Notre Dame-Central Michigan: Staff predictions as Irish look for 4-0 start
Notre Dame sits 3-0 as they’ve already played 25% of their regular season games. We wait all year for the season to get here and it seems like it flies by faster than just about anything else.
It’s an odd week for the Fighting Irish as pretty much everyone’s eyes are on the Ohio State showdown next weekend. Central Michigan brings a 1-1 team to South Bend on Saturday that was blown out by Michigan State and barely got by New Hampshire to date.
Does Notre Dame keep on rolling to 4-0? We all clearly expect a win but what about in dominating fashion? Or will the Irish eyes be looking ahead as they sleepwalk to a victory?
The spread is set at 34.5 points. Do the Irish cover that before hosting Ohio State in the mega-showdown next week?
Here is what the Fighting Irish Wire staff sees happening in Saturday’s contest:
Geoffrey Clark (3-0)
Central Michigan simply doesn’t have the team to match up with a program like Notre Dame. While there undoubtedly is some talent on the team, there’s a reason these players couldn’t do better than the Mid-American Conference. That’s not a knock at them, the players or the conference, but it’s the reality of college football. The Irish should handle them easily.
Notre Dame 44, Central Michigan 13
Michael Chen (3-0)
Trap game? Nope, not this week. The Chips aren’t very good, seriously, they’re pretty bad, so the Irish shouldn’t have any issues this week. The biggest aspect of this game in my eyes is keeping the starters healthy. If they get up by 4 touchdowns at any point, pull the starters. With the new clock rules, a 28-point lead is almost insurmountable, and Notre Dame should be able to achieve that in the first half.
Notre Dame, 45, Central Michigan 6
John Kennedy (3-0)
This game is Notre Dame’s last chance to “tune up” prior to the Buckeyes’ visit to South Bend next weekend. The players and fans alike must resist all temptation to look ahead without showing Central Michigan some respect. That being said, I expect to see the Irish rack up big offensive numbers and for the defense to reak more havoc. This team is mature and knows they have work to due before their first national test.
Notre Dame 48, Central Michigan, 10
Jeff Feyerer (3-0)
I’m not afraid of the Irish looking past the Chips and I don’t know what they can really tune up before they have to face Ohio State next week, but I do hope its one of those games where they are able to stay very basic and not put a lot of stuff on tape for Ohio State. Offensive coordinator Gerard Parker should allow the Notre Dame skill position players to out-athlete Central Michigan and allow the offensive line to outmuscle the offensive line. The Central Michigan pass defense gave up 493 yards through the air to New Hampshire last week. I expect Sam Hartman to put the ball up early and pad that Heisman resume, before getting him out of there and putting him in a glass case for next week against the Buckeyes. On defense, Bert Emanuel Jr., the Central Michigan quarterback, is a threat to run the ball so he’ll provide an interesting test. I don’t expect this to be close at all.
Notre Dame 48 Central Michigan 7
Nick Shepkowski (3-0)
If Notre Dame wants to pad stats to kickstart the Sam Hartman Heisman campaign the week before Ohio State comes to town then this is a great chance. Central Michigan allows 9.1 yards per pass attempt – that’s good for 120th best nationally (yikes). It’ll be tough to not look ahead to Ohio State but it’ll take one heck of an effort from both sides for this to remain at all close.
Notre Dame 45, Central Michigan 10
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