Notre Dame Football: Irish look to survive Northwestern upset bid
By Jacob Wilson
Notre Dame football is currently 8-0 and in prime position for a playoff birth, but Northwestern might just have something to say about it.
The Irish were 17 point favorites the last time Pat Fitzgerald and his Wildcats marched into Notre Dame Stadium. That game would end courtesy of a 41-yard Jack Mitchell field goal, a game-winning kick that aided in Notre Dame’s downwards spiral out of the top 25. Fast forward to 2018 and it’s the Wildcats who will defend home turf, this time as nearly 10 point underdogs.
However, the Irish are in a much different position than they were in 2014. Instead of coming into a matchup vs. Northwestern with three losses, Brian Kelly and his Irish will take the field with eyes set on the College Football Playoff.
With little top 25 competition standing in their way, Notre Dame has been avoiding trap games since Week 6. Here’s how to watch the Irish attempt to stifle yet another Northwestern upset bid this weekend.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 3
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: Evanston, IL
Venue: Ryan Field
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV
Keys to Victory
Given Notre Dame’s success against teams much more talented than Northwestern this season, there’s really no reason for the Irish to stray away from what has worked for them so far. Should Notre Dame see the same Ian Book they’ve seen all season, the Irish should have little issue holding off a middle of the road Wildcat offense.
Northwestern’s run game has been a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde this season, with leading rushers logging as much as 143 yards and as little as 12 yards in a game. The Wildcat run game will have to come to play Saturday if Northwestern hopes to keep quarterback Clayton Thorson comfortable and out of the turnover column against the Irish.
Betting Odds
Odds provided by OddsShark
Point Spread: Notre Dame -9.5
Over/Under: 53.5
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Prediction
Notre Dame hasn’t caved under pressure yet this season despite matchups against Michigan, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. Book has looked particularly composed in high-leverage situations, giving the Irish a much better chance to not only take leads, but build on them. An explosive offense along with a stout defensive front should be enough to handle this Northwestern squad.
Final Score: Notre Dame 31, Northwestern 17