Notre Dame Football: Key Defensive Matchups vs. Vanderbilt

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SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 08: Te’von Coney #4 of the Notre Dame Football team celebrates a sack with Khalid Kareem #53 against the Ball State Cardinals at Notre Dame Stadium on September 8, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

We are two weeks into the 2018 season, and Notre Dame football is undefeated. It wasn’t the prettiest two wins, but it was two wins.

The Irish are ranked eighth in the AP poll heading into a matchup against an SEC opponent. Normally, the latter part of that sentence would be a cause for concern. However, the SEC opponent for Notre Dame football in this scenario is Vanderbilt, and the game will be played in South Bend.

I’m not saying that this game is a guaranteed win for Notre Dame. If they play like they did against Ball State, they will lose. If you had to choose one SEC team to play though, Vanderbilt would be one of the preferred choices.

This Vanderbilt team has talent on both sides of the ball. They have an experienced quarterback and arguably the best offense Notre Dame has faced so far this season. Here are some key matchups to watch when the Irish defense is on the field.

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