Five college football games Notre Dame fans should watch on Irish bye week
Notre Dame football isn’t on the TV Saturday. Forty-six other FBS games are on the slate, though, to feed the bye week football fix. Here’s a look at five games Irish fans should watch for a look at future opponents or a matchup of two ranked teams.
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No. 7 Kentucky (4-0) at No. 14 Ole Miss (4-0): Noon ET, ESPN
Start your day with a top-15 matchup between two intriguing teams. The Wildcats are led by quarterback Will Levis, a Penn State transfer who’s considered one of the top three prospects at his position in the 2023 NFL Draft. Lane Kiffin’s transfer-portal infused Rebels are 4-0, though that unblemished mark includes a narrow 35-27 win over Tulsa Sept. 24 and a less-than-dominant 28-10 victory over Troy in the opener.
If you’re looking for potential disruptors in each SEC division race, this game offers a chance to see two of them.
No. 22 Wake Forest (3-1) at No. 23 Florida State (4-0): 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Notre Dame played bad Seminoles teams three of the past four seasons, but this one looks like a potentially formidable outfit in head coach Mike Norvell’s third season. Florida State has a win over LSU in New Orleans, a road victory at Louisville and most recently blew out Boston College. Its offensive line, a weakness Notre Dame prodded in the last three meetings, has allowed just 5 sacks so far.
Florida State ranks No. 13 nationally in yards per play. It faces Wake Forest, a 10-game winner last year with an explosive offense of its own that put 45 points on Clemson’s defense Sept. 24 in a double-overtime loss.
No. 2 Alabama (4-0) at No. 20 Arkansas (3-1): 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS
The Crimson Tide escaped Texas with a 20-19 win in their only road game and Power Five contest of the season so far. Their SEC opener comes against the Razorbacks, whose usually potent offense sputtered down the stretch in a loss to 23-21 Texas A&M Sept. 24. This might be the best quarterback matchup of the week, with reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young opposing dual-threat star KJ Jefferson.
No. 10 North Carolina State (4-0) at No. 5 Clemson (4-0): 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Here’s a look at the highest-ranked opponent left on Notre Dame’s schedule. Thus far, Clemson’s offense has quieted concerns after a bumpy 2021 that featured a leaky offensive line and a poor debut season as a starter for quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
The Tigers offense erupted for 51 points vs. Wake Forest and has topped 40 in its other two FBS games. Can N.C. State’s sturdy defense hold them down? The answer might shape how you feel about Notre Dame’s chances when the Tigers visit Nov. 5. The Wolfpack have a star quarterback of their own in Devin Leary, whose 35 touchdown passes set a single-season school record.
Arizona State (1-3) at No. 6 USC (4-0): 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
This is a chance to see the other top-10 team left on Notre Dame’s schedule, albeit against one of the worst teams in the Power Five. USC’s offense stagnated in a 17-14 Sept. 24 win over Oregon State, but the Trojans’ defense snagged four interceptions and leads the country with 11. They combined to score 152 points in their other three games (vs. Rice, at Stanford, vs. Fresno State).
