Notre Dame Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Duke
![Sep 16, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman leads his players onto the field for the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports Sep 16, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman leads his players onto the field for the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/cf8a075a82c0383abc673ec048be1ba6c5b20959428ab4c34ef3e5a47bea5b55.jpg)
Audric Estime will rush for over 100 yards
Notre Dame’s most outstanding offensive strength is arguably its suffocating rushing attack, led by junior back Audric Estime and one of the country’s best offensive lines. The Fighting Irish have rushed for 198.8 yards per game this season, the 29th-best in the country. Estime has rushed for 591 yards through his first five games, a mark that leads the nation in that category. Estime has an exclusive combination of size and speed that is hard to duplicate, which could provide difficulty for Duke’s usually robust defense that is veteran-based.
Another name that should be known besides Estime in terms of the ground game is offensive tackle Joe Alt, who is widely regarded as one of, if not the best, offensive tackle in the country and an almost guaranteed to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. The entire offensive line will likely be the best offensive line that Duke has to battle with all season. The battle will be won in the trenches by Notre Dame football, and Estime will have a great day on the ground.