Notre Dame Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Navy in Week 12

2. The Irish score six times through the air

As a preface for this prediction, Navy currently boasts one of the stoutest defenses in the nation, coming in at 15th in the country in opponent points per game. That number makes more sense when you consider the fact that opponents average only 63.4 offensive plays against Navy’s defense, much thanks to their time-consuming rushing attack.

This time-consuming rushing attack can make life particularly difficult on teams that fall behind early. If Navy goes up, chances are you won’t be seeing the ball for a while if you’re the opposing team’s offense. This can easily get in the heads of offensive players and lead to the unit counting the amount of drives they think they have left, adding even more pressure to an already concerning situation.

With Notre Dame’s run game displaying a fair share of inconsistencies, it’s possible that the Midshipmen string a couple of drives together and pull ahead. If this is the case, Book and the Irish offense will have to score quickly, resulting in a more aerial-concentrated attack. Should the Irish find success in this approach, look for them to ride it out for all it’s worth.

In an ideal world, the Irish take this approach from the get go and hang 42 points through the air on Navy. However, with a capable pass defense limiting opponents to just over 200 yards per game, a more humble outing is more than likely to be in store.