alive and well. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish continued their perfect record in Shamrock Series games as No. 6 Notre Dame dismantled the previously undefeated No. 19 Army Black Knights. Via Notre Dame Athletics No. 6 Notre Dame proved to be a complete team last night in their 35-point thumping against the Top 20 foe, the Army Black Knights. While it was a triumphant victory on all accounts, here are four key takeaways from last night's game in Yankee Stadium. 0 Punts Entering the Top 20 matchup against the Black Knights, Notre Dame's offense had shown signs of inconsistency throughout their previous games. Multiple three and outs and empty drives were shown to be a point of concern when going into a game against a time-wasting Army offense. It was up to Riley Leonard and Mike Denbrock to start fast and stay consistent throughout the game. Leonard and the Irish offense did just that, as the Fighting Irish didn't utilize their Australian punter James Rendell once on Saturday night. While there were empty possessions due to a couple missed kicks and an Army goal line stand, the Irish offense was getting whatever they wanted against the previously top-rated Black Knights defense. Notre Dame ended this game with 464 total yards gained, while seamlessly blending the run (275 yards) and the pass (189 yards). This was Notre Dame's best offense game to date and it seems like Leonard's confidence is continuing to skyrocket week-by-week. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here +1 Turnover Margin The Fighting Irish are the second-best team in the country in turnover margin, and they grew that margin on Saturday night. Army had only given up three turnovers entering this contest, but the Fighting Irish found a way to force a fumble. Notre Dame's punt block early on technically doesn't count as a turnover, but it was a momentum shifting play that was equal to that of a turnover. One of the keys leading into the game was if Army could steal any possessions from Notre Dame, but Riley Leonard and the Irish ball carriers did a great job handling the football and not giving Army any extra opportunities. 2 Missed Kicks The biggest eye sore in this game is the entire field goal kicking operation. Mitch Jeter missed two kicks, one from 48-yards and another from 30-yards. While Jeter still isn't 100%, the entire operation is looking flawed. On the 48-yard kick, the blame can be entirely placed on Jeter, as he simply pushed the kick to the right. However, there was a false start penalty that pushed the field goal back from 43 yards to 48 yards. Entering the game, Jeter was cleared for any kicks 45-yards and in, which makes one wonder why he was kicking the 48-yard attempt. On the 30-yard should be chip shot, the kick was blocked, which now brings Notre Dame's total to three blocked field goals this season. If the Fighting Irish want to make a deep push into the playoffs, or even win next week in the Coliseum, Notre Dame needs a quick answer from the kicking department. It is surprising considering how perfect the Notre Dame special teams unit has been outside of the kicking game, but I'm not confident that Marty Biagi can find an imminent answer to the weakest department on the Irish roster. Like our content? Here's 20% off (IRISH20) and help support what we do here 3 Running Backs Touchdown Scorers The difference in this game was the clear talent gap between both teams, and no one area symbolized this gap greater than the speed of the Notre Dame running backs and the Army defense. While Jeremiyah Love and Jardian Price each recorded two rushing touchdowns, much of this can be attributed to the play of the Notre Dame offensive line. The Irish offensive line that has been dealing with consistent rotations and new units, has finally become an organized group and the communication on the line has increased every week. While the offensive line was getting it done in the trenches, the speed of Love and Price was on display for the entire country to see. Love's 130 yards on only seven carries is an insanely impressive feat, and Price's resiliency on his second touchdown run showed why he needs more touches. Freshman Aneyas Williams, who has established himself as Notre Dame's third-down back, broke his longest rush of the season on a 58-yard touchdown run. With the emergence of the running back room in this game, Mike Denbrock might have to shy away from his favorite red zone play, the quarterback power, as Riley Leonard got denied on every attempt. The Fighting Irish found most success simply handing the ball off to their most talented athletes. Wrap-up As Notre Dame collected another Top 25 win, the Fighting Irish have positioned themselves into a great position to host a playoff football game. Winning in November is hard, simply look at the outcomes from this past week. This even furthers the performance against Army as Notre Dame was able to travel to New York, play an extremely disciplined game, and dominated from the opening whistle. The Fighting Irish have started to play their best football at the perfect time in the season, and the arch-rival USC Trojans are the only thing in the way of the Fighting Irish hosting a playoff game. