Saturday's Great Test: Can ND Run on Pitt?

The Pittsburgh Panthers know how to play run defense -- they are #1 in the country!   Look at how they have held teams down so far this season:

• Austin Peay:  1 yard rushing / 22 attempts
• Syracuse:  51 yards rushing / 34 attempts
• Louisville:  116 yards rushing / 30 attempts
• NC State:  62 yards rushing / 30 attempts
• Boston College:  30 yards rushing / 41 attempts
• Miami:  109 yards rushing / 42 attempts
  

 

To give this some context -- here's how these teams rank in rushing on the season:

• #33 Miami:  179 yards rushing per game
• #43 Louisville: 161 yards rushing per game
• #46 NC State:  154 yards rushing per game
• #74 Syracuse:  81 yards rushing per game
  
• #75 Boston College:  66 yards rushing per game
  

 

Season stats for Pitt's run defense:

• 61.5 yards per game rushing -- #1 in the country
• 1.9 yards rushing per attempt -- #1 in the country
  
• 2 rushing TD's allowed this season -- #6 in the country

 

Notre Dame's rushing attack:

• 261 yards rushing per game -- #7 in the country
• 5.83 yards rushing per attempt -- #5 in the country
• 13 rushing TD's this season -- #7 in the country

 

This game will match up one of the top defensive lines in the country vs. one of the top offensive lines in the country -- a game that will be truly won in the trenches...

 

LINK:  PITT'S DEFENSIVE LINE

Game Highlights: Notre Dame 12 -- Louisville 7

Notre Dame Moves Up to #3 in Both Major Polls

Most Notre Dame fans were disappointed in the Fighting Irish's 12 - 7 win over the Louisville Cardinals yesterday...

Fortunately, the media and the coaches felt other wise.

Are the IRISH receiving some "favored nation" status for being a member of a conference -- from beat writers and coaches inside the Atlantic Coast Conference?

LINK:  AP POLL & COACHES POLL

Domer Cole Kmet Talks First NFL TD Catch!

First Look at ACC Football Standings

As you can see, Clemson leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 4 - 0 record, followed by our Fighting Irish who are also undefeated at 3 - 0.

Never thought I'd be flashing "conference standings" with Notre Dame football...

 

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE -- FOOTBALL STANDINGS:

• Clemson:  4 - 0
• NOTRE DAME:  3 - 0
• NC State:  4 - 1
• Virginia Tech:  4 - 1
  
• North Carolina:  3 - 1
• Miami: 3 - 1
• Georgia Tech:  2 - 2
• Boston College:  2 - 2
  
• Pittsburgh:  2 - 3
• Wake Forest:  1 - 2
• Florida State:  1 - 3
  
• Virginia:  1 - 3
• Syracuse:  1 - 3
• Duke:  1 - 5
• Louisville: 0 - 4

 

RED denotes on Notre Dame's schedule this season.

I Love How They Play the Victory March!