The Notre Dame Fighting Irish snapped their losing streak last week, but face a tough test on Saturday against the 3-1 NC State Wolfpack.
Last week, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looked really good against a bad team, as they throttled the Syracuse Orange 50-33. Quarterback DeShone Kizer threw for 471 yards in the contest while accounting for four touchdowns. However, the Irish defense looked weak at times and will have a much tougher opponent on Saturday.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack have one of the better offenses in college football and come into Saturday’s tilt with the Irish averaging 40 points per game. Quarterback Ryan Finley has adjusted nicely to NC State, after coming to the school as a graduate transfer from Boise State. He has become the unquestioned leader of the Wolfpack and has led the team to a 3-1 record. A broken ankle ended his last season at Boise State, but he has come back stronger than ever.
Notre Dame will be the biggest test of the season for Finley, whose Wolfpack have played much weaker opponents than the Irish. NC State has beaten the likes of William & Mary, Wake Forest, and Old Dominion, three teams that did not put up much of a fight. On the other hand, the Irish have played teams like Texas and Michigan State, and have some big-time battles under their belt.
More college football coverage from FanSided
15 most tortured fanbases in college football
25 best college towns in America
25 coaches we want to party with
Still, NC State is favored in this one, as Notre Dame has not shown the ability to stop anybody this season. They fired defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder after the Duke game, which was considered one of the biggest upsets in the last 20 years at the school. New DC Greg Hudson will have his hands full on Saturday against Finley and company.
Here is how to watch the action online.
Next: Best Live Streams for Sports and TV Shows
Date: Saturday, October, 8
Start Time: 12:00pm ET
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Notre Dame has the talent to get the win on Saturday, and Kizer is beginning to settle in as the team’s starter at quarterback. However, the defense has a tendency to leak like a runny faucet, and the Wolfpack are going to exploit that. Look for NC State to move their record to 4-1 on the young season, while Irish head coach Brian Kelly continues to look for answers.