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame Hockey hosted the number four-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers this weekend in South Bend. The Irish, 5-7-0 on the year, entered the series on a five-game skid. Minnesota, 10-2-0 on the year, is coming off their second loss of the season after splitting their series at Bemidji State. We have your recap of the weekend series here: Photo by The Irish Tribune Friday Result: 6-3, Loss The Irish were outmatched on Friday night and did not do themselves any favors throughout the game. Things started well for Notre Dame, however, this game was out of hand by the end of the second period. Notre Dame got the scoring started under three minutes into the game whe n forward Hunter Strand lit the lamp  off an assist from Blake Biondi. The contest-opening goal was Strand’s third of the season.  Minnesota tied the game up six and a half minutes into the first period when the Gophers’ Brady Lamb snuck one past Irish goalie Owen Say.  The Gophers took the lead under a minute into the second period when they connected on a successful power play opportunity to put them ahead 2-1. Minnesota would maintain the lead for the rest of the game. They notched another goal about 14 minutes later to extend their lead to 3-1.  The Irish were able to respond three minutes later when forward Jack Larrigan scored his first collegiate goal to bring the game within one score. Larrigan’s goal was assisted by Carter Slaggert, his first point of the season, and defenseman Ryan Helliwell.  Under a minute after this score, Irish forward Justin Janicke delivered a dirty, illegal knee-to-knee collision that killed any momentum Notre Dame had following the goal. The Irish were given a five-minute major penalty while Janicke was ejected from the contest.  Minnesota capitalized on this mistake big-time, scoring twice during the five-minute penalty to extend their lead to 5-2, essentially putting the game out of reach with under a period remaining in the contest.  With about four minutes remaining in the game, Biondi capitalized on an Irish power play opportunity to make the score 5-3. His fourth of the season came via assists from forwards Cole Knuble, his team-leading eighth of the season, and Danny Nelson. Minnesota added their sixth goal of the night on an empty-netter.  Key Players: Blake Biondi (ND): 1 goal on 2 shots, 1 assist, +1 Sam Rinzel (MIN): 2 goals on 4 shots, 3 blocked shots Aaron Huglen (MIN): 1 goal on 3 shots, 1 assist, 4 blocked shots, +1 Oliver Moore (MIN): 1 goal on 7 shots, 1 assist, +2 Key Stats: Shots: MIN (38) - ND (28) Power Play Success: MIN (3-5) - ND (1-3) Penalty Minutes: ND (21) - MIN (6) Faceoffs Won: ND (40) - MIN (29) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Saturday Result: 5-3, Loss Notre Dame’s losing streak hit seven after Saturday’s loss. The Irish were very competitive for about 50 minutes, but two late Minnesota goals would end up putting this game away. Notably, Notre Dame was without assistant captain Janicke, serving a one-game suspension for his illegal hit on Friday.   Like Friday, Notre Dame notched the first goal of the evening. Defe nseman Axel Kumlin went top-shelf  to give the Irish an early 1-0 advantage. Kumlin’s third goal of the season came off nice set-up assists from defenseman Paul Fischer and forward Brennan Ali.  Also similar to Friday, Minnesota responded with three consecutive goals of their own. Moore added his second goal of the series, and fourth of the season, off a tipped shot that snuck past Irish goalie Nicholas Kempf.  The Gophers took the lead when Jimmy Snuggerud converted a power play chance under two minutes into the second period. Snuggerud was not done as he put home another shot past Kempf about seven minutes later to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead halfway through the game.  Notre Dame would respond about 15 minutes into the period when Da nny Nelson buried Kumlin’s assist past the Minnesota goalie . Ali was also awarded an assist on Nelson’s team-leading sixth goal of the season. This marked the second point of the n ight for both Kumlin and Ali. They were not finished either… With under a minute remaining in the second, the power play unit consisting of Ali, Kumlin, and Fischer struck again to even the game up at 3-3 heading into the final period. Great passing from the defensive duo of Kumlin and Fischer led to Ali’s fourth goal of the season.  A hard-fought, defensive third period for both teams lasted until about 13 minutes into the frame. Minnesota netted the eventual game-winner past a lost Nicholas Kempf. The Gophers added their fifth goal on an empty net with about ten seconds remaining in the game.  Key Players: Jimmy Snuggerud (MIN): 2 goals on 4 shots, 1 assist, +1 Axel Kumlin (ND): 1 goal on 2 shots, 2 assists, 2 blocked shots Brennan Ali (ND): 1 goal on 2 shots, 2 assists Brodie Ziemer (MIN): 1 goal on 7 shots, 1 assist, +1 Key Stats: Shots: MIN (39) - ND (23) Power Play Success: ND (2-2) - MIN (1-6) Penalty Minutes: ND (12) - MIN (6) Faceoffs Won: ND (38) - MIN (33) The Irish, 5-9-0, look to get their season back on track with a trip to Northern Ireland next week for the 2024 Friendship Four. