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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

228,114 Views | 1469 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by irish4life
Dillon1986
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OK forget it I am obviously behind
Rwolf101
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That could be a back breaker with these two offenses.
phm195
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Wow it's great to see a 25 return a kick again
mattfreeman
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Staff
Chris Tyree takes a kickoff 96 yards to the house.

Notre Dame 17
Wisconsin 13

14:01 | 4Q
BlueGraySky
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tvanp63 said:

Spes Unica said:

Time for a huge KR

CALLED IT!!!!


Spes is the MVP of the game
Read more, post less
Wiggs4Irish
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Now that's elite speed. Jeez
Hrothgar
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That was a brilliant play call.
TW11
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Drew Payne the most relieved person in Chicago right now
ndwilky
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Spes Unica said:

Time for a huge KR
Now call for a defensive score
pbrad28
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Wow! That was just fantastic. Now a big TO from Mertz coming
GVSND
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No one would admit, but some people said not to take Tyree because he's too small.
Connorlewis
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First time caller, long time listener! CHRIS TYREE! What a return!
Sec26Row30
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Huge series coming up!
Formerly sec26row44, before that sec25row45... not happy till I'm moving further North and watching the game from the library......
Hrothgar
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Spes for O C.
ndsean44
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LFG!!!!!!!

Now lock them up defense!
irish0821
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BlueGraySky said:

cdr2529 said:

Fans here must be relatives to Rees, because they refuse to blame him for his play calling, but they will quickly blame Freeman for his play calling


Im a fan of your mom


Cdr, I'm a fan of your mom too. Can she play oline?
Sgt Hulka
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Polian can stay…..at least until the next KO return
Brucealeg
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Hope our D got a small break.
fenixc
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playmakers make plays. that is all.
irishfan32489
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Get a stop and punch one in. Come on
Rwolf101
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TW11 said:

Drew Payne the most relieved person in Chicago right now

Oh I don't know. Somewhere the laxatives are now kicking in for a slightly obese middle aged white guy who ate too many brats this week.
usma95
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Whoever blocked for that return, please go talk to our OL and tell them what you just did and how to do it! Lol
Sgt Hulka
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irish0821 said:

BlueGraySky said:

cdr2529 said:

Fans here must be relatives to Rees, because they refuse to blame him for his play calling, but they will quickly blame Freeman for his play calling


Im a fan of your mom


Cdr, I'm a fan of your mom too. Can she play oline?


Not into mom jokes, but I guarantee she's a better OC than Tommy!!
jbachman
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BUT - now the D doesn't get much of a break. Need to get a 3 and out on this series.
Joe1976
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DAMNIT TYREE! SPILT MY 32 OZ ALL OVER THE PLACE!
Joe
rmirish
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cdr2529 said:

Fans here must be relatives to Rees, because they refuse to blame him for his play calling, but they will quickly blame Freeman for his play calling
No one would look good with this OL. Just what do you think they could block for?
Sgt Hulka
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Joe1976 said:

DAMNIT TYREE! SPILT MY 32 OZ ALL OVER THE PLACE!


It was for a good cause though
PhillyNDFan
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Bracy... WHY?
mbmirish
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Coaches fair caught the kick off team to sleep and then bam. Lol
Rwolf101
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I'm fine with that late hit. You wanna hurdle you need to pay. This ain't gymnastics.
irishfan32489
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When and Tariq Bracy done anything worth a *****
ndsean44
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Defense is gonna need to get off the field with a quickness.

Not a long break in between their last series and that house call. Gonna need to ride some momentum here.
MAS
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Kind of crap
blairkiel
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This team just is loathsome
Cassin
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That's not helpful
 
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