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Notre Dame Football

Game Thread | No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 18 Wisconsin

September 24, 2021
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No. 12 Notre Dame (3-0) vs. No. 18 Wisconsin (1-1)

Soldier Field | 12:00 p.m. ET | FOX | Wisconsin -6.5 | O/U: 45

Game Week Articles | Roster| Depth Chart Schedule 


Midwest Battle

All eyes on the college football world will focus on Soldier Field on Saturday as Big Noon Kickoff, College Game Day and Barstool Sports will all be in Chicago for Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin. 

It’s a chance for Notre Dame to make a statement on a national level as they’ll enter Saturday’s contest an underdog. It’s also an opportunity for Brian Kelly’s team to form an identity for this season. 

Notre Dame has made progress on defense over the first three weeks and stopping Wisconsin’s run game will be a challenge, but one the Irish should be able to do. The Irish offensive line will need to rise to the occasion and find a run game, which has been a struggle through three games. 

Regardless of the run game, the silver lining for Notre Dame is Wisconsin’s offense has yet to complete a pass over 20 yards this season. If Marcus Freeman’s defense can stop the the run, Notre Dame should be able to move to 4-0. 


Five Players To Watch

Notre Dame DT Howard Cross
Even if Kurt Hinish is playing in this game, Mike Elston will have to lean on Cross to play plenty of snaps. He has to step up to the challenge with a greater workload against an offense that will try and run right at him.

Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz
After a spectacular debut for the Badgers last season, he's been a below-average quarterback. There will be points in this game where they need him to make a throw to keep the chains moving and he hasn't proven he can do that consistently. Pressuring him will be critical for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame WR Kevin Austin
After a game he'd like to forget last week, he gets a chance to bounce back. Wisconsin plays a good amount of man coverage, so there will be more opportunities to get back to the player he looked like the first couple of weeks of the season.

Wisconsin LB Jack Sanborn
One of the top inside linebackers in the country, he's a great blitzer who plays as big of a role as a pass rusher as any of Wisconsin's players up front. 

Notre Dame LB JD Bertrand
He's been a tackling machine to start the season and he's going to have to be at his best in this game with Wisconsin's run-heavy offense. The Irish need another double-digit tackle game from him with multiple stuffs.


Quotes of the Week

Notre Dame QB Jack Coan:
”It's definitely going to be weird. It's going to be a lot of my friends I'm playing against and a lot of guys I still talk to today. At the end of the day, it's another football game and I like to think I don't get more excited for one game than the next. It will certainly be a pretty cool atmosphere and we're playing against a great team, so it'll be fun." 

Notre Dame OL Josh Lugg:
"I think every week we should have a chip on our shoulder no matter who the opponent is or who we're playing. We definitely need to execute, play our fundamentals and go back to the basics so we can do our job come Saturday. 

"If we want our team to be successful, it starts with us up front and doing our job consistently, not just one play here or there." 

Notre Dame LB Drew White:
"It's going to be an electric atmosphere," said White. "I don't want to come off bad when I say this, but that's for the fans and media. That's for everyone else to have a good time and when I'm done playing football, I'll be excited for that too. 

"We have a job to do. The job doesn't change. We're playing an opponent that's going to try to run the ball down our throat and we're going to have to stop them. The focus and attention to that aspect and eliminating the outside noise is going to be important." 

Notre Dame S Houston Griffith:
"It means a lot to me. It'll be my first time playing at home since I was 15 years old. I had my first high school varsity start at Soldier Field. To have it all come full circle my senior year against a big opponent like Wisconsin at Soldier Field, it means a lot to me and my family as well. 

"This is probably the most people that are going to come to my game since I've been at Notre Dame. It will be fun to play in front of family and friends." 

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly:
"Regardless of if we run the ball 70 times or throw it 70, our attention to detail, our focus, playing with grit, great attitude and being smart - that will never change. 

"What I was saying is that Wisconsin does that and their systems don't change. We'll change with personnel relative to who we need to be from an offensive standpoint and we have defensively. 

"Our process and how we play and what we need to do on a day-to-day basis, those traits won't change. If we keep those consistent and then let our players play, we'll be pretty good. That's a process for us. 

