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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

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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

140,144 Views | 1469 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by irish4life
Sgt Hulka
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Run that tunnel screen to KA again
mattfreeman
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Staff
Drew Pyne tried.
IanY77
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Who's the dude with the fauxhawk next to Quinn?
Spes Unica
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Kyree can tackle, too
BlueGraySky
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Pyne had room there if his team didn't get in the way
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atl irish
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He's learned from Coan I see.
Rwolf101
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Pyne knew that was a sack as soon as it was snapped. Ugh
oaklandirish
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I think it's connaughton
irishduffy
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ND's D plays soft till they cross the 50 and then tightens up. Understandable with a 2 score lead.

Yes, the defense has worked but Wisconsin has gotten behind the last man a few times and just missed the throw.

You'd think we were down three scores reading this board.
BlueGraySky
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Spes Unica said:

Kyree can tackle, too


#1 all purpose back
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ndsean44
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I get that Wisconsin's front 7 is really good, but this is sad.
rmirish
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This offense can not run out a clock by running the ball. Why do we even try?
Spes Unica
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we got the punt game we had to have. great stuff
cdr2529
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It was smart not to force nothing
Cassin
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cdr2529 said:

It was smart not to force nothing


Exactly
mattfreeman
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Staff
Brian Kelly just got a flag bc Wisconsin just double-teamed Hamilton and now Hamilton is hurt.
ndsean44
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irishduffy said:

ND's D plays soft till they cross the 50 and then tightens up. Understandable with a 2 score lead.

Yes, the defense has worked but Wisconsin has gotten behind the last man a few times and just missed the throw.

You'd think we were down three scores reading this board.
After FSU, I think people are still shellshocked from watching them blow an 18 point lead.
Rwolf101
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mattfreeman said:

Brian Kelly just got a flag bc Wisconsin just double-teamed Hamilton and now Hamilton is hurt.

I've never read a worse sentence in my life.
BlueGraySky
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**** those refs in the arse with a pineapple
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pbrad28
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Can't pyne roll out…the line doesn't do anything anyway
ndmatt01
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Punter has been very effective today. Really made a difference flipping the field.
usma95
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WTH was that????
irishfan32489
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Don't go prevent
ndsean44
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mattfreeman said:

Brian Kelly just got a flag bc Wisconsin just double-teamed Hamilton and now Hamilton is hurt.
This is beyond negligence from the refs. You're #1 priority is PLAYER. SAFE-TY.

Did these morons just sleep through that part of class?
mattfreeman
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Staff
Cam Hart INT x 2.

Rwolf101
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Biggest game ever by Hart! He had been excellent in coverage all day!
hockey8390
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They did that on the prior punt too. Looks like they're trying to injure him
usma95
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What a game for Cam Hart. Wow. Those are big time plays.
irishkmg
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Game ball Cam Hart
Cassin
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Mertz is TRAAAAAASH
Rwolf101
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ndsean44 said:

mattfreeman said:

Brian Kelly just got a flag bc Wisconsin just double-teamed Hamilton and now Hamilton is hurt.
This is beyond negligence from the refs. You're #1 priority is PLAYER. SAFE-TY.

Did these morons just sleep through that part of class?

I am fine with the penalty if BK was sticking up for Kyle. I'd like to see what happened.
ohiondfan
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Cam Hart for Heisman
atl irish
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I almost picked Hart for my player in FDNYBrians thread
Sgt Hulka
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Out Wisconsin.

See you in another 50 years.
mattfreeman
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Staff
Kyle Hamilton let the Wisconsin bench have it after Hart's INT.

Just threw up double upside down Ws.
 
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