Comparing Notre Dame Football To The 2014 Playoff Teams – Offense
By Andrew Hall
Notre Dame Football’s Offense v. 2014 Playoff Teams
Notre Dame Football falls behind each of the four 2014 College Football Playoff teams in terms of points per game. Ultimately, the final score is the only thing that matters in football. The two National Title game participants ranked in the top five in the nation in scoring. The changing landscape of football clearly demonstrates that Offense may win championships. Notre Dame needs to improve in this area. The Irish ranks as the 82nd team in red zone conversions. If the Irish score more often in the red zone, they can easily improve the bottom line.
Points Per Game
- Notre Dame: 32.8 points
- Ohio State: 44.8 points
- Oregon: 45.4 points
- Alabama: 36.9 points
- Florida State: 33.7 points
Notre Dame ranks ahead of the National Champion Ohio State and SEC Champion Alabama in this category. However, Oregon and Florida State, the teams that featured the top two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft, ranked higher than Notre Dame. Everett Golson was responsible for the majority of these statistics. Malik Zaire is not the same passer as Golson. Therefore, expect the number to fall closer to Ohio State’s 247.1 yards.
Passing Yards
- Notre Dame: 285.5 yards
- Ohio State: 247.1 yards
- Oregon: 312.5 yards
- Alabama: 277.9 yards
- Florida State: 303.3 yards
The Fighting Irish are only ahead of the Seminoles in this category. The two National Title game participants ranked in the Top 25 in rushing offense. Alabama also rushed for over 200 yards per game. Florida State’s low number indicates that teams can win but they are more likely to be successful if they rush for over 200 yards. In 2012, Notre Dame rushed for 189.38 yards per game.
Rushing Yards
- Notre Dame: 159.46 yards
- Ohio State: 264.47 yards
- Oregon: 234.53 yards
- Alabama: 206.64 yards
- Florida State: 138.07 yards
Notre Dame ranks ahead of only Florida State in total yards. They only rank ahead of the Seminoles by 3.7 yards. Again, Ohio State and Oregon rank among the nation’s best. The Buckeyes and Ducks rank inside the Top 10 of total yards.
Total Yards
- Notre Dame: 444.9 yards
- Ohio State: 511.6 yards
- Oregon: 547.0 yards
- Alabama: 484.5 yards
- Florida State: 441.2 yards
In 2015, Offense may win championships. Notre Dame needs to be more productive on offense if they want to push for the 2015 College Football Playoffs.