Notre Dame football looks to right the ship against Virginia Tech

With expectations adjusted after a devastating loss, Notre Dame football looks to rebound in what should be a telling matchup vs. Virginia Tech.

As disappointing as last week’s loss to Michigan was, the truth is that the Irish still have many more games to play. With the incentive of a playoff berth now off the table, Saturday’s meeting with the Hokies may be a good indication as to how the rest of the season will play out. Making things right starts now, and we’ll see if the Irish are up to the task.

This will be the Irish’s third meeting with the Hokies, with their two prior meetings falling under considerably different circumstances. These programs first met in 2016, a game that the Irish approached with a 4-6 record. As you know, the Irish were in a much different position last season, carrying a win over the Hokies all the way to the College Football Playoff.

With a little less on the line this year, here’s how to watch the Irish take on Virginia Tech in South Bend.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 2
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: South Bend, Ind.
Venue: Notre Dame Stadium
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports

Keys to Victory

The Irish have found much comfort at Notre Dame Stadium this year, and that’s likely to remain the case as they play host to Virginia Tech this weekend. The Irish have the edge in almost every facet of this game, so there would really be no excuse for the Irish to come out flat after what has been a pretty mediocre month of October.

The Irish defense will likely play a significant role in determining the outcome of this game, but they’ll have to get back to forcing turnovers after a few weeks of mediocrity. The run game should be back in business, something that should go a long way in aiding quarterback Ian Book’s performance as well. This one is there for the taking, the Irish just need to want it enough.

Betting Odds

Odds provided by The Action Network

Point Spread: Notre Dame -17.5
Over/Under: 58

Prediction

Again, there’s really no reason why the Irish should lose this game. They’ve failed to win the big games up to this point in the season, and a loss to a team like Virginia Tech could put the fan base over the edge. This is a must win if the Irish hope to remain in play for a New Year’s Six bowl, so look for them to put forth a more refreshing performance with that on their mind.

Final Score: Virginia Tech 17, Notre Dame 45