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Notre Dame Football

Game Thread | No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Clemson

December 19, 2020
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No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Clemson | ACC Championship Game

Bank of America Stadium | 4:00 p.m. ET | ABC

Game Week Articles | Roster| Depth Chart Schedule |Staff Predictions 


Part II

Most folks had Notre Dame-Clemson meeting on November 7th circled on their calendar for a year (if not more) and it delivered with a double-overtime thriller. It’d be hard to top part two, but it’s clear both teams have chips on their shoulders entering Saturday’s ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. 

Clemson is out for revenge as they would love nothing more than to make up for the loss in South Bend as they’ll have several key pieces back this time around. Notre Dame enters the game as a double-digit underdog and has yet to get the national respect despite winning the game in November. 

Folks can talk about Trevor Lawrence all they want and while his presence can’t be understated, the return of Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis is much more significant. Davis is a special talent and he’ll be facing the weakest link on the Notre Dame offense as the Irish are missing starting center Jarrett Patterson. Josh Lugg looks to get the nod and while experienced, he lacks experience at center. If Davis can cause havoc up the middle, Notre Dame’s offense could struggle as those running lanes Ian Book loves to take will be less frequent and the run game will also be challenged. 

Notre Dame can play physical and if they bring it as they did the first time around, the Irish will compete. Clemson’s offensive line can be taken advantage of and Notre Dame knows it. 

It’s also worth noting, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea has accepted the Vanderbilt head coaching job, while Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott will interview for the Auburn head coaching gig on Sunday. 


Players To Watch

Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams
He's been a difference-maker all season and that especially stood out with his performance against Clemson running and in blitz pickup. Notre Dame will need him to be just as good today to get the win.

Clemson WR Cornell Powell
He's been a beast over the last four games. He's averaging close to 20 yards per reception and 133 yards per game. In the previous matchup, he had two receptions over 50 yards. Notre Dame can't let him go off like he did last time. The Irish need Clarence Lewis to play his best game of the season.

Notre Dame DE Ade Ogundeji
The pass rush wasn't good enough until the very end of the last game. They'll need a better performance to make an impact against Trevor Lawrence and it starts with Ogundeji. Lawrence is only a 37% passer when pressured this season.

Clemson LB James Skalski
Skalski is a player to watch not just because he's the quarterback of their defense or because he missed the previous game. It's also because he hasn't looked right since coming back from injury and he had to leave the game against Virginia Tech early. His backup is out and if Skalski isn't close to his best, it could go from a plus to a minus.


Quotes of the Week

Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams:
“We know as an offense that no matter what it is, we have to establish the run by any means. We're going to get that done, so we can open up more plays down the field."

"We have to be consistent. Play the band of football we know how to play and execute to a high level and make no mistakes. We know what we have to do and we're going to do what we got to do." 

Notre Dame DE Daelin Hayes:
"At the end of the day, you have to go play ball. Your ball is going to speak for itself. Playing ball the right way, the brand of football we like to play - that's going to put us where we need to be. 

"As long as we stay focused on that - we go out and play hard and the standard of the brotherhood, then the narrative, the stories, this and that will all take care of itself." 

Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton:
"I even just got reminded he was the head coach at Vanderbilt today. I had kind of forgot. It's obvious he's still focused on Notre Dame and winning a championship here."  

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly: 
"Our mission is to graduate and win championships. So this is part of what we build this for. This is the culmination of this long season, and we're not there yet. WE have not fulfilled the goal that we all got when we were afforded this very unique opportunity. We're extremely grateful that the ACC has given us this opportunity. It's like anything else, you want to finish the deal. Our guys want to finish it off with an ACC Championship.”


For Your Nerves 

TEAM STATS Notre Dame Clemson
Points Per Game 37.7 46.0
Points Allowed Per Game 17.1 18.3
Total Yards 474.4 504.3
Yards Passing 239.4 346.0
Yards Rushing 235.0 158.3
Yards Allowed 314.5 302.0
Pass Yards Allowed 214.8 196.6
Rush Yards Allowed  99.7 105.4

Game Thread | No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Clemson

88,219 Views | 902 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Wyrick11
Wiggs4Irish
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How about quick short routes??
Rwolf101
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I'm just going to come out and say it, I don't think Trevor Lawrence's girlfriend is pretty enough for a future top draft pick.
mike51875
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Main issue is we can't establish the run. They're also able to just drop everyone in coverage.
Firefighter8196
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Make a damn sack!!!!! Weak as hell
mavscoach
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TACKLE
twan10
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Actually it's his fiance and I agree
irishinutah
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We are not a playoff team
Rwolf101
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twan10 said:

Actually it's his fianc and I agree

He'll upgrade eventually. I don't think she stands a chance. Once some professional advisers get a hold of him he'll figure it out.
mattfreeman
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Staff
Notre Dame defense can't tackle and that's not ideal
Firefighter8196
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This defense is awful! Just weak as hell
ndmojo
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lame. don't give up!
ndSlaw
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Hamilton with terrible technique trying to tackle... Plays way to high
jmsheridan
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They are getting points on this drive.
Rwolf101
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Eerily similar game to the 2018 playoff game. We had a decent first quarter and then the pros took over.
jmsheridan
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Gonna hit is deep, does anyone not feel it?
CelticIrish
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We aren't even close. And these half assed recruiting classes aren't going to close the gap.
pbrad28
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No way! No,points here!
ndsean44
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jmsheridan said:

Gonna hit is deep, does anyone not feel it?
Sure as hell feels that way...
ndSlaw
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I think refs have them a 1st down... Even though he was stopped a yard short
theoriginalndmom
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We are being embarrassed! This is painful! Please get a stop or a turnover!
ndmojo
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have they even mentioned the ND D coordinator took a head coaching job this? I heard them talk about Clemsons OC mentioned as a candidate. I'm sorry, but that had to be a tiny bit of a distraction.
Rwolf101
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Trevor is truly a generational qb but my god does he look like somebody threw a Jennifer Aniston wig on the rock monster from Neverending Story.
pbrad28
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Review what that's absurd
pshakes831
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Coaching mismatch
irishinutah
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We are not a playoff team
Firefighter8196
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He's not even close why is this being reviewed. Oh that's right it's the ACC
tayirish14
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The biggest disappointment for me is that we aren't winning the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball. I thought that we would at least come out and do that. Really it's the only chance we have. Clemson's playmakers are just superior to ours.
pbrad28
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Ohhh...I thought the ruling was no first down
ndSlaw
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Firefighter8196 said:

He's not even close why is this being reviewed. Oh that's right it's the ACC
have to counteract the refs ineptitude
jmsheridan
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Replay is a joke. Saw he was yard short in two seconds.
Rwolf101
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irishinutah said:

We are not a playoff team

Any team can have a bad game. This has been a bad half for sure but I'm not ready to write off ND as a contender quite yet. Win or lose though, the prospect of playing Bama in the semifinal scares the Herbstreit out of me.
Firefighter8196
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The beginning is the downfall was the missed chip shot FG. Been embarrassing since then
Sgt Hulka
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Are these the same jamokes that reffed the 1st game?
pbrad28
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TO here!
usma95
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I do not agree about a coaching mis match at all. My opinion. But the difference is that we have missed plays inside the 30 leading to 3 points instead of 21. Players did not make plays.

Clemson is being more physical.

Lugg is being destroyed up the middle which is really hurting both the run game and the pass game. Great guy, not a center.

 
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