"It's hard and we've got some young players who are learning how to do that on the fly. They're getting better at it, but we're certainly not a finished product when it comes to that." 


For Your Nerves 

TEAM STATS Notre Dame Wisconsin
Points Per Game 33.3 22.0
Points Allowed Per Game 26.7 11.5
Total Yards 407.7 441.5
Yards Passing 302.0 175.5
Yards Rushing 105.7 266.0
Yards Allowed 381.0 194.5
Pass Yards Allowed 232.7 161.5
Rush Yards Allowed  148.3 33.0

Game Thread | No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 18 Wisconsin

142,197 Views | 1469 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by irish4life
atl irish
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Dillon1986 said:

IanY77 said:

BlueGraySky said:

IanY77 said:

atl irish said:

cdr2529 said:

I guess no one wants to call coach Lea now giving up 38 points in one half
Was to be expected. He made a bad decision.


It was an emotional decision. Rarely a good one.



Great place to live, making money and the expectations are little to none

Edit: aren't taxes great down there?


True, but so far he's not even clearing a bar so low that it's practically painted on the ground.


It's like being second or third command at a large company and having the opportunity to be CEO at a smaller less prestigious (but still well regarded) company but be the top guy. you still get a pay increase and you Got to be the top decision maker. Reasonable minds can differ about what is better But I would not call it a dumb decision
You know he went to Vandy?
SHAMROCK
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We need to try some outside runs.
Spes Unica
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Lord, we are bad playing with a lead this season.
SHAMROCK
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Use the check down!!!!!!!
BlueGraySky
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I know it's assumed but Buchner was the only QB with his helmet off so I assume that confirms he is out
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Rwolf101
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SHAMROCK said:

We need to try some outside runs.

Not sure how that would work to the right. Lugg is BAD.
pbrad28
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Lord he's terrible … I know the O line is terrible but..
Wiggs4Irish
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Coan with happy feet.
Dillon1986
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atl irish said:

Dillon1986 said:

IanY77 said:

BlueGraySky said:

IanY77 said:

atl irish said:

cdr2529 said:

I guess no one wants to call coach Lea now giving up 38 points in one half
Was to be expected. He made a bad decision.


It was an emotional decision. Rarely a good one.



Great place to live, making money and the expectations are little to none

Edit: aren't taxes great down there?


True, but so far he's not even clearing a bar so low that it's practically painted on the ground.


It's like being second or third command at a large company and having the opportunity to be CEO at a smaller less prestigious (but still well regarded) company but be the top guy. you still get a pay increase and you Got to be the top decision maker. Reasonable minds can differ about what is better But I would not call it a dumb decision
You know he went to Vandy?


haha I mean its in the SEC And a top academic institution and in a great town??
cdr2529
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Rees is just awful
NDinAlabama
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Is Buchner available today or not?
irishfan32489
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Horrible. No creativity on offense.
irishfan32489
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Have not seen a single RB screen or take advantage of receiving RBs on slow LBs.
tvanp63
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SHAMROCK said:

We need to try some outside runs.

This! Why are we not even trying to use the speed advantage?
atl irish
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Dillon1986 said:

atl irish said:

Dillon1986 said:

IanY77 said:

BlueGraySky said:

IanY77 said:

atl irish said:

cdr2529 said:

I guess no one wants to call coach Lea now giving up 38 points in one half
Was to be expected. He made a bad decision.


It was an emotional decision. Rarely a good one.



Great place to live, making money and the expectations are little to none

Edit: aren't taxes great down there?


True, but so far he's not even clearing a bar so low that it's practically painted on the ground.


It's like being second or third command at a large company and having the opportunity to be CEO at a smaller less prestigious (but still well regarded) company but be the top guy. you still get a pay increase and you Got to be the top decision maker. Reasonable minds can differ about what is better But I would not call it a dumb decision
You know he went to Vandy?


haha I mean its in the SEC And a top academic institution and in a great town??
Unfortunately you can't add up their GPA's and put them on the score board.
leofitz
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NDinAlabama said:

Is Buchner available today or not?
Saw him in uniform on the sideline.
Joe1976
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NDinAlabama said:

Is Buchner available today or not?
I'd say yes but they're not gonna use him if he's not 100%
Joe
Sgt Hulka
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cdr2529 said:

Rees is just awful


So are the vast majority of your posts on Game Day.

