Notre Dame football: Irish must focus on their strengths against Syracuse
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team will play a fired-up Syracuse Orange squad on Saturday, and the focus should be on their strengths.
The Notre Dame football team goes into their matchup with the Syracuse Orange with a 4-3 record, nowhere near where we all figured they would be through the first eight weeks of the college football season. Still, they have some solid wins on the resume, including against ranked BYU, their only win against a ranked team this season.
On Saturday, they will have the chance to beat another ranked opponent in the Orange, a team that has gotten out to a shocking 6-1 record this season. Their only loss came last weekend against the Clemson Tigers, a team that many feels will be in the College Football Playoff this season, so this has been a strong year for Dino Babers and his team.
Playing a team like Syracuse, on the road in front of a packed Carrier Dome crowd, the Irish need to keep it simple. By focusing on their strengths, they can control the line of scrimmage, and possibly leave upstate New York with their best victory of the season.
Notre Dame football must pound Syracuse into submission
Looking ahead to this Saturday, Notre Dame football needs to keep it simple, and by that, they must focus on the run game. The offensive line has played outstanding football in recent weeks, and as we saw against UNLV, keeping the ball on the ground enables the Irish to control the clock, the line of scrimmage, and eventually, the outcome of the game.
The Orange have been outstanding this season, and are a team that could certainly beat the Irish, especially at home. However, I believe the Irish are going to go into that game with a big chip on their shoulder, and much like they have done all season long when their backs are against the wall, they will come out on top.