Notre Dame is coming off one of the best games of football we’ve seen it play this season in Saturday’s 52-3 defeat of Florida State. The Seminoles managed only a field goal on their opening drive, and the Irish responded with a decisive 45 unanswered points. Even after losing a key starter on defense early, Florida State looked thoroughly confused by Notre Dame and struggled to move the ball against backups. Sophomore safety Luke Talich’s interception was a huge moment for him and the team, showing the depth of this team. The midweek termination of three Florida State coaches was not strictly due to their performance in South Bend, but it certainly didn’t help their case.
Still, Notre Dame’s level of play needs to show up week in and week out — for all 60 minutes. The Northern Illinois game now seems far enough in the past, and this team is coming together well enough, that it’s starting to feel like a distant memory. But hopefully, it still serves as motivation, with Notre Dame facing a few more must-win games ahead.
No. 1: Change it up a little on offense
Former Notre Dame receiver Chris Tyree returns to campus this weekend, just with a different team. While I’m sure he and his former teammates are excited to see each other, there’s also added motivation to win. Also, you can be sure Virginia defensive coordinator John Rudzinski has been talking a little more to Tyree this week, trying to gain another edge over Notre Dame.
No. 2: Play like it's the second half of the Florida State game
Virginia has struggled offensively, though we all know how explosive Tyree can be. With 22 catches for 124 yards, he currently ranks third in receptions on the team, though he has yet to score a touchdown. Virginia’s offense has managed 25 touchdowns this season — compared to Notre Dame’s 42 — making this another game ripe for dominance on both sides of the ball. Although Virginia is in a better spot than Florida State was last week, they won’t relish the challenge of facing graduate defensive tackle Rylie Mills all afternoon, especially after his standout performance against the Seminoles.
No. 3: Win by a large margin
The College Football Playoff Committee has begun to release rankings. Notre Dame is currently No. 8, but because the ACC is in rough shape this year and its conference champion is guaranteed a bye, at the moment Notre Dame would be the No. 9 seed. The ninth seed does not get a home playoff game.
Notre Dame doesn’t just need to win out — it must keep demonstrating it can do so decisively. The SEC will make a strong case for teams like Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU, arguing they deserve playoff spots despite losses to other top teams. Notre Dame needs to solidify its claim and counter those who believe a three-loss SEC team is more deserving.