We get it. You hate everything.
Buccos815
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Dillon1986 said:

atl irish said:

Dillon1986 said:

IanY77 said:

BlueGraySky said:

IanY77 said:

atl irish said:

cdr2529 said:

I guess no one wants to call coach Lea now giving up 38 points in one half
Was to be expected. He made a bad decision.


It was an emotional decision. Rarely a good one.



Great place to live, making money and the expectations are little to none

Edit: aren't taxes great down there?


True, but so far he's not even clearing a bar so low that it's practically painted on the ground.


It's like being second or third command at a large company and having the opportunity to be CEO at a smaller less prestigious (but still well regarded) company but be the top guy. you still get a pay increase and you Got to be the top decision maker. Reasonable minds can differ about what is better But I would not call it a dumb decision
You know he went to Vandy?


haha I mean its in the SEC And a top academic institution and in a great town??
He meant that Clark is a Vandy grad.
This post was brought to you by the 2008 & 2011 Champion of the Irish Eyes Fantasy Football League, the 2009 ISD Runner of the Year, the 2010 Champion of the ISD Pigskin Pick'em League, the 2018 & 2020 Champions of the ISD Fantasy Football League and the 2021 Champion of the ISD NCAA March Madness League
mjhahn
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Jamie's game thread is amazing. It's required reading. Love the insight.

https://irishsportsdaily.com/forums/2/topics/63099/next
GVSND
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Coan has Austin for a chunk play and misses. In this offense that can't happen as often as it does. It's all on Jack today, he's gotta get it done.
atl irish
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Buccos815 said:

Dillon1986 said:

atl irish said:

Dillon1986 said:

IanY77 said:

BlueGraySky said:

IanY77 said:

atl irish said:

cdr2529 said:

I guess no one wants to call coach Lea now giving up 38 points in one half
Was to be expected. He made a bad decision.


It was an emotional decision. Rarely a good one.



Great place to live, making money and the expectations are little to none

Edit: aren't taxes great down there?


True, but so far he's not even clearing a bar so low that it's practically painted on the ground.


It's like being second or third command at a large company and having the opportunity to be CEO at a smaller less prestigious (but still well regarded) company but be the top guy. you still get a pay increase and you Got to be the top decision maker. Reasonable minds can differ about what is better But I would not call it a dumb decision
You know he went to Vandy?


haha I mean its in the SEC And a top academic institution and in a great town??
He meant the Clark is a Vandy grad.
Lol, nah I'm commenting on Vandy being well regarded. Great school for sure. Not well regarded on the field.
Joe1976
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tvanp63 said:

SHAMROCK said:

We need to try some outside runs.

This! Why are we not even trying to use the speed advantage?
We allow too much penetration up front and our tackles suck at the point of attack..
Joe
BlueGraySky
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Sgt Hulka said:

cdr2529 said:

Rees is just awful


So are the vast majority of your posts on Game Day.

We get it. You hate everything.



I legit just spit my drink
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SHAMROCK
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Rwolf101 said:

SHAMROCK said:

We need to try some outside runs.

Not sure how that would work to the right. Lugg is BAD.


It would work no worse than running up the middle has.
ndmatt01
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It would make sense to use Chris tyree to the outside. Not sure why we are so married to kyren in the run game.
pbrad28
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Here we go
PhillyNDFan
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Shovel pass has worked against the D in every game
BlueGraySky
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Man, talk about something out of nothing
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usma95
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If Coan would just pull that out of Kyren's belly and run he gets 5-10 every time. I know he will not, but Lord is that open
ndsean44
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cdr2529 said:

Rees is just awful
*** do you want him to do?

There's not much a playcaller can do to overcome a horrible OL and a QB who's taking sacks and throwing like crap.
atl irish
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Crap
BlueGraySky
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Need a turnover bad
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BlueGraySky
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ndsean44 said:

cdr2529 said:

Rees is just awful
*** do you want him to do?

There's not much a playcaller can do to overcome a horrible OL and a QB who's taking sacks and throwing like crap.


Don't feed the troll
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cdr2529
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Rees never make calls like that
 
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