Here’s what we learned from the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish taking down the No. 14 NC State Wolfpack on Saturday afternoon in South Bend.
The No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish added to their College Football Playoff resume with an impressive 35-14 victory over the No. 14 NC State Wolfpack on Saturday in South Bend.
Neither offense got much going in the opening stages thanks to dominant defensive line play on both sides, but NC State was able to strike first on a blocked punt touchdown five minutes in. That seemed to awaken the Fighting Irish, who promptly scored two plays later on Durham Smythe’s 25-yard touchdown catch.
Things would open up after that, as the two teams traded scores in the early stages of an entertaining second quarter. Ryan Finley hit on a couple of long passes to spark NC State, while the combination of Josh Adams and Brandon Wimbush’s scrambling ability made Notre Dame tough to stop on the ground.
The Fighting Irish’s aerial attack got going on their next drive, with Kevin Stephenson making a terrific grab on an 11-yard pass from Wimbush to give Notre Dame a 21-14 lead. That margin would last until halftime, as a promising NC State drive just before the break was stalled by the Wolfpack’s 11th penalty of the game.
Notre Dame was finally able to get some separation three minutes into the second half on a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown by Julian Love. NC State was simply unable to generate anything offensively in the third quarter, with linebacker Te’von Coney wreaking havoc.
The rout was on with 4:11 left in the third quarter, as Adams broke off a 77-yard touchdown run to put Notre Dame up 35-14. With NC State’s offense still flailing, Adams was able to run down the clock with no further scoring for the 35-14 victory.
With three blowout victories over ranked teams plus a one-point loss to No. 3 Georgia, the Fighting Irish are very much in the College Football Playoff discussion. Here’s what we learned from Notre Dame’s victory over the Wolfpack on Saturday evening.
3 takeaways
It’s time to put Josh Adams in the Heisman conversation
Most of the national attention is focused on Saquon Barkley and Bryce Love, but Adams could join them in New York as a third running back finalist.
Adams dominated on Saturday with 27 carries for 202 yards and the long touchdown which put the game away. Considering how good Chubb and the NC State defensive line are, the performance ranks as the best of Adams’ outstanding season.
The junior now has 1,169 yards and nine touchdowns on the season while averaging an impressive nine yards per carry. Adams has somehow been overlooked nationally despite starring for a playoff contender, something that should change after Saturday.
NC State has to cut down on the self-inflicted wounds
There was a lot to like about NC State’s performance on Saturday despite the lopsided scoreline, but the Wolfpack had no chance to win with all the unforced mistakes.
NC State committed a whopping 12 penalties for 89 yards, several of which came in crucial moments on both sides of the ball inside the red zone. The pick-six also turned a close game into a blowout, putting the Wolfpack’s limited offense too far behind to mount a comeback.
A similar story played out in NC State’s season-opening loss to South Carolina, a defeat that could keep them out of a major bowl game down the line. While NC State has the talent to challenge anyone in the ACC, particularly on the defensive line, Dave Doeren must find a way to clean up the penalties and sloppy play.
Mike Elko is making his case as one of college football’s best DCs
The most important factor by far in Notre Dame’s resurgence is a much-improved defense, as first-year coordinator Mike Elko is looking like an absolutely terrific hire.
Notre Dame entered Saturday with the No. 12 scoring defense in college football, a number that will improve after surrendering just 14 points to the Wolfpack. NC State managed just 263 yards of total offense, and Notre Dame did an outstanding job of limiting dynamic playmaker Jaylen Samuels to 40 yards on nine touches.
Elko wasn’t a high-profile hire after spending much of his career at Hofstra and Wake Forest, but has completely transformed a unit that surrendered 27.8 points per game a year ago.