Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Game preview and predictions

The Notre Dame football team will host top-ranked Clemson this weekend, and here is how the Slap the Sign staff thinks this monumental game will play out.

All eyes will be glued to NBC this Saturday night when two unbeaten teams will square off in one of college football’s most historic venues. The undefeated and top-ranked Clemson Tigers are traveling to South Bend to take on the undefeated Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who are currently ranked fourth in the latest AP Poll.

The main storyline for this game is that Clemson will be without Trevor Lawrence, the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The star quarterback tested positive for COVID-19 last week and will miss the game as he adheres to safety protocols laid out by the ACC.

Fortunately for the Tigers, their backup quarterback appears to be a star in the making. DJ Uiagalelei was a five-star prospect and was rated as the number one pro-style quarterback in the country, and in his first collegiate start last weekend against Boston College, he threw for over 340 yards in the win.

Uiagalelei is a true freshman, but you would not be able to discern that by watching him play. He is listed at 6′ 4” and 250 lbs, and he has an absolute cannon for an arm. The most obvious player comparison is JaMarcus Russell, and Uiagalelei has the potential to be just as good if not better.

Very rarely will you see a college football team lose a player like Trevor Lawrence and still be favored on the road against the fourth-best team in the country. That is how good this Clemson team is.

Saturday night cannot get here soon enough. Here is how some of our writers at Slap The Sign think this marquee matchup will play out.