Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Virginia Tech in Week 10

Following Notre Dame football’s debacle vs. Michigan, here are a few things the Irish should focus on as they look to take down Virginia Tech.

With only five games left on the schedule, Notre Dame would have been in prime position to win out and have the Playoff Committee decide their fate. It wasn’t ideal, but after Oklahoma’s loss to Kansas State, the Irish had an identifiable path to the CFP. However, it took only one trip to Ann Arbor for those playoff hopes to come crashing down.

Crashing down is one way to put it, but Notre Dame’s loss to the Wolverines resulted in what felt more like a free-fall as the Irish plummeted from No. 8 to No. 16. In case you were wondering, that drop places the Irish squarely behind the likes of Baylor, Minnesota, and SMU.

While Notre Dame’s problems may go beyond quarterback issues and an inconsistent run game, these are a few areas that the Irish will have to clean up if they hope to compete for a New Year’s Six opportunity. With expectations adjusted, that is what the Irish will have to shoot for. Of course, that all begins with the Irish beating Virginia Tech.

Here’s what needs to be improved against the Hokies.