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The No. 6 Fighting Irish played a near perfect game against No. 19 Army as the Irish won 49-14. Via Notre Dame Athletics NEW YORK -- No. 6 Notre Dame dismantled the No. 19 Army Black Knights in tonight's marquee matchup at Yankee Stadium, largely due to the Fighting Irish's physicality. The storyline heading into tonight was determining how effective Army's defense could be against an uber-talented Notre Dame offense. The question was answered quickly in the game. After back-to-back Army three and outs, the Fighting Irish moved the ball with ease, as offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock was able to implement both the run and the pass against the Black Knights' defense. This allowed the Irish to jump to an early lead and neutralize Army's time-consuming offense As the game progressed, the offense never took their foot off the gas. The offensive line put together their most impressive performance this season, as they were consistently winning the point of attack and getting to the next level to block Army linebackers. The domination up front for Notre Dame resulted in big plays for the Notre Dame running back room. Jeremiyah Love ended the game with 130 yards, two rushing touchdowns, and a receiving touchdown that featured him hurdling over the Army defender into the endzone. To complement Love's effort, Jadarian Price had 53 yards and two rushing touchdowns, as well. Freshman Aneyas Williams also made an impact in the game where he broke free for a 58-yard touchdown run. As a team, Notre Dame ended the game with 275 rushing yards. The one area in which the offense stalled was in Riley Leonard's ability to use his legs. In the red zone, Denbrock's go-to play call is a quarterback power with Leonard following his blockers. Notre Dame ran this play three times within the ten-yard line, and Leonard got stuffed on every run. While struggling with his legs, Leonard was extremely efficient throwing the ball. At times this season, Leonard credited much of his struggles throwing the ball to being "too greedy." In tonight's effort, Leonard was simply taking what the Army defense was giving him. He ended 10/13 throwing for 148 yards and two touchdowns. In a game where Leonard and the offense couldn't waste any possessions, the senior from Fairhope, Ala. stepped up to the challenge. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Army's sole scoring drive in the first half was propelled by three Notre Dame penalties. There was a phantom facemask, an offsides call on fourth down by Jaylen Sneed, and an illegal hands to the face by Rylie Mills. Aside from this, the Notre Dame defense was dominant throughout. The secondary did a great job working off blocks and making open-field tackles. Xavier Watts, Christian Gray, and Leonard Moore all collected multiple tackles. The leading tacklers in this game were Adon Shuler and Jaiden Ausberry for the Fighting Irish defense. Shuler was flying from his safety position and getting downhill fast, and Ausberry showed great discipline and speed from sideline-to-sideline. In a game where Notre Dame dominated in all facets, the only point of concern remains to be the kicking game. Mitch Jeter went 0/2 on kicks from 48 and 30 yards. The 48-yard attempt was pushed out right, and the 30-yard try was blocked. As the Irish's playoff hopes begin to look more of reality every week, the Irish need to find a viable answer at the place kicking position. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Tonight's forecast in The Bronx calls for cloudy night skies with strong breezes of wind. Here's a full weather report for Notre Dame vs Army at Yankee Stadium tonight at 7:00pm EST Photo by The Irish Tribune Here are some all the quick hitters you need to know about the weather for tonight's matchup between the Fighting Irish and the Black Knights. From temperature to wind directions. Temperature & Sky: Cloudy skies all day and night long. Come kickoff: The temperature will set at 45 degrees for virtually the entire game (Will increase to 46 degrees from 10:30pm onward). Rainfall: A 35-45% chance of rain will occur from 12am-5am on Saturday, but no further rain is expected the rest of the day. Wind Speeds: Windspeeds are ranging from 6-16 mph throughout the day, with gusts up to 38 mph. Expect the gusts to die down slightly to 31 mph during the game. Winds are expected to be in the low double-digit range for the entirety of the game. Wind direction will be mostly heading west for the duration of the game. Examining the field layout, the wind will be either at the back or attacking the kicker, aiming slightly right if the kicker is kicking towards the endzone that has "Notre Dame" spelled out (The other endzone has "NYC" spelled out from my observations). Humidity: Humidity will range from 69-76% between kickoff and midnight, fluctuating as the game goes on. Field Surface: Yankee Stadium's field consists of Kentucky Bluegrass, which was grown on a 1,300-acre farm in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Watch tonight's matchup between Notre Dame and Army at Yankee Stadium at 7:00pm EST on NBC or Peacock. Who do you got winning tonight? Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

