Notre Dame vs. Arizona State: Game Preview With TV Schedule
By Connor Muldowney
@Connormuldowney
Getty Images
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are coming off a close call against Navy in week 10 and a loss two week ago against Florida State on the road. The Irish will need to win out in order to have a chance at a playoff appearance. The Arizona State Sun Devils are in the same boat, needing to win out in order to have a shot at a conference title as well as a playoff shot.
Notre Dame is led by a Heisman-caliber quarterback in Everett Golson who has been dynamic in the run game as well as leading the 27th-best passing offense. Golson has passed for 2,311 yards and 22 touchdowns with just seven interceptions while completing 63 percent of his passes; he has also rushed for 272 yards and a team-high seven rushing scores. William Fuller has transformed into Golson’s favorite target, catching 46 passes for 599 yards and nine touchdowns. Corey Robinson is second on the team with 29 receptions for 393 yards and four touchdown catches. Tarean Folston has separated himself as the top running back on the team, rushing for 532 yards and three touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry.
Arizona State has also had a potent passing attack, ranking 23rd in the nation behind the combined efforts of Mike Bercovici and Taylor Kelly. While Bercovici was solid in Kelly’s absence to injury this year, Kelly is the starter once again as he has passed for 1,010 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions to Bercovici’s 1,322 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jaelen Strong has been the favorite target of both quarterbacks, catching 57 passes for 821 yards and eight touchdowns. Running back D.J. Foster has been one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the nation this year, rushing for 701 yards and six touchdowns while ranking second on the team with 452 receiving yards and two touchdown catches on 38 receptions.
Defensively, the Sun Devils have ranked in the middle-of-the-pack nationally in both major categories this year. Arizona State ranks 50th in points allowed per game as well as 60th in total yards allowed per game. Notre Dame, on the other hand, ranks 29th in scoring defense as well as 41st in total defense — a somewhat far cry from the defense the Fighting Irish boasted a couple years ago when they made it all the way to the national title game.
Notre Dame will travel to Arizona State to take on the Sun Devils at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 8. The game will be broadcasted on ABC.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 23, Arizona State 27
Want to see the Fighting Irish take on the Sun Devils in week 11? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].
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