Predictions: Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest

Greg Hadley, Editor-in-Chief

In its bid to replicate the success of 2012, Notre Dame will play one of few teams it truly blew out during its run to the BCS National Championship.

Expect a similar result against Wake Forest this weekend. The Demon Deacons have not beaten any team with a winning record this year, and their pass defense, while respectable, will not be able to contain a surging DeShone Kizer. And the Irish running backs will have a walk in the park against the porous Wake Forest run defense, with or without C.J. Prosise.

On the other side of the ball, Notre Dame’s defense may not match the 2012 unit, but it also isn’t going to be all that tested by a team that ranks 116th in the nation in scoring offense.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, Wake Forest 10

Last time Notre Dame faced Wake Forest, the 2012 Senior Day, the Irish came away with a 38-0 victory. This year’s senior class should expect that same type of goodbye.

The Irish are really clicking at this point in the season and gaining recognition for it, as the latest College Football Playoff rankings showed, and the Demon Deacons won’t be able to slow them down.

The most uncertain things about this game is whether it’ll be the last at Notre Dame Stadium for Jaylon Smith and Will Fuller and if the senior students in the stands run out of marshmallows before halftime.

Otherwise, it’ll be as ideal a sendoff as imaginable for a senior class that — using this phrase for old time’s sake — helped return Notre Dame to relevance.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, Wake Forest 7

Last week, I went the route of Notre Dame controlling the game against Pittsburgh and winning by more than one score for only the second time in their last 11 matchups — and it worked.

So I’ve got to go with my gut and once again cut against the grain, except this time the other way: Notre Dame is going to give up more points than it should against a Wake Forest offense that finds itself somewhere between “dismal” and “floundering.”

Not that it’s going to matter, though.

The Irish rushing attack will drive through the Demon Deacons defense regardless of who is carrying the ball: Prosise, Adams or Kizer. That’s just going to open the play-action game for that guy named Will Fuller.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 45, Wake Forest 21

The bookies in Las Vegas typically know what they’re doing, and there’s a reason Notre Dame opened as a 26.5-point Sunday over Wake Forest. On one sideline, you’ve got a team ranked No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and on the other, one that hasn’t scored more than 19 points since September.

This is a classic case where there’s a vast talent gap between two teams, and as such, a focused performance from Notre Dame should see this game wrapped up midway through the third quarter. And with Saturday’s game being the last in Notre Dame Stadium for a slew of influential seniors, I see a good outing.

Wake Forest covers the spread, but only through the back door.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 37, Wake Forest 14

Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t allowed fewer than 20 points since its season-opening victory over Texas. Things could change this week, however.

Wake Forest’s offense is abysmal, scoring only 18 points per game, good for 119th in the country. What makes matters worse is that the Demon Deacons can’t even decide on a quarterback, rotating sophomore John Wolford and freshman Kendall Hinton in the middle of games.

Although the Irish should be wary of a trap game when they are sitting at number four in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, this is not one. The Irish should take care of the Demon Deacons on both sides of the ball on Senior Day, allowing them to play their reserves by the fourth quarter.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 41, Wake Forest 15