Final score predictions for the Notre Dame matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers
With Notre Dame football coming off of a brutal 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois last week, many Irish fans are understandably coming into the weekend with a lot of skepticism. The offense is a mess, the leadership seems underwhelming, and nobody knows if Notre Dame has any sort of answer. We need answers, but are […]
With Notre Dame football coming off of a brutal 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois last week, many Irish fans are understandably coming into the weekend with a lot of skepticism. The offense is a mess, the leadership seems underwhelming, and nobody knows if Notre Dame has any sort of answer. We need answers, but are left with nothing but questions right now.
This weekend’s matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers is a chance for Notre Dame to find those answers, and show some growth. On offense, it starts at quarterback. Nobody knows if we will see Riley Leonard this week, or just how much, while dealing with a shoulder injury. Whether he’s available or not could change the formula for a victory big time.
I expect the run game to be the main source of comfort for the Irish this week. Sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love has been the team’s best offensive player the first two weeks. This feels like the game that could be considered his true breakout from a national perspective. It feels like a lot of people could be talking about No. 4 after this week.
On defense, the safe bet is for Al Golden and his squad to have a bounce back game. They did not have their best performance against Northern Illinois, but are a dominant unit when they are locked in. The odds are that they will be ready to play and focused following last week’s performance. If they are, they could make for a long day for Purdue quarterback Hudson Card.
It won’t be a pretty game, and it feels like the Irish offense could once again take awhile to get going. In the end, I don’t believe the difference in offensive skill talent could allow Notre Dame to pull away down the stretch of the second half. The Irish passing offense, whether it is Leonard or Steve Angeli, need to make some plays in the second half.
Wide receiver Jaden Greathouse would be ideal to get going. He was projected to be the team’s top pass catcher before the season, but obviously he has been underwhelming through two games. Getting the sophomore going would be huge, as would tight end Mitchell Evans.
This game should give Notre Dame fans some hold, at least a step in the right direction. It won’t be a quick fix but everyone wants progress. We will begin to see it this week, but the next step after will be the key. For now, the Irish win and some heat dies down for the time being.
Final Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Purdue 17