In a clash straight out of the history books, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Army Black Knights are set to renew their longtime rivalry for the 52nd time this Saturday - this time “outlined by a blue-gray” November sky. The first game of the series came back in 1913, when the Irish stole a win at West Point, eventually snowballing into one of the most consequential and publicized rivalries of the era. Photo by The Irish Tribune Unfortunately, recent decades have seen the matchup diminish in relevance and competitiveness, ultimately becoming more of a nod to tradition than a legitimate heavyweight matchup. In that time, Notre Dame compiled an impressive 39-8-4 series lead over Army, and currently holds a dominant 15 game win streak dating back to 1965.\ Ironically, Army was a last minute addition to Notre Dame’s schedule this year, only materializing in February of 2024 after a scheduling conflict with the Miami Hurricanes left the Irish with a week 13 vacancy. Coincidentally, 2024 marked the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Notre Dame-Army bout that coined the legendary “four horsemen” moniker, and presented a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the shared history. The game was named the 12th iteration of Notre Dame’s Shamrock Series, and in keeping with tradition, would be held at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx for a 24th time. The Irish hold a 15-5-3 lead over the Black Knights at Yankee Stadium alone. The last minute addition was met with little fanfare and criticized as a strength-of-schedule hit, but would end up becoming one of Notre Dame’s biggest opportunities of the season. This is the first time since 1958 that both teams face off while ranked, and the first time in decades this rivalry promises more than tradition and nostalgia. Everything is on the line for both squads this week. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s game. Army Head Coach Jeff Monken is in his 11th season with Army, having taken over in 2014 after making his name in coaching with Georgia Southern. In almost 11 years, Monken has gone 79-55 including four 9+ win seasons and only three losing records. The Black Knights have won 9 straight games in 2024, 13 if you count the end of 2023, and they’re looking to become the first 10-0 football team in school history. Army has dominated in nearly every game so far, but the main detractor from their success has been their ridiculously weak schedule. It's a combination of both weak competition and terrible records: ● Lehigh (7-3 ) - W - 42-7 ● at Florida Atlantic (2-8) - W - 24-7 ● Rice (3-7) - W - 37-14 ● at Temple (3-7)- W - 42-14 ● at Tulsa (3-7) - W - 49-7 ● UAB (2-8) - W - 44-10 ● East Carolina (6-4) - W - 45-28 ● Air Force (3-7) - W - 20-3 ● North Texas (5-5) - W - 14-3 As you can see, only two of their nine opponents have a winning record, one is an FCS school, and the closest thing to a name brand team on their resume is Rice or Temple. Despite that, they’ve won every game by double digits, and have only trailed once all year long (North Texas). The Black Knights didn’t enter the top-25 rankings until their sixth straight win, earning the No. 23 spot heading into Eastern Carolina. Since then, Monken’s squad has inched their way up to No. 19 in the polls, becoming one of only three undefeated teams left standing. Army has already secured their spot in the AAC Championship against Tulane, but a massive upset win over the Irish could potentially help them jump Boise State and secure the lone Group-of-5 CFP bid. The Black Knights are determined, underestimated, and within reach of success for the first time in recent memory. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Army is statistically elite across the board and on both sides of the ball, but the question remains - will that success transfer to elite competition like Notre Dame? Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is for sure - win or lose, this isn’t your dad’s Army football team. Army Injury Report ● K Anderson Britton - Knee - Out Notre Dame Notre Dame extended its win streak to 8 in a row with a 35-14 win over Virginia last week They started hot, recovering a Chris Tyree muff on the opening kickoff, leading to a Jeremiyah Love rushing touchdown shortly after. That's when things started to look shaky. The Irish followed that quick opening score with 4 straight punts, and didn’t score again until late in the 2nd quarter on a 9-play 88-yard drive ending with a passing TD from Leonard to Jayden Harrison. The Irish offense closed out the first half with two more scores after back to back UVA turnovers that set them up with short yardage. On the other hand, the Irish defense was stifling. They forced a turnover on downs, recovered a fumble, pulled in 3 interceptions, and held the Cavs scoreless - all in the first half. Notre Dame entered halftime with an imperfect but comfortable 28-0 lead.Notre Dame’s first