Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Day Two of the Players Era Championship tipped off Tuesday with a pair of 4-2 squads coming off Day One losses with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Irish were coming off a ten-point loss to Kansas, while the Scarlet Knights fell in a 25-point defeat at the hands of Tennessee yesterday. Notre Dame’s offensive trio of Braeden Shrewsberry, Markus Burton, and Jalen Haralson led the way for the Irish with 49 of the Irish’s 68 points. The Irish had it going from deep, shooting 8/18 from three, while the Scarlet Knights were struggling to find the bottom of the basket. After yesterday’s loss to Kansas, it was apparent that team rebounding was an emphasis today, with four Irish players snagging at least four boards today, as they out-rebounded Rutgers 37-28. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! The aforementioned trio of Shrewsberry, Burton, and Haralson impressed early, combining for 29 of Notre Dame’s 36 first-half points. Following a Rutgers three that opened the game’s scoring, the trio got to work, scoring 20 consecutive Irish points to give them an early 20-9 lead with 8:47 on the clock. Notre Dame continued to scorch the Scarlet Knights between the 8:00 and 4:00 media timeouts, outscoring Rutgers 11-2 in the four-minute stretch to extend their lead to 31-13. After Shrewsberry buried a three to give the Irish their largest first-half lead of 19 points, Rutgers closed the half on a 7-0 run to cut their halftime deficit to 12 points, 36-24. Notre Dame’s 6/13 three-point shooting and 20-13 rebounding advantage were contributors to the Irish’s first-half success. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Notre Dame was able to handle an attempted Rutgers comeback and secure the win after being out-scored 39-32 in the second half. Burton led the Irish with 11 points in an impressive second-half effort. Rutgers had the hot hand early in the half, knocking down three three-pointers to cut the Irish lead to just five, 40-35, with 17:24 to play. Notre Dame was able to respond with an 8-0 run featuring four different scorers that pushed their lead back to 50-37 with 14:04 remaining. After the Irish run, Rutgers punched back with a 14-8 run before the 8:00 media timeout to make it a 58-51 contest. Out of the break, a Rutgers three made it a four-point game with 5:56 to play, but Notre Dame’s Logan Imes got the points right back with a three-pointer of his own, marking his first points of the game. Burton clutched up and got back-to-back tough layups to fall, pushing the Irish lead to 67-56 with 2:53 remaining. After Haralson knocked down a free throw, Rutgers drew a three-point shooting foul on Burton and hit their free throws to make it a seven-point, 68-61 game with 1:53 to play, forcing an Irish timeout. After a series of tie-ups and fouls, Rutgers hit a quick two off an Irish turnover to make it 68-63 with 47 seconds to play. After a flurry of fouls and missed free throws in the final seconds, Notre Dame was able to secure the 68-63 victory.   Notre Dame awaits the results of the remainder of Tuesday's Players Era Championship games before being given a designation for their next contest. Irish Star: Markus Burton - 21 points (9-13 FGs, 2-4 3FGs), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, +8 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (49%) - RUT (39%) Three Point Percentage: ND (44%) - RUT (41%) Rebounds: ND (37) - RUT (28) Points in the Paint: ND (36) - RUT (16) 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 Saturday's contest, Notre Dame was on an eight-game winning streak and fresh off a dominant performance against Pitt. The Irish didn't even play to their full potential and still managed to win 37-15. Syracuse, on the other hand, had not won a game since their 34-21 win over Clemson way back in September. Since then, it has been an absolute trainwreck of losses, resulting in a six-game losing streak for the Orange. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics So, it was expected that the Irish, playing at their full potential in this game, would blow out a Syracuse team with inferior athletes. It didn't take long for Notre Dame to begin taking over, as Jalen Stroman (starting in place of injured Tae Johnson) jumped a route for an interception and a pick-six to put the Irish on top quickly during the first series of the ball game. The defense started this game fast, physical, and with great pursuit of the ball. You couldn't ask for a better start. When a team comes out of the gates that dominant, it becomes contagious, and the Irish special teams caught that bug when Syracuse punted the ball deep in their own territory after a stalled second series, resulting in a blocked punt secured by Luke Talich for a touchdown. The Irish couldn't have started the game any better, putting 14 points on the board in the first two minutes of the game. It was clear early on that Syracuse would be no match for the Irish, and it only got worse as Leonard Moore intercepted another Syracuse pass for a pick-six. You heard that right! Two pick sixes for the Irish in the first six minutes of the game! Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Jeremiyah Love continued to be an absolute homerun hitter whenever he touched the ball. Case in point, his first touch of the game resulted in a 45-yard run for a touchdown. Love is continuing to build his case for the Heisman Trophy, and in my mind, he's surpassed being in consideration at this point. There is no other player in this country as electric as he is when he touches the ball. The only problem is that the Heisman Trophy has become a QB award as of late. 2015 was the last time a running back came away with the award, and that was Derrick Henry. Since then, a QB has come away with the award seven out of the past nine years. In games like this, there is nothing to complain about. This was a display of complete tenacity on both sides of the ball, something I've been asking for all season. Make no mistake about it, this was a statement to the playoff committee as well as the country that this team is for real and belongs in the playoff. In other words, put some respect on Notre Dame's name! One more game to go at Stanford, and if the Irish can close that one out in winning fashion, they're destined for the playoff. Onward to the next... 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. 9 Notre Dame fired on all cylinders in their 70-7 victory against the Syracuse Orange on Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- In a game that is now etched in Notre Dame's history books, the Notre Dame offense strutted out for their first possession of the game with a 21-0 lead. The Fighting Irish defense was the first to take the field and ultimately had three consecutive possessions with a defensive or special teams' touchdown. Jalen Stroman, who started the game in replace of Tae Johnson, kicked off the scoring with a 44-yard pick six that gave the Irish the lead. On the next drive, Stroman had a tackle for loss and blocked the Syracuse punt that led to a Luke Talich touchdown. All-American Leonard Moore wanted to get in on the fun as well, as the third Syracuse offensive possession ended with another pick six by the Fighting Irish. With all the defensive excellence in the first quarter, the Fighting Irish offense finally got to step onto the field and had similar success. Jeremiyah Love had a performance that nearly cements his attendance in New York at the end of the season for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Love had one of the most efficient performances in recent memory, rushing for 171 yards on eight carries, while reaching the end zone three times. Love's 3 touchdown performance brings his season total to 20 total touchdowns this season. Behind Love, the Notre Dame running backs had success as well. Jadarian Price had another explosive touchdown run, this time a 58-yard scamper. Price finished the game with 70 yards on four carries. Aneyas Williams received a sizable amount of playing time as well and cashed in with a 30-yard touchdown of his own. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! With Notre Dame's early success, CJ Carr had a modest performance with 49 yards and a touchdown pass to Will Pauling. While not lighting up the box score, Kenny Minchey performed well in Carr's place in the second half too. Minchey was extremely effective with his legs, adding a 25-yard touchdown run. Overall, the defensive effort and performance stole the show on Senior Day. The Irish defense held Syracuse to 147 total yards and forced three turnovers. The most impressive stat of the day was the Irish had 16 tackles for loss, a program record, which included five sacks. Syracuse quarterbacks Joseph Filardi and Luke Carney simply had no chance back there as the Irish defense swarmed to the backfield. One negative from the Irish's thumping victory over the Orange was the injury to Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. It is unclear the severity of the injury yet, but the Irish cannot afford to be without Viliamu-Asa nor Johnson for the potential playoff push. In the end, Notre Dame did exactly what it needed to do in terms of taking care of business and displaying that they are playing their best football of the season. The Irish extended their win streak to nine games and the only thing that's standing in their way of a potential playoff berth is a victory on The Farm against Stanford. 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 has officially pedalled over the last big hump of the regular season after beating a pesky Pitt team last week, but that doesn't mean that they can afford to take their foot off the gas. The Irish will need to look every bit as impressive against a reeling Syracuse team tomorrow in order to maintain their standing with the CFP Committee. Let's jump into our staff picks for this week's game! Liam Farrell - Editor/Senior Sports Writer: 49-7 Notre Dame The biggest thing that Notre Dame wants to do is get this game extremely out of reach, while still having the opportunity to honor their seniors. The number that Marcus Freeman is eyeing to top is probably 28 points, as Miami defeated the Orange 38-10 earlier this season. The committee has stated that common opponents are a barrier to comparing teams, and while Miami's last regular-season game against Pitt will garner the most attention, Notre Dame has an opportunity to do the same. I'd expect CJ Carr and the Irish offense to be explosive early through the air while Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price excel in the 2nd quarter to honor their potential last game in Notre Dame Stadium.  If Chris Ash could make freshman phenom Mason Heintschel see ghosts last week, then walk-on Syracuse quarterback Joe Filardi is in for a long afternoon. The Irish defense will be everywhere, and Notre Dame covers one of their largest spreads against a power 4 opponent.  Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Brenden Duffy - Editor/Sports Writer: 45-7 Notre Dame It should be business as usual while Notre Dame hosts their Senior Day celebrations before a game with Syracuse. The Orange have struggled ever since former Irish transfer QB Steve Angeli suffered a torn Achilles tendon in late September.  Notre Dame should have their way offensively against a defense that has struggled all-around. CJ Carr should have a nice day throwing the ball against one of the worst pass defenses in the FBS; touchdowns to Seniors Eli Raridon and Malachi Fields would be fitting. Syracuse’s run defense has been a bit better than its coverage, but it is still below average. I expect Jeremiyah Love to surpass 150 yards on the ground with a score of his own in what is likely his final regular-season game at Notre Dame Stadium.  Syracuse’s offense under Head Coach Fran Brown has been one of the more fun watches in college football if you enjoy seeing QBs air the ball out. Unfortunately, the Orange have been unable to find the right QB for the job since Angeli’s injury this season. Walk-on Freshman Joe Filardi is expected to take the snaps for the Orange this week, marking the second start for the dual-sport lacrosse athlete. Assuming the Irish can create enough pressure and put the young QB under duress, it could be a big day for the stars of the secondary, including Leonard Moore, Christian Gray, and Adon Shuler. A defensive game plan similar to how the Irish attacked Pitt would work against this pass-heavy, yet less talented offense. Clayton Stohler - Podcaster: 63-7 Notre Dame Absolute decimation. For all the talk of Notre Dame being ahead of teams that are "more deserving", there's a feeling amongst the fanbase that is shadowed with rage.  Inside the building - quiet confidence. National pundits and fanbases that pledge their allegiance to teams nestled closely behind the Irish can ignore the data. But I will not.  This is a Syracuse team with a lot of fight, mirroring its head coach, Fran Brown. But it will be no match.  Jeremiyah Love with a career day statistically. Records may be broken. Far be it from me to predict the numbers.  CJ Carr and the offense begin to find the extra gear it'll need in the postseason. New Route concepts, and an offensive line that doesn't just bully you for 99 yards, but 100.  The defense takes advantage of walk-on QB Joe Filardi. And this game was never close.  Does ND belong in front of your favorite team? A win against Syracuse won't convince anyone of that fact. But how they win will only reinforce the metrics the committee has been evaluating against all season long.  It's a day that sends the seniors out in style. A day emblematic of the entire season. It wasn't even close. But the playoffs are. Max Uretsky - Recruiting Analyst/Sports Writer: 55-13 Notre Dame With a couple of teams (and fan bases) breathing down the Irish's neck for playoff seeding, Marcus Freeman knows full well that every snap is a data point for those who decide the long-term fate for his squad.  This game, which will honor the seniors, feels like a spot where both Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price both go for 150+ yards on the ground with a couple of touchdowns each. The offense should find very little resistance in opposing their will in this matchup. The defense will be facing a walk-on freshman at QB and should continue the upward ascension they have been on since Texas A&M came to South Bend and dropped 41 points back in September. Syracuse's offensive line has been leaky, giving up 10 sacks in the last two contests, and young QBs tend to hang on to the ball too long, so I think Notre Dame's defensive front will be partying in the backfield on more than one occasion this week.  Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider/Sports Writer: 42-3 Notre Dame Notre Dame is on an eight-game winning streak and continues to improve each and every game. Syracuse is a train wreck right now, losing six in a row. I just don't see there being any way that this team can compete with Notre Dame either offensively or defensively.  Syracuse won't be able to move the ball effectively on this Irish defense nor will they be able to stop the high-powered offense led by CJ Carr and (in my opinion, the best player in College Football) Jeremiyah Love.  Notre Dame will win this game easily! Watch out for a possible shutout for the Irish! Noah Wehby - Sports Writer: 56-10 Notre Dame With just a few weeks left in the season, Notre Dame will want to prove a point with their remaining games, and then will do just that on Saturday.  Without Angeli, Syracuse does not have a real passing threat to scare the Irish. Notre Dame's defense will have an easy time stopping this Syracuse offense and will give them the ball back with good field positioning. Don't be surprised if this ball-hawking Irish secondary comes up with multiple interceptions, even without Tae Johnson.  On the offensive side of the ball, it will be more of the same with Love and Price. The Irish will once again lean on their incredible running game to make quick work of this Syracuse defense. Carr will also have his fair share of chances to hit on big plays, especially to Malachi Fields, as he has done in the last few weeks. Connor Regan - Editor/Sports Writer: 51-13 Notre Dame Syracuse has lost six straight since upsetting Clemson early in the season, and things don’t look like they’re going to turn around for the Orange this game. Now without transfer quarterback and former ND backup Steve Angeli, Syracuse is offense is incredibly one dimensional. The passing game has suffered greatly and is unsure at quarterback, and their rushing attack is average. The offense hasn’t mustered more than 18 points in a single game since the upset against Clemson and fellow ACC teams have been moving the ball with ease against the Orange defense all year. The Irish are favored by 35+ points, so this one should absolutely be a blowout - the real question is, by how much? We’ve only seen the Irish put up crazy numbers once this year, against Arkansas, will they do it again? I think they’ll have a really nice day, but will take their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter and not make it too impressive of a blowout, but definitely a no-doubter. 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!

No. 9 Notre Dame hosts the 3-7 Syracuse Orange at Notre Dame Stadium for the Fighting Irish's Senior Day. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics After Notre Dame's ranked road victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Irish must take care of business in their final two games against teams with a combined 6-14 record. This week, the Irish welcome the Syracuse Orange into Notre Dame Stadium, a team that has been on a downward slide after the injury to former Notre Dame QB Steve Angeli. With the Fighting Irish set to face inferior opposition, they still have the opportunity to make statements in their final two games of the season. Just look at the difference between the Boston College and Navy games from this year. The Irish scratched and clawed through Boston College in an unconvincing victory that left many national media talking heads questionable about Notre Dame's legitimacy. That performance juxtaposed to the fundamentally sound splattering against Navy is completely night and day and displays the difference that a triumphant victory can make. Against Syracuse, the Irish will need a dominate performance both in terms of on film and the box score, to maintain their perception in the committee's eyes. Let's take a look at the keys against the Orange. Confuse the Eyes and Pressure the Quarterback After the injury to Steve Angeli, Syracuse has had a rolodex of quarterbacks. The Orange first handed the reigns to LSU transfer Rickie Collins, but Collins struggled. His 6:10 TD:INT ratio forced Fran Brown's hand to pull Collins from the starting lineup. Syracuse's answer in South Bend will be Joseph Filardi, a walk-on quarterback who was a high-level lacrosse recruit. Filardi earned the starting nod against UNC on Halloween night but struggled in his first start. On the season, Filardi is 7-21 for 78 passing yards, which points to blood in the water for an explosive and hungry Notre Dame defense. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash was able to confuse and disguise many looks last week against freshmen phenom Mason Heintschel, which points to a long day for Filardi making his second career start. Out of Reach Early The biggest X factor in any game that is aiming for an upset is the longer the lesser team stick around, the better the odds are. Notre Dame has been a team that has let lesser teams linger around. At halftime this season, the Irish only led NC State 10-7, Boise State 14-7, and Boston College 12-7. The Irish need much more of an emphatic statement against Syracuse, like its performances against Arkansas, Pittsburgh, and Navy perchance. The Irish have yet to have as dominant of a game as they did last season when the offense and defense were clicking at the same time. If Notre Dame can put together a 49-7 type of performance, then the Irish will certainly have a defendable case as the season comes near a close. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Win by More than 28 Points If the CFP wants to discuss mutual opponents with Miami, then the committee must be willing to recognize Syracuse as a common opponent as well. Miami currently has the upper hand in terms of mutual opponents against the Irish with Pittsburgh being the most talked about discussion in terms of the Hurricanes and the Irish. Miami knows the score they have to out-perform, and will certainly attempt to lay it on the Panthers next week. In a similar way, I expect the Fighting Irish to know the number they have to beat, in this case, a 38-10 victory. Head coach Fran Brown and Marcus Freeman have a good relationship as two young head coaches that have transformed their football programs. I expect that relationship to take a quick sidebar during Saturday afternoon. 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!

Photo via Syracuse Athletics On Saturday afternoon, the ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish hosts their home-field regular-season finale against the 3-7 Syracuse Orange. With the ‘Cuse on a six-game skid, they have turned to walk-on freshman QB Joseph Filardi in an attempt to pull off the unthinkable. While Filardi likely does not have enough to single-handedly topple the Irish, here are some players who will need to perform well to give the Orange any chance this weekend: Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! WR Johntay Cook Syracuse’s top receiver is the junior transfer from Texas. Cook, 6-0 and 198 pounds, hails from DeSoto, TX, where he was a big-time recruit for the Longhorns. With the Orange this season, Cook has worked primarily out of the slot; however, last game, he was out wide for the majority of the loss against Miami. This year, the junior has recorded 518 yards and two touchdowns on 41 receptions, averaging an impressive 12.6 yards per catch. Cook has at least two catches in nine games, including a season-high of seven against SMU, where he tallied 82 yards and a score. The slot-man had a season-high 113 yards against Clemson across six receptions. Cook’s drops and fumbles appear to be a thing of the past, as he has not dropped a pass since week eight or fumbled since he dropped the ball twice against Duke. The versatile receiver can beat defenses over the top, but most of his production comes via the short-pass game. TE Dan Villari Perhaps one of the more underappreciated players on Syracuse is their starting tight end. Villari, a redshirt senior, has 33 receptions for 379 yards this season but has yet to find the endzone. The 6-4, 245-pounder from Massapequa, NY has shown his versatility playing inline and in the slot. Villari averages a solid 11.5 yards per reception and has at least one catch in nine games. He popped against UConn with a season-high seven catches for 104 yards in the Orange win. The senior has also shown strong hands with no drops across 46 targets, and he is 3/5 on contested catch attempts. No matter who has played QB, Villari has been a consistently reliable short-yardage option. He likely will not be beating the Irish defense over the top, assuming he does not just sneak by on a fluke play. Villari has also served as a solid all-around blocker this season. (Note: Villari left Syracuse’s last game early with an injury, and there is no current public status for this week’s game.) Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle DL Kevin Jobity Jr If Syracuse is going to have success defensively, it starts with getting to the QB. Enter the Orange’s sack-leader, Kevin Jobity Jr. The 6-4, 300-pound DT from Buffalo has 26 tackles, six tackles for loss, five sacks, and one pass breakup this season. Jobity, a senior, has at least one tackle in eight games. He exploded against Pitt when he racked up a season-high six tackles and three sacks in the loss. The DT had another solid outing against UConn, where he tallied five tackles and a sack. Jobity has created 20 pressures, including his five sacks, across 228 pass rush attempts this season. He has also been solid against the run with 11 stops; however, all four of his missed tackles have come in this spot. The last point on Jobity is that he has been a clean player this year, with no penalties across 376 snaps, ultimately signifying he is not one to blame for Syracuse’s subpar season. 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 off a dominant showing against Pitt, Notre Dame stayed put in the newest CFP rankings. Currently ranked ninth in the country, Notre Dame currently resides in a playoff spot, but is Miami's rise in the rankings cause for concern? For weeks now, the narrative surrounding the Irish's playoff chances has been win and in. This was easy to say as Notre Dame was building their winning streak while the Hurricanes faltered, losing to both Louisville and SMU. Today, that notion for Notre Dame is fading slightly, as Miami creeps closer to the Fighting Irish in the rankings with a head-to-head matchup advantage. In the midst of those losses, Miami appeared to be losing sight of a playoff berth. It seemed likely, at the time, to presume that they would lose again, or that the two losses to unranked teams would be enough to knock them out completely. In recent weeks, however, Miami has been able to right the ship and play their way back into contention. That could spell trouble for Notre Dame heading down the road. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Recently, the playoff race has become extremely tight, especially between the rankings of 7-15. Those seeds feature a bundle of two-loss teams all fighting for just a few spots. With two of the spots likely reserved for the ACC and American champion, it means that there is a logjam for the remaining playoff seeding. One of those spots is exactly where Notre Dame is sitting. At nine, Notre Dame still has separation from Miami, who currently sits at No. 13. Unfortunately for the Irish, their remaining opponents do not provide any opportunities to move up, as Syracuse and Stanford have a 6-14 combined record. That leaves them in a spot where nine may be their ceiling in terms of the rankings if there is not movement ahead of them. For now, this is fine for Notre Dame, but it may not last long. The CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek confirmed this dilemma for the Irish when he spoke to Rece Davis during ESPN's rankings reveal show. "I think when you look at Notre Dame and Miami, we really compare the losses of those two teams. Miami has lost to two unranked teams; Notre Dame has lost to two teams that are ranked in our top 13." Yurachek went on to explain that Notre Dame and Miami are not currently being compared in the same grouping of teams. This means that the head-to-head matchup between the two teams is not being used yet. If Notre Dame and Miami were to find themselves in a situation where the two were being compared, Yurachek explained how the committee would approach that as well. "We really haven't compared those two teams, they haven't been in similar compared pools today, but Miami is creeping up into that range where they will be compared to Notre Dame, if something happens above them." "Head-to-head will be a significant data point." This is exactly where Notre Dame does not want to be. Miami is the only team behind them with the distinct advantage of a head-to-head win. For now, all Notre Dame and its fans can do is root for Oklahoma and Miami losses. An Oklahoma loss would not only allow Notre Dame to move up, it would also free up more room for teams like Miami to move in without knocking the Irish out. For Miami, a third loss would seal their fate in terms of missing the playoffs, and Notre Dame would no longer have to worry about Miami looking over their shoulder. With all that being said, it is still critical for Marcus Freeman and his squad that they perform well in the last two games of the season. Although they play against inferior opponents, it can serve as a final chance to prove to the committee that they are deserving of a chance to play for a National Championship. 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!

This Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame Football will celebrate its seniors prior to the matchup with Syracuse. Below, we highlight the key contributors of this class leaving South Bend who are set to be commemorated before their final regular season game at Notre Dame Stadium: *Note - this list includes solely seniors (i.e., no Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, etc.) Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! DL Jordan Botelho Seasons at Notre Dame: 6; 2020-2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 60 games played, 93 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 1 blocked punt, 1 touchdown (returned a blocked punt) Best Moments at Notre Dame: Recovered a blocked punt and walked in for a 1-yard touchdown as a true freshman in 2020 against USF; tied a career-high of two sacks against South Carolina in the 2022 Gator Bowl; Played a pivotal role in the 2024 season-opening win at Texas A&M with a career-high 6 tackles in addition to 2 QB hurries   QB Tyler Buchner Seasons at Notre Dame: 4; 2021-22 & 2024-25 Stats at Notre Dame: 25 games played, 1-2 as a starter, 57.1% completion rate, 972 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 466 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns Best Moments at Notre Dame: After suffering a severe shoulder sprain early in the season, Buchner returned and led the Irish to a 45-38 Gator Bowl win against South Carolina in 2022 - recorded 334 total yards and 5 total touchdowns - was named game’s MVP DL Jared Dawson Seasons at Notre Dame: 1; 2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 9 games played, 14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup Best Moments at Notre Dame: has earned a starting role after consistent good performances; season-high 3 tackles against NC State & USC WR Malachi Fields Seasons at Notre Dame: 1; 2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 10 games played, 32 receptions, 596 yards, 5 touchdowns Best Moments at Notre Dame: 66-yard touchdown on first offensive play against Purdue - longest reception of his career and marked his first score with the Irish; Set season-highs against Pitt with 7 receptions for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns DL Jason Onye Seasons at Notre Dame: 5; 2021-25 Stats at Notre Dame: 29 games played, 42 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 blocked kicks, 2 pass breakups Best Moments at Notre Dame: Career-high 5 tackles and blocked a field goal against Tennessee State in 2023; Blocked a field goal against Stanford in 2023 that was returned for a touchdown; career-high 1.5 sacks against Purdue in 2024, along with 4 tackles and a pass breakup WR Will Pauling Seasons at Notre Dame: 1; 2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 10 games played, 24 receptions, 367 yards, 5 touchdowns Best Moments at Notre Dame: 5-game touchdown streak between 9/27 - 11/01; season-high 105 yards, including a score, on 4 receptions against NC State Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle TE Eli Raridon Seasons at Notre Dame: 4; 2022-25 Stats at Notre Dame: 38 games played, 46 receptions, 614 yards, 3 touchdowns Best Moments at Notre Dame: 12-yard touchdown against USC in 2024; set single-game career-highs this season against NC State when he recorded 7 receptions for 109 yards DL Gabriel Rubio Seasons at Notre Dame: 5; 2021-25 Stats at Notre Dame: 39 games played, 66 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble Best Moments at Notre Dame: Career-high 7 tackles against Stanford in 2022; recorded first sack of his career against USC in 2024 CB DeVonta Smith Seasons at Notre Dame: 1; 2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 6 games played, 12 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery Best Moments at Notre Dame: Recorded a season-high 5 tackles against Navy; 3 tackles and a pass breakup against Pitt S Jalen Stroman Seasons at Notre Dame: 1; 2025 Stats at Notre Dame: 10 games played, 25 tackles, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups Best Moments at Notre Dame: Recorded a season-high 9 tackles at Miami; 6 tackles and a pass breakup against Purdue; first career sack against NC State DL Junior Tuihalamaka Seasons at Notre Dame: 4; 2022-25 Stats at Notre Dame: 52 games played, 57 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception Best Moments at Notre Dame: Recorded first career interception against Miami (OH) in 2024; career-high 7 tackles against Navy in 2024; 5 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, 1 sack, and a fumble recovery in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia Others: CB Mickey Brown K Noah Burnette RB Dylan Devezin CB Charles Du CB Isaiah Dunn TE Justin Fisher DL Kobi Onyiuke P James Rendell LB Jerry Rullo WR Leo Scheidler RB Jake Tafelski CB Chance Tucker 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 was a lot of weirdness to start the week with Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi stating that "It is not an ACC game. I'd gladly get beaten 103 or 110 -10 in that game. They could put up 100 on us as long as we win the next two after that." Photo via Notre Dame Athletics If that wasn't bad enough, he appeared on the Pat McAfee show and explained that the statement was made because he was "trying to take the pressure off the team," and then followed it up with, "I don't like pressure." You heard that right, a Head Coach at the collegiate level of football openly admitted he didn't like pressure. So, to say the Pitt game week started weird would be an understatement. Pitt received the opening kickoff and started at their own 25-yard line. They went on an up-tempo offense, getting downfield pretty quickly, with the Irish defense starting slow. Pitt took the Notre Dame defense into deep water right away until the Irish stopped them on 3rd down at the Notre Dame's 38-yard line. Pitt decided to go for it and was denied when Joshua Burnham sacked Pitt QB Mason Heintschel for a turnover on downs. The Irish defense dug its heels in the ground and shut down the Panthers' offense, something that would continue all game long. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! I have to say that it may very well be time to officially retire the Chris Ash hate and put away the "Fire Ash" chants for Irish fans. Ash had this defense ready to play from the opening whistle to the final seconds in the 4th quarter, something we all expected and were waiting on since week one from this defense. The players were motivated, physical, fast, and had great pursuit of the ball the entire g ame. Adon Shuler, with his jarring hit that caused an incompletion, followed by his pick-two on a Pitt two-point conversion try, and Tae Johnson's pick-six were the stars of the day for me. Adon has always had great instincts and has been a gamer, but Tae Johnson is really coming into his own, and I believe he will be a special talent in his own right as he continues to grow each week. The Notre Dame offense, although scoring 30 points on the day, had some ups and downs throughout the course of this game. The play calling at times was head-scratching. Case in point, the decision to roll CJ Carr out for an incomplete pass in the endzone to TE Eli Raridon on 4th and inches. This left many Notre Dame fans across social media wondering, "What the heck was that?". Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock continues to get cute at times when basic football play calling is all you need in that situation. Also, is it too much to ask to permanently delete the WR screen pass from the Notre Dame playbook? I mean, enough is enough already! Carr looked shaky at times, and you could tell that the pressure from the Pitt blitzes was making him uncomfortable. He also tends to stare down receivers or the area he is going to lead them to or throw it to, which led to an interception today when he noticeably stared down TE Eli Raridon, leading him to the middle of the field, which allowed a Pitt defender to jump it and come up with an interception. Carr also, at times, has held onto the ball way too long and has to learn that when a play breaks down and defenders are on him, to either get rid of it or just take a sack and live to fight another down. These are both very fixable, and in some ways can be expected as his development as a starting QB at this level continues. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Jeremiyah Love and Malachi Fields were, without a doubt, the stars of this game. Jeremiyah Love continues to make Heisman-caliber plays on a game-to-game basis. This time, on a 56-yard rushing touchdown with a spin move that put a Pitt defender on ice skates. While Malachi Fields made two of the best catches you'll ever see, both on free plays due to Pitt defenders being offside. Fields is the true physical go-up and get-it type of WR that Notre Dame has been missing since the days of Michael Floyd. It's just a shame we only get his services for this year before he's off to the league, so enjoy it while it lasts. The kicking game continues to be an issue and appears to be much like a hitter's slump in baseball, which is usually a mental matter of getting into one's own head. It has now become a full-on psychological problem and has to be addressed one way or another before it bites them. With that being said, I also don't believe that Head Coach Marcus Freeman did the young kicker any favors by trotting an already shaky kicker out there for a long 46-yard FG attempt. Sure, you want to build his confidence, but that should be inside 30 yards or less with a problem as big as the Irish's kicking game. Outside of those few deficiencies, there really isn't a lot to complain about when you go into a Top-25 opponent's stadium and beat them in blowout fashion. If this team could find a way to play a complete game of football in all three phases of the game, I'm convinced they could beat anyone in the country. The problem is they have yet to do so this season. Will they? Only time will tell, but if this team continues to grow week to week and the defense of today remains for the rest of the season, I really like their chances of making a long playoff run. But before that can happen, Syracuse and Stanford remain in the way. On to the next one... 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. 9 Notre Dame dominated the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers, 37-15, in the Irish's last ranked matchup of the regular season. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics PITTSBURGH - In what was labeled to be a competitive game against a surging ACC foe, the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish completely dismantled the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers. The Notre Dame defense, which was an abysmal unit in the first 10 quarters of the season, has completely flipped the script and become an elite unit. Coming into today's matchup, Pitt was averaging 39.7 points per game, along with 426 yards per game; however, the Irish handled everything the Panthers had to offer. Pitt only gaine d 219 total yards and only accounted for nine points offensively. Chris Ash and the Notre Dame defense have finally started playing free, fast, and smart football. It all starts with the pass rush up front, as the Notre Dame defensive line was causing havoc all game. The Irish finished with four sacks in this game, as Josh Burnham was the main source of pressure and ended the game with two sacks. On the backend, the Irish are finally healthy and playing their most optimal personnel. With Christian Gray and Devonta Smith back from injury, they have been an enormous boost for the Notre Dame secondary. Tae Johnson continues to mature within the eyes of Notre Dame fans, as his pick six in the first quarter set the tone for the rest of the game. Adon Shuler also had a 100+ yard interception return on Pittsburgh's two-point conversion attempt. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Offensively, the Irish offense struggled a bit but benefitted from many big plays. Jeremiyah Love had his weekly mind-boggling run, this time, a 56-yard touchdown scamper that included one of the best spin moves in recent memory. He finished this game with 147 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. The passing game from the Irish was a bit hit and miss, with CJ Carr throwing two touchdowns, but also two interceptions. On the first interception, Carr never saw DB Kavir Bains-Marquez sitting in coverage in the middle of the field. The second interception was a pick six on another WR bubble screen, a play call that has provided more bad than good for the Irish. It may be time to forever ban the WR screen. Outside of the two interceptions, Carr did a good job hitting on more deep shots, specifically to Malachi Fields who ended this game with 99 yards and two touchdowns. Fields' combination of size and speed is a weapon that offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock needs to feature more. Denbrock had a pretty rough performance in this game as well, specifically with the Irish's goal line play calling. With the ball sitting a half yard away from the goal line, the Irish wanted to get cute and give Eli Raridon his first touchdown catch of the regular season and failed to convert. The Irish still have a short-yardage problem. In the kicking department, Erik Schmidt missed his only field goal attempt of the day, a 46-yarder that he pushed out right, yet he made all his PAT attempts, which feels like a win at this point. In the end, this game did not shape up to be the College Gameday-caliber competition, as the Irish were far and away the more talented team. The Irish took care of their last ranked matchup of the season, but still have two more tests to refine themselves before a possible postseason push. 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!

Jeremiyah Love has been one of the most electric players in all of college football for the second year in a row. He continues to wow onlookers with his elite athleticism and playmaking ability, but with the season winding down, does he have a real chance to make it to New York City? Love broke onto the national scene last year when it was clear he had quickly become one of the best running backs in the country. It seemed like it was every week that he would make a video game like play that would leave fans speechless. That sort of playmaking ability helped carry Notre Dame through a magical playoff run which featured a 98-yard touchdown run against Indiana and a resilient two-yard run against Penn State to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Coming off a season like that, the expectations for Love were incredibly high, and Love has been far from disappointing. This season, Love's Heisman campaign got off to a bit of a rocky start, but that was to no fault of his own. The opening game against Miami did not feature much of Love or any running game for that matter. Love quickly flipped the script against Texas A&M. In that game, Love was the biggest playmaker for an offense that put up 33 points, scoring one rushing and one receiving touchdown. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Since the A&M game, Love has continued to excel and provide explosive and consistent offense for a team pushing for a spot in the CFP. Most notably, Love single-handedly provided the plays needed to beat Arkansas in one half. His four touchdown offensive explosion gave Notre Dame the jolt it needed to put away the Razorbacks in just 30 minutes. Against USC, Love punished the Trojans all night with an impressive combination of speed and power. In that primetime matchup, Love gave his best performance during his time in South Bend. Love ran for 228 yards while averaging 9.5 yards per carry. There was simply nothing USC could do to slow him down all game. While all of these moments have been special and will always be remembered by the Notre Dame fans that have had the privilege to watch Love run, there is nothing that encapsulates Love's time here more than his 94-yard touchdown run against Boston College. Notre Dame's offense was nowhere to be found for most of that game. With only an eight-point lead and backed up on their own goal line, a Notre Dame win was still very much in doubt. It was not until Love found the right gap, blew past the first level of defenders, and beat everyone to the end zone that Notre Dame fans could finally take a deep breath. That is exactly what Love has been for this team for two years now. He is that constant presence that a big play could be on the end of every snap. Love always seems to have the answer for the Fighting Irish's needs. His elite playmaking and big-play ability has the potential to erase so many mistakes that Notre Dame makes throughout the game. That kind of player is so rare. There may only be a few in all of college football. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle When it comes to Love's Heisman chances, he has an uphill battle going up against some very impressive quarterbacks. Ohio State's Julian Sayin has been surgical all year, leading Ohio State to the number one ranking in the country. Fernando Mendoza for Indiana may have just had his Heisman moment last week when he found Omar Cooper in the back of the end zone to avoid the upset to Penn State. While these players have had fantastic years, no one has been better in their role than Love. His play has made him undoubtably the best running back in the country, and he may just be the best offensive player in the country. This season, Love is averaging 6.4 yards per carry and will likely hit 1000 yards on the season this Saturday versus Pitt. He is also sitting at 16 total touchdowns, which is tied for first among non-quarterbacks. When it comes to Love, it is not just about the stats. It is the highlight reel plays he makes every week, the freakish athleticism he displays, and the burden he carries for one of the better offenses in the country. Love may not win the Heisman this year, but he has earned the right to be considered for the award bestowed to the best player in the country. 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!

Notre Dame and Pitt are set to square off tomorrow at Noon in a College Football Gameday affair with both teams' playoff hopes hanging in the balance. Despite that, Pat Narduzzi's Panthers could lose by 100 and he won't bat an eye, apparently. Narduzzi's disdain for the Irish is well-documented over the years and is once again at the center of attention in a game that draws national spectacle. Let's dive into our staff predictions! Photo via Pitt Athletics Brenden Duffy - Editor/Sports Writer: 35-20 Notre Dame While Pitt and HC Pat Narduzzi may not publicly care about this week’s result, Notre Dame and HC Marcus Freeman certainly do. I expect the Irish to take Narduzzi’s condescending attitude and comments personally and come out looking for a physical fight. Offensively, the Irish may want to lean on the pass early against a Pitt defense that has been stout against the run. The Panthers’ secondary has been overall iffy, though, and CJ Carr should take advantage. The only DB I would n't test often is freshman CB Shawn Lee Jr., who has locked down everyone he’s faced this season. Look for Will Pauling to have a big game and find the endzone one week after having his five-game touchdown streak snapped against Navy. The matchup to watch, and potentially the key to winning, will be Notre Dame’s rush attack against Pitt’s top-3 run defense. Kyle Louis and Braylan Lovelace are among the top run-stopping LBs in the country. The Panthers have allowed over 100 yards on the ground three times this season, but they have held opponents to under 50 yards four times. Considering the Irish have not gone under 100 rush yards since week one, it is hard to imagine that happening this week. A dominant Jeremiyah Love performance would certainly turn some Heisman voters’ heads, but if Pitt can contain Love, I think Jadarian Price will be able to deliver in this scenario. Since handing the offensive keys to freshman QB Mason Heintschel following back-to-back losses, Pitt is 5-0 and back in the thick of a heated ACC battle. A pass-heavy offense, the Panthers feature two 500-plus yard receivers with Kenny Johnson and Poppi Williams. Johnson is the more dangerous of the duo, but has not been matched up with a CB like Leonard Moore this year. Pitt also expects to get RB Desmond Reid back from injury, an underrated addition to the pass game as the senior is regarded as one of the better pass-catching RBs in the country. As they have since the loss against Texas A&M, I expect the Notre Dame secondary to come up with some clutch plays thanks to Christian Gray, Luke Talich, or Tae Johnson that limit Pitt’s passing attack. Pitt’s running game has really failed to impress this season, and that should not change against Notre Dame’s top-15 rush defense. Reid coming back is nice, but he has not exactly looked like what he was promised to be this pre-season. I think the Panthers’ inability to run the ball will definitely play a factor this week, potentially easing the game plan for Freeman and DC Chris Ash. Want the inside scoop on all things Notre Dame? Subscribe to Tribune+ today! Clayton Stohler - Podcaster: 42-20 Notre Dame Pat Narduzzi stated this week that his team could lose by 100 points, and it wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. That if the game doesn't have ACC impact, it's not of interest to him as it relates to the playoff picture.  The disdain that Narduzzi holds for Notre Dame has been well documented and dates back to his days as a defensive coordinator for Michigan State. For all we know, his hatred for Notre Dame stemmed even before that.  Regardless, it's a known fact that Coach Narduzzi doesn't like the opponent his Pitt Panthers will be tasked with playing this Saturday. He's accused ND of tampering with Kenny Pickett, and alluded to the tired argument that ND should join a conference to lend itself to legitimacy.  If you ever thought this was a trap game, it certainly isn't one now. Besides, Pitt is a quality opponent, and a phenomenal test for an Irish team that has been in elimination mode since it lost a heartbreaker vs A&M.  Pitt is expected to load the box on defense, much like every team has done aside from USC. They're going to force CJ Carr to beat them through the air. There will be a lot of pressure on Pitt's secondary to mitigate the potential big plays produced by Faison, Pauling, Fields, KK Smith, and Eli Raridon. And ultimately, this will prove to be too much to ask.  Yes, Pitt has a 4th down defense that has given up only 1 conversion out of the 10 times their opponents have attempted to go for it on 4th down.  Yes, Mason Heintschel is a freshman phenom who has his pick of the litter to throw to. Kenny Johnson, Raphael Williams, and Cataurus Hicks are all weapons. And make no mistake, they will be targeting Christian Gray, who's coming off a 2-game stretch in which he didn't play at all.  And that's why this is going to be a big game for Gray and Smith. Because, as we know, no one is throwing in Leonard Moore's direction with any consistency.   Pressure will be on the LB's of ND. There's a lot to account for. Ja'kyrian Turner and Desmond Reid are better than their stats indicate. The film tells a story of an RB room finding itself, and they may very well have their moments on Saturday.  The reality is, Pittsburgh is a good team. It was never an opponent that was to be taken lightly. It's a game Notre Dame can very well lose if it doesn't bring the level of play it's capable of bringing.  The entire country seems to be circling this game as one where ND is very much on upset alert. In an odd move, the ACC Football Twitter account has even gone out of its way to throw shade at Notre Dame, basically saying Miami should be ranked higher than the Irish. With Notre Dame's current ranking, there are a lot of eyes watching them, desperately hoping they lose. The calls to "join a conference" by fanbases and coaches alike have grown louder than normal- and that's saying something.  This isn't just a normal noon game. This isn't your typical sleepy Pittsburgh opponent. This is a playoff rehearsal. Notre Dame has one last chance to make a statement to the broader national audience. And on this day, the statement will read a final score indicative of a team that isn't focused on winning a conference, but a team that is focused on winning it all. Liam Farrell - Editor/Senior Sports Writer: 35-17 Notre Dame This game is made out to be a battle between Notre Dame's dynamic rushing attack versus Pittsburgh's ability to stop the run; however, the true battle that will determine the outcome of this game will be Notre Dame's front seven attacking an injured Pittsburgh offensive line. While Mason Heintschel has dazzled in his first five games of college football, the freshman has shown the ability to try and fit passes into tight windows. The opportunistic Notre Dame secondary, led by Leonard Moore and Tae Johnson, will put themselves in a great position to force multiple turnovers. In the end, CJ Carr will have to be the deciding factor in this game as Pat Narduzzi will likely load the box against Mike Denbrock's offense. This game will be close in the first half, but an explosive play to start the third quarter will ease Notre Dame fans' nerves as the Irish will pass their last ranked regular-season test and leave Pittsburgh with an eight-game win streak. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle Max Uretsky - Sports Writer/Recruiting Analyst: 34-24 Notre Dame I do think this is a Pittsburgh Panthers team that is capable of giving the Irish a scare, but ultimately isn't able to match ND's offensive output enough to pull off the upset. Pittsburgh's front on defense is undersized but versatile and very aggressive against the run. They do a good job rallying to the ball, and this may be a spot where, if Notre Dame can pick up 4 yards a carry, it would be a major win and go a long way to securing the victory. CJ Carr to Malachi Fields is a connection I expect to see hook up on multiple occasions, as the secondary for Pitt has been shaky and has struggled with bigger body WRs. Notre Dame's secondary also has a big test ahead of it, as Pitt's freshman QB Mason Heintschel has elevated their passing game in a big way since taking over earlier in the season. Christian Gray is back for the Irish after a two-game hiatus and will need to knock off the rust quickly to help limit yardage through the air. The Panthers' O-line is suspect at best, and after missing the Navy game as a late scratch, Boubacar Traore could be in line for a big game. The front 7 for the Irish should be able to win the battle up front and put enough pressure on Heintschel to force some errors that prove too costly to overcome. Noah Wehby - Sports Writer: 35-20 Notre Dame This Saturday, Notre Dame will face Pitt in what should be their last real test of the season. This is a big game for the Irish, as it is their last time to prove to the committee that they belong in the CFP.  This game should have a lot of intrigue with College Gameday in town, and both teams are on an impressive winning streak. Pitt's winning streak has been mainly fueled by its stifling run defense that ranks among the best in the country. For Notre Dame, this could spell trouble for an offense that largely depends on its strong rushing attack. Luckily for the Irish, there may not be a single defense, outside of maybe Ohio State, that can completely slow down Love and Price. Although they might not have dominant games, Love and Price will still find their way to positively impact this game and provide for another productive offensive performance.  Defensively, the Notre Dame secondary will be tested against Pitt. The Panthers' passing attack is not just an efficient one; it is also very explosive. Leonard Moore and company will have to be able to slow down this part of the game and make this game one-dimensional. Pitt will find some success in the passing game, but their turnover-prone offense will eventually slip up and give the Irish the break they need.  These turnovers will be what allows Notre Dame to build the lead it needs to pull away in this game. Pitt is definitely capable of giving Notre Dame a good half or so, but Notre Dame's talent on both sides of the ball will overwhelm Pitt over the length of the entire game. Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider/Sports Writer: 45-10 Notre Dame The last two games between Notre Dame and Pitt have been blowouts in Notre Dame's favor. Before those, it's generally close games in the rivalry. Notre Dame is coming off a 7-game win streak. I think the Irish continue their blowout streak on the Panthers. Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi came out with a weird statement this past week, calling the game "not a must-win". When questioned on that, he elaborated in saying, "I was trying to take the pressure off the team. I don't like pressure."  Factoring all that in, Pitt isn't exactly successful in these types of hyped-up games coming from their side, especially when Notre Dame has been quiet and focusing on just the game.  I think Notre Dame's high-powered offense led by CJ Carr, with a defense that has been very efficient in shutting down opposing offenses, will be too much for the Panthers to handle, and Notre Dame wins in a big way.  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. 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