Nevada at Notre Dame
Written by Anthony Moretti - Google +
Notre Dame Football begins this Saturday; can you smell the tradition in the air? Because Nevada can’t, especially after facing a Notre Dame team that’s racked up 13 losses in the last two years, and just recently broke a 9 bowl game losing streak. The Nevada Wolfpack will travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, ranked 23 in the latest AP Poll. According to the latest NCAA football lines, Notre Dame is the heavy favorite of 14 ½ points, but look for a Nevada team to come in without the usual intimidation and fear that many teams have faced in the past. The over/under for the game is currently set at 63 points.
This game features the WAC offensive player of the year in Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick, who threw for over 2,800 yards and ran for over 1,100 more, and accounted for 39 of the Wolfpack’s TD’s, 22 in the air and 17 on the ground, all as a FRESHMAN! Throw in only 9 interceptions and those numbers look even more impressive, even in a mediocre WAC conference. Add two 1,000+ yards/seasons RB’s in Lippincott and Taua, and a solid core of receivers, and Nevada can easily whip you with their pistol offense.
This Wolfpack defense is a tale of two coins. While stopping the run with success last year (#6 at 88.6 ypg), the coverage on the passing game was abysmal, 119th at 311.6 yards a game. There are some bright spots however, as they’re returning 7 starters, including the only two defensive ends with double digit sack totals. The secondary and line backing core is hoping to be much improved against the pass based on their experience, each group returning 2 starters.
Notre Dame’s offense is poised to have a big season, and with the rumor mill swarming of Weis’s job being on the chopping block, they will surely need it. Jimmy Claussen is back for his junior season with a very talented group, and will need to focus on trimming down his 17 interceptions to improve on his success from last year. Golden Tate and Michael Floyd will be his two main targets, who accounted for 17 of the 25 touchdowns in the air. Notre Dame fans are anxious for Armando Allen to have a breakout season at RB, and the offensive line is considered veteran, but one of the major concerns for Weis, who’ll be calling the plays, is to improve the paltry 34.9% 3rd down conversion percentage.
Defensively the line backing core and secondary are Notre Dame’s strengths, with leading tackler Kyle McCarthy back at free safety and ready for action. Brian Smith leads the linebackers, which boasts a highly recruited freshman Manti Te’o, who expects to see playing time. The defensive line is where the questions marks begin, which makes stopping a multi threat QB like Kaepernik that much more difficult.
Both teams want to make a statement, and the fact that this game is played on the Irish’s home turf is something to take into consideration. Interestingly enough, both experienced mediocre 7-6 seasons, and are looking to explode out of the gates with a fresh start. While many are touting a Notre Dame blowout, this analyst wouldn’t be surprised to see Nevada play them closer than the spread.
Anthony’s Free Pick: Nevada Wolfpack +14.5
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