Game Thread | Miami (OH) at No. 17 Notre Dame

Miami (OH) (0-2) No. 17 Notre Dame (2-1)

Notre Dame Stadium | 3:30 PM ET | NBC | Line: Notre Dame -28.0 | Total: 43.5

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Five Players To Watch

Notre Dame Nickel Jordan Clark
Clark is off to a great start at Notre Dame. He's fit right into the defense seamlessly and has proven to be a fantastic addition to the team. He'll have a good matchup this week with slot receiver Cade McDonald. He leads their team in targets and has back to back 100-yard games to start this season. 

Miami (OH) QB Brett Gabbert
Gabbert is in his seventh college season and has battled back from numerous season-ending injuries. The latest was a broken leg and it was questionable whether he'd be ready to start the regular season, but he made it and has been asked to carry Miami's offense with the running game struggling to have any success. He didn't face the blitz often against Northwestern and Cincinnati. That will change against Notre Dame.

Notre Dame Vyper Boubacar Traore
Traore was one of many defenders to have a breakout game against Purdue and he'll now be tasked to build on it after Jordan Botelho was lost for the season with a knee injury. There will be more snaps and more responsibility for him, but his motor has been outstanding and he has a chance to wreak havoc in this game as a pass rusher.

Miami (OH) Edge Brian Ugwu
Miami has an edge rusher with a non-stop motor as well. Ugwu gets after it. A former high school running back, he's a good athlete who had six pressures and two tackles for loss against Northwestern to open the season. He might be the best pass rusher in the MAC this season.

Notre Dame TE Mitchell Evans
Evans hasn't fully been unleashed yet, but he made his presence felt against Purdue with two key third down conversions and a crushing down block that opened up a big run for Jeremiyah Love. Notre Dame's offense is better whenever he is on the field whether it's blocking or in the pass game. This feels like the time when he could announce to everyone that he is all the way back with a big game.

Quotes of the Week

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman:
”As I look at it, big picture-wise, we're going to continue to progress. Those guys are capable starters. They're ready. They've been prepared. It speaks to the maturity of those two to at any moment, they knew they were going to be thrust into action, and we picked up right where we left off. They did a great job and have two really great days of practice this week.

“I think there's a chemistry between centers, guards and tackles that that will continue to progress as we move forward. I don't play that position, but I know that there's a comfort, obviously, knowing that guy who's inside of you, if I'm a tackle, and obviously the communication between the center and the guard. There's nothing that can expedite that process but time. The progress of our entire offensive line, it won’t stop. I think it just picked up right where we left off.”

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock: 
”Credit to Pat and credit to Rocco, two guys that just love Notre Dame, love their teammates, have never wavered, have never not prepared themselves the proper way. Fortunately/unfortunately, the opportunity arose, and they get in the game, and I don't think you saw much of a blip on the radar screen with what they were able to do and how they were able to perform. And that's a credit to those guys.”  

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden:
”We turn the page fast. We graded it on the way home. Woke up Sunday morning, put a couple bullets on -- things we did well, things we have to do better – had our staff meeting and moved on. This is an excellent system that awaits in Miami, and it all goes through the most veteran quarterback I’ve seen in quite some time. I’m sorry. You just can’t look backward.”

Notre Dame C Pat Coogan: 
 “It’s been quite a journey, but my love for this university is so much stronger than any personal goal or accolade or representation of my own self. This offensive line, this offense, this team, this program. I’ve been die-hard since I was five years old, so I’m living out my dream right now, and obviously, it’s better living it out on the field. It sucked, but I knew for sure that I was a huge part of this team. I just had to keep my head up. It was hard, it was very hard. I had an amazing support system.” 

For Your Nerves 

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