Someone is going to leave Week 7 with its first loss, and the spotlight falls on a heavyweight collision in Provo as No. 2 Notre Dame heads to No. 8 BYU.
For Notre Dame, this is the first real checkpoint on a schedule that also includes ranked matchups with No. 3 Miami on November 7 and No.
24 SMU on Nov. 24.
The Fighting Irish have looked the part so far, but this one is different. Saturday gives them a true measuring stick, and the winner will have a strong case as a legitimate National Championship contender.
The Irish also bring a quarterback who has pushed himself into the Heisman conversation. CJ Carr is third on the odds board at +1200, behind Jeremiah Smith (-210) and Darian Mensah (+1000).
He’s been sharp all season, completing 70.8% of his throws for 1,378 yards with 16 touchdowns and just one interception. But this trip gives him his first major stress test against a BYU defense that has earned its reputation.
On the numbers, Notre Dame has the edge. Some advanced metrics list the Fighting Irish as the best team in college football, and they lead the nation in net adjusted EPA per play. BYU sits 16th in that same category, solid but clearly behind the Irish.
The bigger worry for the Cougars is on defense, where the cracks are harder to ignore. BYU ranks 29th in opponent success rate and has had trouble slowing the run. That is a dangerous problem to carry into a matchup with a Notre Dame team that ranks ninth in rush success rate and 15th in EPA per rush.
BYU’s unbeaten run, both straight up and against the spread, is projected to end Saturday night.
In Other News...
UNC Opens Duke Week With A Roster Concern Fans Will Watch
Duke week opened with an early reminder that the injury report can shape the rivalry long before kickoff. The Atlantic Coast Conference released its initial availability report for the weekend slate, and North Carolina showed up with several names to monitor, including Kaleb Cost, Greg Smith, Isaiah Johnson, Jordan Hall and Jordan Washington, all listed either doubtful or questionable.
Duke also has a notable concern of its own, with star running back Nate Sheppard listed as questionable, but the focus in Chapel Hill will be on how UNCs report evolves from here. The ACC will update the injury list daily leading into game day, which means this matchup could look different by the time the teams finally meet. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Heads To Duke With A Defensive Problem It Can't Hide
North Carolina heads to Duke still trying to make sense of a defense that has too often put the offense back on the field. The Tar Heels have struggled on third down, and the issues have only grown more complicated with injuries thinning out the secondary. Against a Duke team that wants to lean on the ground game, UNC is walking into a matchup that will test both its communication and its ability to stay in control of long drives.
Nate Sheppard gives Duke a rushing threat that can expose missed assignments and worn-down personnel, which puts even more pressure on North Carolina to clean up the details. The Tar Heels do not just need better tackling, they need better timing, better down-and-distance situations and a defense that can survive without being stretched snap after snap. If UNC cannot solve those problems quickly, the Blue Devils have a clear path to make this rivalry tilt in their favor. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Fans Finally Get The Kenan Stadium Atmosphere They Wanted
For Tar Heels fans who have been waiting for a true night-game feel at Kenan Stadium, the ACC finally delivered one. North Carolinas Oct. 24 matchup with Syracuse will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network, giving UNC its first Saturday night home game of the season and adding a little extra juice to a stretch that already carries plenty of weight.
The timing matters, too, with UNC sitting 3-2 overall and 1-1 in ACC play as it heads into a run that includes Duke, Syracuse and Miami. The Syracuse game will also be labeled Family Football Day, but the bigger draw may be the atmosphere itself, with Tar Heels supporters finally getting the kind of prime-time setting they have been hoping to see in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]