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Notre Dame football: Reasonable expectations against BYU

By Ryan Shanko

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Marcus Freeman high-fives Drew Pyne #10 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after a touchdown drive against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Notre Dame won 45-32. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Marcus Freeman high-fives Drew Pyne #10 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after a touchdown drive against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Notre Dame won 45-32. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Saturday night is going to be quite the spectacle in Las Vegas for the Notre Dame football team, and their opponent, BYU. Both the Irish and the Cougars are rocking some serious heat in terms of their uniforms, and inside Allegiant Stadium the matchup will be a sight to see.

Notre Dame football is entering their 11th Shamrock Series game at 2-2 on the year, while BYU comes in ranked #16 in the nation and with a 4-1 record. Saturday night will be a season-changing game for both teams, one way or another.

I’m going to lay down some reasonable expectations for ND this week, goals I believe are legitimately attainable in the game against BYU.

Notre Dame football: Reasonable expectations against BYU

#1 – Cover the Spread

Notre Dame football is entering this matchup as a 3.5-point favorite, and on paper, this makes sense. The Shamrock Series is essentially a home game for ND, and the Irish have never lost one of them. Taking these factors into consideration, favoring the Irish makes sense.

That being said though, the rampant inconsistency shown thus far in 2022 from the Irish is enough to make me wonder if we should be favored at all. Regardless, I think ND has the talent to cover the spread in this one if the offense keeps rolling in Vegas.

#2 – Rush for 150 Yards

The Irish offense finally found a groove two weeks ago, and I think the formula Tommy Rees created in his last game is repeatable for ND. The offensive line is finally getting some push for the run game, and I think that ND’s three-headed monster of Audric Estime, Chris Tyree, and Logan Diggs will all find their rhythm again, to the tune of at least 150 yards rushing.

#3 – Allow Under 250 Yards Passing

BYU QB Jaren Hall has been absolutely slinging the rock around thus far in 2022, to the tune of over 1400 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only one interception. Freshman CB Ben Morrison has been promoted to a starter this week, and I really think he has legit skills for as young as he is.

Should Morrison hold up well, I think the pass rush will keep Hall uncomfortable and prevent the big plays BYU will be fishing for, especially early on. This might be the hottest take of the three things I talked about, but I think the defense is trending in the right direction.

Final Thoughts

Should the game go as planned for Notre Dame, I think the Irish should look to reach all three of these goals. These are my reasonable expectations for what could be the biggest game of the year for the Irish, as they take their talent to the Las Vegas strip and go all in for a win on Saturday night.

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