drive of the second half ended with a Riley Leonard interception, but Jeremiyah Love saved the day on the next possession, ripping off a 76 yard touchdown run to put the Irish up 35-0. After putting in backup QB Tony Muskett, UVA finally got something going and tacked on two scores in garbage time to make the final score more respectable. Although the Irish won comfortably, it was objectively their least impressive and sloppiest game in several weeks. It was the first time since the Georgia Tech game that the Irish offense showed nearly no improvement. Leonard threw his 4th interception, the receiving core dropped multiple crucial balls, two length of the field Irish scores were called back due to penalties, along with 9 total penalties for 89 yards. Ultimately, it was a less than impressive win over a 5-4 middle of the pack ACC team. It’ll be a heck of a lot harder for Notre Dame to win if they bring that lack of effort and focus against a better, more disciplined team. Speaking of the postseason, the Irish moved up another 2 spots to No. 6 in the CFP polls after losses from Tennessee and BYU, good enough for the 8th seed in the bracket. As the 8th seed, Notre Dame would face off with the 9th seed, currently Alabama, and the winner would advance to face the 1st seed, currently the Oregon Ducks. This is the highest bracket placement the Irish have earned so far, and the first time they’d be hosting a 1st round home game. Notre Dame Injury Report ● DL Howard Cross III - Left Ankle - Questionable ● RB Devyn Ford - Right Groin - Questionable The Matchup Notre Dame is about a 2 touchdown favorite over Army and the over/under shows Vegas thinks this will be a lower scoring event. This is likely due to Army’s run dominant offense leading to fewer overall possessions, and possibly Notre Dame’s failure to match their 38.0 PPG mark against UVA. Army is 7-2 against the spread this year, and they’re scoring 35.2 points per game while the Irish hold opponents to 11.4 PPG. Notre Dame is 8-2 against the spread this season, scoring slightly more than the Black Knights with 38.0 PPG, while Army has been holding opponents to 10.3 PPG. This is a tough one to call as both teams have incredibly similar numbers when put head to head, but a performance similar to the UVA or Georgia Tech games, like 31-14, would hit the over rather easily. The spread is a bit tricker and will come down to how efficient the Irish offense is with the ball, and how stark the time of possession difference is. Notre Dame's Defense vs. Army's Offense To continue the refrain from almost the entire season - Notre Dame’s defense is elite. Army will be the third option-derivative offense the Irish defense faces this year, but unlike Georgia Tech and Navy, the Black Knights have the most traditional triple option scheme thus far. And it shows - with Army notching the top spot for run frequency while also placing dead last (134th) in pass frequency. The Black Knights are a one-dimensional offense, but they’re surgical on the ground. Army isn't looking to surprise opponents with deep passes and shotgun sets like Navy, you know what they’re going to do, and they know they’re not fooling you. That's how confident these guys are on the ground - here’s what we do, can you stop it? So far, no one’s been able to. Army tops the nation in both yards per rush (6.2) and yards per game with (334.9), in large part due to their offensive line, whose allowed only 3 sacks all season and ranks 1st in run blocking grade, offensive line yards, stuff rate, and power success rate. Their offense also ranks 2nd in the nation for time of possession with 35:06 per game, while placing near the very bottom of the FBS (127th) in pace (plays per game). Not only is Army elite on the ground, but their ability to grind out 10+ minute drives and keep the ball away from opposing offenses is a prime example of their ability to control the pace of the game and force other teams out of their comfort zone. While not identical, Army and Navy present similar challenges for Notre Dame, but the Black Knights are distinctly different. QB Bryson Daily and his partner in crime, RB Kanye Udoh, are an elite tandem on the ground. Much like Notre Dame’s QB-RB combo, these two backfield threats have amassed over 1,000 rushing yards and 21 TDs together, keeping opposing defenses honest with their triple-option threat. Daily matches up closely with Navy’s QB Blake Horvath, and presents a similar type of challenge to this Irish defense. Horvath is definitely more of a passer, in both frequency and skill, whereas Daily is noticeably better on the ground. The Irish got a huge helping hand from Horvath’s 3 turnovers during their matchup, but they won’t be able to count on Daily to hand them this one so easily. One of the biggest question marks on Notre Dame’s defense will be the potential absence of D-line anchor Howard Cross III. He suffered an ankle injury during the Florida State game, and was ruled out against UVA. As of right now, he’s listed as questionable for this week's matchup, and it's unclear if the coaching staff will push to get him back on the field, or air on the side of caution and keep