Notre Dame football vs. Cincinnati: Game preview and prediction Week 5
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team will look to move to 5-0 on Saturday, but in order to do so, they will have to battle it out against a tough Cincinnati team.
With what could end up being the biggest game of their season coming up on Saturday, the Notre Dame football team will welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats to Notre Dame Stadium. Sitting with a 4-0 mark, and coming off their best win of the season, the Irish are underdogs to the Bearcats, who currently sit two spots ahead of them in the latest AP Poll.
The Irish go into this game as the No. 9 ranked team, while Cincinnati is at No. 7.
This is a huge game, not only for the Irish if they hope to make it back to a College Football Playoff, but also for defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman and head coach Brian Kelly. Both men coached at the school, and while Kelly is in the Hall of Fame, Freeman just left, as this is his first season in South Bend.
Last weekend, Freeman’s defense had their best effort of the season, styling the Wisconsin Badgers offense en-route to a 41-13 victory for the Irish.
Notre Dame football moves to 5-0 on the season
While Wisconsin was a top-25 team going into that game, as well as a 6.5-point favorite, they were not on the same level as this BEarcats team. Remember, this is a program that went to the Peach Bowl last season, and nearly beat Georgia, which is currently regarded as the No. 2 team in the country.
In order for the Irish to win this game, they must contain Desmond Ridder, a legitimate first-round quarterback who is a four-year starter for the Bearcats. He can get it done on the ground, and through the air, and also has a solid running back in Jerome Ford, who is averaging six yards per carry this season.
On defense, the Bearcats have no shortage of playmakers, including edge rusher Myjai Sanders, and three elite cornerbacks. That could prove tough for an Irish offense that has struggled to get it going on the ground, and one that has had a revolving door at quarterback this season due to injuries, and inconsistent play.
Still, these are two evenly matched teams, both who are strong up front along the defensive line, and both who deserve to be in the top-10 right now.
The truth is, the Irish are home, and they are starting to look more like a complete team on both sides of the ball. If the offensive line gives whoever is the quarterback any time on Saturday, they should be able to move the ball, but stopping Ridder could be an issue for the Irish across four quarters.
In the end, they figure out a way to get it done, winning one for Freeman.
Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Cincinnati 21