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Notre Dame football will be serious College Football Playoff threat in 2020

By Connor Muldowney

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Braden Lenzy #25 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball after catching a pass against Braxton Lewis #33 of the Iowa State Cyclones in the first half of the Camping World Bowl at Camping World Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 28: Braden Lenzy #25 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball after catching a pass against Braxton Lewis #33 of the Iowa State Cyclones in the first half of the Camping World Bowl at Camping World Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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After dismantling Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl, Notre Dame football looks like a serious College Football Playoff threat for 2020.

From the opening kickoff, Iowa State stood no chance against Notre Dame in the Camping World Bowl. The Fighting Irish set the tone early with a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and then extended that to 20-6 by halftime.

All Notre Dame did was extend that lead to 33-9 in the second half, keeping a usually-potent Iowa State offense out of the end zone as Brock Purdy looked pedestrian, at best, before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury.

The Clark Lea-led Notre Dame defense held Iowa State to just over 260 total yards and no touchdowns while forcing two turnovers.

Offensively, Ian Book had himself a day with 247 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-28 completions and Tony Jones Jr. rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Brian Kelly said he wanted to use this game as fuel moving forward and his team responded. As a program with the prestige of Notre Dame, it’s almost expected that the interest level in a meaningless bowl game like this one would have been minimal but the players have bought in. Kelly has preached “future” with this team and the excitement is real after this blowout win against a good Iowa State team.

Notre Dame looks like a potential playoff team for 2020, especially if Book returns and Jones Jr. continues to improve in the backfield — the weapons would be there on offense.

Defensively, this unit is only getting better, too. Lea is one of the best young coordinators in the land.

Add all this to the best recruiting class coming in (ranked No. 11 by 247Sports) and you could see Notre Dame finally take that next step to championship-level competition. The Irish made the playoff last year but were out-classes by Clemson. We may see Notre Dame on that same level soon enough.

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We may have just gotten a preview of Notre Dame’s potential and this program is heading in the right direction.

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