him out until USC/the postseason. Notre Dame’s defense has endured an onslaught of season ending injuries this year, but they’ve managed to adjust on the fly while still maintaining their elite performance. In his absence, Junior DL Donovan Hinish has picked up the slack, breaking out with 9 tackles and 3 sacks over the last 2 matchups. If the Irish are without Cross again, they should be able to maintain a similar level of dominance up front, but against a prolific rushing attack like Army, the more help the better. Army’s stats and production are hard to ignore, but the quality of their opponents must not be ignored. Notre Dame is far and away the best defense the Black Knights will face this year, and the talent level objectively favors the Irish. Army’s only chance to win this game is by playing their A+ game, while Notre Dame drops the ball. All the Irish defense needs to do is come up with a few early stops to put the Black Knights behind the 8-ball. Either they won’t have enough time on the clock to mount a comeback win, or they change their gameplan out of desperation and expose themselves by taking risks or relying on the pass. Notre Dame gets the edge here pretty comfortably, and after a few series should be able to contain a predictable offense. Army's Offense - Players to Watch: Advantage: Strong Notre Dame Notre Dame's Special Teams vs. Army's Special Teams Notre Dame’s special teams unit has been struggling lately, and the kicking game has been all over place since Mitch Jeter’s hip injury against Stanford. The Senior kicker was ruled out for the Georgia Tech and Navy matchups but returned to action against UVA, where he went 4/4 on XPs but was physically unable to attempt either of Notre Dame’s 2 FGs . After watching Jeter’s 4 XPs kicks against Virginia, it was abundantly clear he’s still not fully recovered. In his stead, Sophomore kicker Marcello Diomede lined up for a 56-yard try, his first and only attempt of the season, but missed. Junior kicker Zac Yoakam followed with a 36-yard attempt but also missed, dropping to 2/5 on FG attempts for the year. When healthy, Jeter was a solid 31/31 on XPs, but has struggled with FGs. In 8 appearances, Jeter has gone 6/9 on FGs, including the ridiculous 62-yard miss against NIU as time expired. Collectively, Notre Dame’s 3 kickers have recorded a disappointing 8/15 on FGs through 10 games. Army’s kicking game has been the complete opposite. Senior kicker Trey Gronotte is a perfect 44/44 on XPs and 5/5 on FGs this year; knocking in 4/4 from 30-39 yards and 1/1 from 20-29 yards. Notre Dame holds a slight edge over the Black Knights in both kickoff and punt return yards, while Army averages slightly more yardage on net average punt yards. Neither special teams unit holds an outright advantage over the other, but the uncertainty surrounding Notre Dame’s kicking situation is what separates these two. Moving forward with a 3-man kicking committee that's combined for just over 50% FG accuracy is too big a liability to ignore. Jeter’s recovery timeline is still unknown, but with only 2 games left in the regular season and potential playoff games on the horizon, the Irish need a healthy, dependable kicker they can rely on. Army gets the edge here because of health and consistency. Advantage: Soft Army Notre Dame's Offense vs. Army's Defense If there’s a weak point on this 2024 Irish squad, it's the offense - specifically the passing game. Had these two teams met in week 3 or 4, there's a legitimate chance the Irish offense loses this game. But over the last 4-5 games, Mike Denbrock and Riley Leonard have gradually transformed this offense from completely one-dimensional to relatively balanced. Nearly every criticism of Notre Dame’s new offense has been levied at the passing game, and as discontent grew louder and louder, it began to overshadow the elite rushing production coming out of the Irish backfield. Between the two of them, QB Riley Leonard and RB Jeremiyah Love have combined for over 1,300 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground, along with 15 touchdowns through the air. The Irish rank 12th in rushing YPG at 216.7, more than 100 yards less than Army’s 334.9 mark. Yet it’s Notre Dame’s much criticized passing attack (199.0 YPG) that pushes them to 415.7 total YPG, just behind Army’s 419.9. The Irish have actually had a pretty well balanced offense in the 2nd half of this season, and their easiest path to victory is establishing the run and Leonard’s short/midrange dink and dunk passing attack early. The Irish can’t afford another 1/12 day on 3rd down conversions like they had against UVA. Possessions will be few and far between, so capitalizing on nearly every drive with some kind of points is crucial. The Black Knights defense has been statistically on par with the Irish all season. Army has a slight advantage in YPG allowed, ranking 5th to Notre Dame’s 6th, and ranks 2nd in PPG allowed to Notre Dame’s 3rd. The only true separation between these offenses is rushing defense. The Black Knights are 3rd in rushing yards allowed with a ridiculous 82.6 YPG, whereas the Irish are 44th with 126.2. Army’s focus should be to make Riley