ISD Staff Game Predictions: North Carolina State
It’s the time again! The 2-0 Irish head to North Carolina State to try to steal another win in a hostile environment. The Wolfpack have been dominant at home, but the Irish favored in this game. Which teams comes out on top?
Mike Frank
If the Irish are a playoff worthy team, they’ll go into Raleigh and handle their business. I expect the Wolfpack to play better than they did against UConn last week, but I don’t think it will matter much in this game. I think North Carolina State hangs around for awhile, but the game never seems out of Notre Dame’s hands.
Look for the running game to get going again this week, and Sam Hartman to have another 3 TD performance.
Notre Dame 34, North Carolina State 17
Andrew Mentock
Sam Hartman struggled against North Carolina State last year. He was sacked four times and threw three interceptions in a 30-21 loss.
Notre Dame does a much better job of protecting him this fall. The Fighting Irish jump out to a multi-touchdown lead early, but the Wolfpack still make Hartman’s life difficult. He’ll throw his first interception of the season, which helps N.C. State hang around until the end.
Notre Dame 38, North Carolina State 27
Matt Freeman
Sam Hartman is familiar with NC State and the Wolfpack know the Irish signal-caller. The noon start is an advantage for Notre Dame barring another hurricane aka 2016. It will be the first true test for Notre Dame, but a good one as the Irish need challenged before Ohio State. As long as the Irish can control the Wolfpack offense and Brennan Armstrong, Notre Dame will leave Raleigh 3-0.
Notre Dame 31, North Carolina State 21
Jamie Uyeyama
Notre Dame gets their first real test of the season with a true road game against a legit defense. I think that is going to lead to them starting a bit slow. They'll face some adversity in the first half with those two guards before settling in.
After that, I think Notre Dame's running game is going to take over. We'll start seeing Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler putting some defenders in the dirt and mixing in some play-action from Sam Hartman will allow the Irish to pull ahead comfortably.
On defense, I think the group is going to be up for the challenge. They'll give up their first touchdown of the season and quarterback Brennen Armstrong will make some plays with his legs, but the pressure and the havoc from the defense in general will take over.
The Irish will be up by three scores in the fourth quarter before NC State adds a field goal late.
Notre Dame 28, North Carolina State 13
Greg Flammang
The road tilt against the Wolfpack marks the official beginning of the 2023 season for Notre Dame. In my opinion, a team hasn’t begun playing until they face someone who can beat them. NC State represents that kind of matchup.
While the Wolfpack are a tougher test, the results will be similar. There won’t be wholesale fourth quarter substitutions for Marcus Freeman’s team and even though I believe they’ll put up a fight in the first half, Notre Dame will simply overwhelm NC State as the game goes on.
It’s hard to take a lot from Notre Dame’s early games, but one thing is the amount of options and different ways the Irish can attack an opponent, both offensively and defensively. Notre Dame will play with a different vigor in this one, with a signal being sent to the college football world: This is a different team than you’re used to.
Notre Dame 41, North Carolina State 17
Christian McCollum
Wolfpack quarterback Brennan Armstrong frustrates the Irish, but not nearly as much as Sam Hartman frustrates NC State.
Hartman has yet another stellar game from an efficiency standpoint, completing close to 80 percent of his passes for more than 250 yards and three scores. Jaden Greathouse and Jeremiyah Love continue to show that the Irish are oozing talent at the skill position among the underclassmen.
While Armstrong displays true dual-threat ability between the 20s, the Notre Dame defense is able to stiffen up for the most part in the red zone with the aid of multiple sacks and one takeaway to prevent more NC State points.
This game also reminds Irish fans what a gem they have in cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who absolutely locks down NC State receiver Porter Rooks.
Notre Dame, 41 North Carolina State 17
