Game Thread | Boston College at (16) Notre Dame

Boston College at No. 16 Notre Dame 

Notre Dame Stadium |2:30 p.m. ET | NBC

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Legacy 

Notre Dame will rock 1988 throwback uniforms on Senior Day and it will be the final time Irish fans will get to see the 2016 class on the field together. The group will have a chance to accomplish back-to-back winning seasons at home and a win would give Notre Dame 18 straight wins at home, which is the third-longest streak since the stadium opened in 1930. Clemson and Ohio State are the only programs to have a longer home winning streak. 

Captain Jalen Elliott spoke about leadership being the defining trait of the 2016 class and while some will debate him on the message boards all day, there is substance behind it despite the “failure” of 2019 in some fans eyes. 

Many members of the class were thrown to the wolves in 2016 and rebounded to make Notre Dame’s first College Football Playoff appearance last season. Most people expected Notre Dame to roll over after the loss to Michigan, but the senior class wasn’t having it and showed their pride as they rallied the Irish to play solid football over the last three weeks. 

A loss on Saturday would tarnish the legacy as Brian Kelly would be under the gun once again, but a win would be a significant final chapter at Notre Dame Stadium for this group. 

Five Players To Watch

Notre Dame WR Braden Lenzy
Lenzy has only touched the football 13 times this season, but he's averaging 21.4 yards each time they get him the football. Boston College is 127th in the nation in giving up passes 20 yards or more.

Boston College RB AJ Dillon
Dillon is having a monster season and it's going to take more than one defender to bring him down. He's one of the best backs in college football.

Notre Dame DT Kurt Hinish
Hinish has quietly put together a strong season playing nose for the Irish. He might not flash on the stat sheet every week, but he's been holding up well against double teams and getting penetration into the backfield fairly consistently. Notre Dame needs him to continue that to help disrupt BC's inside running game.

Boston College RB David Bailey
Yes, BC has another power back to turn to when Dillon is off the field. Not as shifty as Dillon, but Bailey is a battering ram at 240 pounds with the speed to break one if he gets into the open field. He's averaging 6.43 yards per carry.

Fun Fact: Bailey will be facing his good friend and high school teammate Ja'mion Franklin on Saturday.

Notre Dame S Jalen Elliott
The safeties are going to be huge for the Irish in this game because they'll be playing close to the line trying to assist against the run while also having to be conscious of the play-action pass. Elliott is going to have to stay aggressive while being cautious, which means he and the other safeties have to be locked in on every single play.

Quotes of the Week

S Jalen Elliott:
“I think the amount of leadership we have in the '16 class is just amazing. We have captains, but we have guys who day in and day out lead in their own way."

DE Khalid Kareem:
"You come to Notre Dame and there's a standard of excellence. Having a perfect record at home is excellent. That's what we came here to do. Coach always says protect this house and that's our goal every year. That's just accomplishing a goal we set for ourselves."

WR Chase Claypool:
"It's been a wild ride. I enjoyed every memory I've made in South Bend, in the stadium and on the road with my teammates. 

"It's surreal it's gone by so fast, but I'm enjoying every minute of it." 

For Your Nerves