Leonard and the Irish offense uncomfortable, beginning by taking away the short passing game. That's where Leonard and Denbrock begin each week and where Leonard builds his confidence for the rest of the matchup. As we’ve seen before, taking away the passing game lets opposing defenses cheat up and focus on Notre Dame’s run, making Leonard’s legs both less effective and less surprising. Although Army’s defense looks just as good as Notre Dame’s on paper, their weak strength of schedule makes it hard to know just how legit it really is. The Irish are above and beyond the best offense Army will face this year, and the matchup will ultimately come down to just how effective the Irish ground game will be against a Black Knight defense who specializes in stopping it. Look for Riley Leonard’s legs to be the difference here. Army Defense - Players to Watch: Advantage: Soft Notre Dame Prediction Once again, the Irish have a clear talent, size, and skill advantage on both sides of the ball in this matchup, but that doesn't make this a guaranteed win. Both teams have a ton to play for, and that's really the only thing that calls for any caution. Notre Dame had the edge over NIU in every possible way, but a lack of focus, and a sense of complacency nullified it all. NIU just flat out wanted it more, and this Army team has enough at stake and enough to gain to out “want” the Irish. Unlike many of the teams Notre Dame has faced this year, Army isn’t looking to just “stay competitive” or merely spoil Notre Dame’s CFP hopes - they have postseason aspirations of their own. With a win, the Irish would extend their win streak over the Black Knights to 16 straight, remain undefeated in all 12 Shamrock Series games, and be one step closer to a CFP bid. As long as they don’t get sloppy and overlook the Black Knights in anticipation of their season finale against USC, Notre Dame should take care of business once again and move to 10-1. Look for: ● Notre Dame’s defense - forces 2+ turnovers ● Notre Dame’s defense - records 2+ sacks ● Notre Dame’s defense - allows only a single touchdown ● Mitchell Evans - catches 1 touchdown pass for the 3rd straight game ● Riley Leonard - records 150 rushing yards for the 1st time this year Win: (10-1) ND: 38 - 13 :Army Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame takes these talents to iconic Yankee Stadium for their Shamrock Series game against undefeated Army. Our staff make their official predictions below. Photo by 4.0 Sports Media Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider Score Prediction: 45-10 Notre Dame People can talk all they want about how good Army appears to be but at the end of the day, it’s still Army. Army hasn’t played anyone of note yet so I don’t understand the hype around them. Notre Dame’s Defense as we already know is elite and has really found their groove and has been consistently shutting down offenses ever since the NIU game. In fact, Notre Dame has only allowed a little over 10 points a game on average since the NIU loss. I just don’t see this Army team who loves to run be able to run on this DLine. Notre Dame’s offense is averaging nearly 43 points a game following the NIU game. With Army’s very undersized DLinemen compared to Notre Dame’s OLine added to their secondary which is one of the best in the country, I just don’t see how Army will move the ball against this team. Notre Dame will win and it won’t be close. Peter Mulroy - Associate Editor, First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 31-10 Notre Dame The recipe is there for this Notre Dame team: Run the football, and dare the opposition to throw over the top on your championship-caliber defense. And, if the Irish are to stir things up out of that cookbook, they should find themselves in line for another victory. Sure, the Black Knights pack a powerful punch of their own in the run game (and they pass a bit more this season as well), but if Riley Leonard and Co. can provide Al Golden’s unit with an early lead, it could spoil Army’s trip to the Bronx. Riding the emotions of this very special Shamrock Series, Notre Dame gets it done. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Liam Farrell - Associate Editor, Senior Football Writer Score Prediction : 21-10 Notre Dame The Notre Dame offense will get out to a fast start, but stall for the remainder of the game. Army will have a touchdown drive in one of their first two possessions, but the Irish defense will adapt to the Black Knights’ offensive attack as the game progresses. The final blow will be Notre Dame stopping Army on a lengthy drive in the redzone, and putting a late-game touchdown that extends their lead and puts Army’s undefeated season to rest. Connor Regan - Long-Form Writer Score Prediction: 38-13 Notre Dame For the first time in decades, the Army-Notre Dame game actually has stakes. Unlike many of Notre Dame’s opponents this season, Army isn’t looking to just play spoiler, they’re hunting for a spot in the postseason and a chance to become the first 10-0 Army football team. The Irish have been in “win or go home” mode since week 2, and with a chance at the CFP closer than ever, the 9-0 Black