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Season Predictions: Notre Dame Football (Wake Forest, Miami FL, Navy, Stanford)

By Andrew Hall

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 29: Durham Smythe #80 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leaps for a touchdown but would go on to fumble the ball during the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 29, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Miami 30-27. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 29: Durham Smythe #80 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leaps for a touchdown but would go on to fumble the ball during the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 29, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Miami 30-27. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 14: Romeo Okwara #45 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leaps through the air to sack John Wolford #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium on November 14, 2015, in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 14: Romeo Okwara #45 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish leaps through the air to sack John Wolford #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium on November 14, 2015, in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

Wake Forest Demon Deacons – 2016 Record: 7-6

Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko faces his former team on Nov. 4 in South Bend, Indiana. He led his former team’s defense to 22.2 points allowed per game average. Elko now leads the Notre Dame football defense against a weak Wake Forest offense.

The good news for Head Coach Dave Clawson: Wake Forest returns eight starters on offense. The bad news for Clawson: the Demon Deacons averaged 20.4 points per game. This total ranked 118th in the country. Eight returning starters should help Clawson improve their offensive numbers. However, the Wake Forest Head Coach can only improve his offense so much.

The biggest offseason question for the Demon Deacons was: How will the Wake Forest defense perform without the tutelage of Elko? Also, the Deacons only return five starters on that side of the ball.

Brian Kelly defeated Wake Forest in 2011, 2012 and 2015. In 2011, Wake Forest only lost to the Irish by seven points. Notre Dame blew out the Demon Deacons in 2012 and 2015.

The Irish likely blow out Wake Forest again in 2017. Does Mike Elko shut out his former team? An improved Notre Dame defense and a less than stellar Demon Deacon offense might add up to a “goose egg” for Wake Forest.

Prediction: WIN

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