Notre Dame vs Army: 5 Things We Learned in Blowout Win

2. The defense can stop the run

As the 79th ranked rush defense in the country heading into Saturday, a primary concern was how well the Irish would play against the triple-option. Well, for a team who allows an average of 183 yards per game, the Irish looked good.

Although Darnell Woolfolk finished with 95 yards on 11 carries, the Army ground game did not look up to par against the Irish.

For a team who averages 311 yards per game on the ground, second in the FBS, the Black Knights finished with 229 rushing yards. Although 229 yards barely falls to Notre Dame’s 261 rushing yards, it’s still a loss for a team who only threw the ball eight times.

It’s hard to find a team who relies as much on the run as Army does. Stopping the rushing attack was as big a victory as the game itself for the Irish’s defense.