Game Thread | Bowling Green at No. 9 Notre Dame

Bowling Green State University at No. 9 Notre Dame

Notre Dame Stadium |3:30 p.m. ET | NBC

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Tune Up

Notre Dame isn’t going lose on Saturday, but it’s still an important game for the Irish program. Saturday presents a chance for Notre Dame’s youth to get a chance to shine if the veterans take care of business. 

Head coach Brian Kelly said he liked his team’s attitude this week during practice and that’s expected as the youth on the roster know they will have a chance to get one field this week. 

It also presents a chance for quarterback Ian Book to get into a rhythm and progress his game as Brian VanGorder will absolutely test him with various looks and pressures. 

Effort and intensity haven’t been an issue for the Irish in 2019, so I don’t foresee anything like the Ball State game last year when you factor in how bad Bowling Green is this year. 

The Irish will also need to get out of the game healthy as USC looms next weekend. 

Five Players To Watch

Notre Dame QB Ian Book
Notre Dame fans are growing a little restless with QB1, but Book’s only losses are to Clemson and Georgia. Chip Long is predictable, so expect him to come out guns blazing to get his quarterback in a rhythm despite Bowling Green having a terrible rush defense and a running back coming off a 130-yard game. 

Notre Dame QB Phil Jurkovec 
Barring the biggest meltdown of the year in college football, Jurkovec should get a chance to get plenty of work on Saturday. He’s not fighting for the starting job, but any experience is good and building off his performance against New Mexico will only be good news for Notre Dame. 

Notre Dame DE Justin Ademilola
It was interesting Notre Dame rolled with Ovie Oghoufo last week despite Ademilola having a role in the Cotton Bowl before things got out of hand. Ademilola was impressive in the spring and should have a chance to earn more playing time. 

Notre Dame LG Dillan Gibbons
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Gibbons is starting to have some buzz around his fall. He performed against New Mexico and another good performance could continue his push for time.

Bowling Green DB Cedric Mitchell 
Former Concord (Ind.) standout will return for a homecoming as he grew up watching Notre Dame and was briefly recruited by the Irish. 

By The Numbers 

1 - The Irish have faced Bowling Green Head Coach Scot Loeffler once before when he served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Boston College in 2017.

5 - In forcing five turnovers against the Cavaliers, it was the first time a Notre Dame defense recorded at least five takeaways since recording six vs. Michigan in 2012.

9 - Notre Dame leads the FBS in cumulative turnover margin (+9), and average turnover differential per game (+2.25). The next closest average is +1.75 (Colorado and Wisconsin). The Irish have forced 13 total turnovers; only one FBS team has forced more (Mississippi State, 14).

14 - Notre Dame remains perfect in redzone-scoring percentage, converting on 14-of-14 visits inside the 20. Twelve of those scores were touchdowns (nine rushing, three passing). The 12 touchdowns tie for fourth-most among redzone-perfect teams. The only other ranked teams that are perfect in the redzone are Iowa, LSU and Penn State.

30 - Notre Dame has held its opponents to 30 points or less in 18 consecutive games, matching Washington for the FBS lead in that category. The streak spans defensive coordinator Clark Lea’s entire tenure with the Irish.

350 - Games coached by Brian Kelly in his career, second among active coaches in the NCAA to Mack Brown (North Carolina).

Quotes of the Week

DE Julian Okwara: 
“You feel confidence, especially on the defensive line. When you get one, you feel the energy and it keeps building. Then you get to the feeling no one can really block you. That’s what the defensive line felt overall.”

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah:
“To be able to step up and get more snaps is an opportunity for me. I hate to see such a great player go down [in Shaun Crawford], but he’ll be back in a few weeks, so I’m ready to take advantage of the opportunity.”

OL Jarrett Patterson: 
“We have to hold ourselves accountable. No opponent is going to come in and fold for Notre Dame. We have to come out and play hard.”  

For Your Nerves