The series continues as we take a look at Notre Dame's opponent for Week 5, which is when the Fighting Irish will hit the road to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas, the second SEC opponent Notre Dame will face this season. Notre Dame will hopefully be coming off a win against Purdue at home to give them momentum and a continued undefeated record before taking on the Razorbacks.
Arkansas certainly can not be a program, however, that Notre Dame can afford to overlook. While the Razorbacks may not be the highest-ranked team in the SEC, they are still a team to watch out for. According to ESPN's SEC power rankings for the 2025 season, Arkansas is ranked the No. 13 team in the conference, which is a big improvement from last season.
Even with what could be a bit of an easier opponent, it is still important to know what problem this team could give Notre Dame in the matchup. So, with hopefully a 3-0 record, let's see what the biggest problem Arkansas poses against the Fighting Irish in Week 5 is.
Quarterback Taylen Green's dual-threat ability could be tricky for Notre Dame's defense
Taylen Green is coming back for Bobby Petrino's second season as the offensive coordinator, and Petrino is already seeing some good things from the redshirt senior. Petrino has said that his ability to read defenses is better than last season, which allows him to make decisions faster, and being a dual-threat quarterback makes that tough for opposing defenses.
Petrino has also talked about Green's improved accuracy, which is also tough on defenses. When it comes to Notre Dame playing Arkansas, if Green is able to fit the ball into touch spots away from the defender, that will allow him to cut up the Fighting Irish secondary, which in turn will open up the game for the run, something Green is also good at.
Arkansas also has a good offensive line up front that can help open up lanes for Green to run, but also give him time to throw the ball. So if Notre Dame wants to get to Green, the defensive line is going to have to find ways through.
This game could prove tougher for the Fighting Irish than some would think, but if the defense remains focused and can be more physical in the trenches, Notre Dame could squeak by.