The #4 (yes, the CFP committee is obviously smarter than the AP voters) Clemson Tigers will travel to South Bend, Indiana, on Saturday to take on the unranked Notre Dame Irish.
Currently, the Tigers are a narrow 3.5 favorite in this game. A lot of this seems to be based on recent games each team had with Syracuse. When you look at both games, it doesn’t hold water.
The Syracuse team Notre Dame played last week was a shell of the team Clemson played two weeks ago. QB Garrett Shrader got beat up against the Tigers and wasn’t the same spry, capable self. Coach Dino Babers saw this and benched him for the 2nd half against the Irish. Freshman Carlos Del Rio Wilson, who had thrown a grand total of 3 passes all year, and provided a spark for about a quarter. Notre Dame did what the did best and pounded the undersized interior of the Syracuse defensive line for 248 yards rushing (Clemson had 293 on the same defense).
QB Drew Pyne took over the starting job late in the 2nd game of the season due to an injury to the starter, and has played admirably, especially in the game against UNC (289 yards passing). Against Syracuse, he was 9 of 19 for 116 yards with a touchdown and one interception. His main target is Tight End Michael Mayer, not to be confused with Halloween’s Michael Meyer. The big TE leads the Irish with 47 receptions for 580 yards and six TDs. WR Lorenzo Styles is the 2nd leading receiver with 24 catches for 292 yards and one TD. No one else has more than 15 receptions.
On the ground, the Irish will lean on a solid group of running backs, led by 5-11 230 Audric Estime. Estime picked up 123 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns against Syracuse. Logan Diggs is the 2nd leading rusher, having 95 rushes for 431 yards and one touchdown. The offensive line is big and experienced, and will definitely challenge a Clemson front that ranks among the best in the country.
So, what’s going to happen Saturday when these two teams meet? Throw out all the statistics. Throw out all the “upset alert” prognostications from sports “experts”. No one has asked Mother Nature what she has in store.
The weather forecast for Saturday in South Bend is going to remind Clemson fans of the 2015 game in Death Valley. There will be rain, 70% chance, and high winds of up to 25 mph, and temps dropping down into the high 40’s, low 50s by game time. DJ Uiagalelei is a big strong quarterback that has the arm strength to throw through some of the wind, but not so sure about Pyne. Both teams will more than likely base their offense around the run game due this wonderful weather.
Clemson is coming off a much needed bye week, and getting LB Barrett Carter back after missing the Syracuse game is a boost. Carter will likely draw the assignment of marking Mayer wherever he goes on the field. Will Shipley and Phil Mafah will be called upon to carry the load on the ground, and the offensive line will face a tough challenge with this Notre Dame defensive front.
So what’s going to happen? The Tigers are freshly anointed into the CFP picture. Dabo knows this. The teams know this. Most importantly, Notre Dame knows this and is going to try and make their own statement. It’s not going to be enough. The last four games of 2022 for the Tigers are “Championship Season.” Clemson must be focused, put the turnovers from the Syracuse game behind them, and play their best game of the season.
It won’t be pretty but it won’t be a loss. The key will be penalties and turnovers. This is what Mother Nature creates. On a normal day with normal weather, it would be a higher scoring game. In this case, Clemson wins a tight, defensive game. Thanks, Mom.
Clemson 21 Notre Dame 14
Grayson Mann : Staff Writer/Analyst CSN
– The bye week came at a perfect time. It gave the players the to hear the buzz that surrounded this team. Clemson has been the focus of many debates, and many analysts believe the Tigers do not deserve the top four spots the committee awarded them on Tuesday. I think this is a game where Clemson, indeed, dominates. The Tigers have a lot to prove, even with being one of the few undefeated teams left in the country. Barrett Carter’s return helps shut down Mayer, ND’s best offensive player. ND has been playing their best ball but will run into a highly motivated Tigers team with many questions from the national media that need to be answered. DJ has a comeback game and makes a statement in South Bend.
Clemson 41 Notre Dame 14
Gary McDaniel: Publisher/Analyst CSN
Clemson matches up well on both sides of the ball here. Superior athleticism and depth lead to another Clemson win and again the Tigers will find the score close at half and pull away in the 2nd Half.
Clemson 35 Notre Dame 17