Knights are now playing with the same stakes. With all that said, Notre Dame is just too big, talented, and experienced to drop this game. If the Irish offense can score early and the defense can force Army into turnovers or a slow start, this should be a comfortable yet not resounding win for the Irish over their 4th-ranked opponent of the year. It may be tight in the first half, but Notre Dame should eventually pull away. Noah Wehby - Writer Score Prediction: 34-14 Notre Dame The consistency of the Notre Dame offense is going to be vital in this game. Army is very good at limited possessions and eating clock. This means the offense won’t get as many possessions as they are used to. Notre Dame’s offense will have to be efficient in the possessions they get. On defense, it will be a typical academy-style game. Notre Dame is going to handle it well, as they did against Navy. Al Golden’s squad's biggest contribution to the game will be forcing turnovers, getting at least two. This put the offense in advantageous positions and break open this game. Brenden Duffy - Associate Editor, Senior Staff Writer Score Prediction: 35-24 Notre Dame Nothing in this game would surprise me. I can’t help but think about how the Irish destroyed Navy’s triple-option attack. Overall, Army is a better team than Navy, hence the somewhat close score prediction. Offensively, I think Notre Dame will find success running the ball. Army hasn’t faced a rushing attack as dangerous as Notre Dame’s. Expect the game to start slow, for both teams, but I think the Irish will capitalize on a worn-down Army defense in the second half. Defensively for the Irish, this game should be all about stopping QB Bryson Daily. He is an elite runner who has put together a Heisman-worthy season, leading his squad to this 9-0 start. I think the Irish will garner enough stops to keep Army’s offense off the field as much as possible. Both teams will be fighting for their playoff lives but Notre Dame’s talent level shines through, giving the Irish another notable win on the season. Clayton Stohler - First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 42-17 Notre Dame At the end of the day, this is going to be a game where the most physical team wins. And that’s going to make for a tough start to this game. Army plays like they want to be there more than the other team, that’s been the case all year. But there’s a major issue standing in the way. North Texas isn’t Notre Dame. And that’s the best team Army has played up to this point. Irish end up shortening drives, making the most of their possessions, and pull away by the second quarter. ND will control the game from there. It’ll feel closer than it actually is, but the athleticism of ND continues to extend a team’s shelf life as they stay in “the zone” they’ve been in since week 2 came to its disastrous conclusion. Like our content? Here's 20% off (IRISH20) and help support what we do here Brady Burden - Social Media Manager Score Prediction: 38-21 Notre Dame This is a very important matchup for both teams as the regular season comes to an end and playoff rankings creep closer and closer.  Army is coming off a 14-3 win over North Texas, punching themselves a ticket to the AAC Championship game last weekend. The Black Knights offense is averaging around 35.2 points per game while the defense only gives up 10.3 points a game.  I think the Notre Dame defense creates an early turnover and capitalizes off the turnover with a score. The Army offense is spectacular early, but at the half Al Golden makes his adjustments and shuts down their offense. Notre Dame's rushing game is vital to the victory as Jeremiyah Love rushes for over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. The passing game will be average but performs at a high level when needed.  The Irish dominate the second half and leave New York with a huge ranked win and are looking forward to finishing the regular season next weekend at USC for rivalry week.  Caleb Conrad - Contributor Editors Note: Please welcome Caleb Conrad to The Irish Tribune team. Caleb will be joining the team to expand our men's and women's basketball coverage. With experience in the world of basketball, along with being an intern for Fighting Irish Preview -- published by a friend of the Tribune Phil Houk --, Caleb will be a great voice in our coverage to bring incredible reporting and analysis to Notre Dame fans who desire basketball content. Score Prediction: 35-10 Notre Dame Notre Dame has been playing consistently solid and has dominated their last five opponents throughout the whole game. Army likes to run the ball and chew the clock down. I think the Notre Dame defense will shut Army’s run game down early and force a lot of empty possessions. Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offense will continue to play fundamentally sound and drive the ball down the field fairly easily against this Army defense. I believe Notre Dame will have the lead throughout the whole game and ultimately top Army by a score of 35-10. What are your predictions for this highly impactful game, Notre Dame Nation? Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun