Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons Irish will avoid hangover vs. Ball State

4. A stout Michigan defense has prepared the Irish offense well

Initially, it seemed as if it was the Notre Dame defense, opposed to Michigan’s, that finished 13th in the nation last season. However, Michigan’s defense would turn up the heat as the game went on, limiting the Irish to only three points in the entire second half. Three points in one half would frustrate any offense, especially one that started off so hot.

While a win often serves as a cure-all for any team, quarterback Brandon Wimbush and his offense had to be at least a little frustrated with how they closed out the game. Fortunately, Ball State may serve as the perfect punching bag for an offense that felt as if they had many more points in them against the Wolverines.

Thanks to a strong dual-threat approach, Wimbush has a history of laying a beating on lesser opponents. In 2017, a Wimbush-led offense averaged just over 43 points per game against unranked opponents. In fact, outside of matchups vs. Michigan State and Navy, Wimbush never put up less than 48 points on an unranked program.

Needless to say, offensive coordinator Chip Long doesn’t hold Wimbush back against less significant competition. Ball State finished 125th in opponent points per game last season, so don’t be surprised if the Irish exceed the 52 point marker they set against Miami of Ohio early last season.