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Notre Dame Football vs. Purdue: 3 Boilermakers who must be stopped

By Brad Weiss

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 13: Purdue Boilermakers mascot Purdue Pete is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 13: Purdue Boilermakers mascot Purdue Pete is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (5) evades Oregon State offensive lineman Joshua Gray (67) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. Notre Dame football takes on Karlaftis on Saturday.
Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (5) evades Oregon State offensive lineman Joshua Gray (67) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. Notre Dame football takes on Karlaftis on Saturday. /

The Notre Dame football team will take on Purdue on Saturday, and here are three Boilermakers that must be stopped to ensure victory.

The Notre Dame football team got out to a 2-0 start to the 2021 college football season, but they have done so in a dramatic fashion. After needing overtime against Florida State, they barely came back to beat Toledo, so there are a ton of question marks heading into Game No. 3.

That game will be against the Purdue Boilermakers, who are 2-0 themselves and have looked very good in the early going. For the Irish to move to 3-0 on the young season, they must get through a tough Big Ten school, and these three members of the Purdue squad have to be a focus.

Notre Dame Football vs. Purdue: 3 Boilermakers who must be stopped

George Karlaftis, Defensive End

It is no big secret that the Irish have their issues upfront along the offensive line, as the group has been ravaged by injuries early. Against Toledo, they were going with a third-string left tackle, something that will be an issue if it is the case once again this Saturday afternoon.

The problem is, George Karlaftis from Purdue is a dynamic edge rusher, and while he has yet to nab a sack this season, he has a track record of doing so. As a true freshman in 2019, he racked 7.5 sacks, and if he had not had issues with COVID in 2020, he would have finished with a lot more than two.

When it comes to protection, he has to be keyed on every time the Irish dial up a blitz, because he is coming for his first sack of the 2021 season.

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