Notre Dame-South Carolina: FIW Gator Bowl predictions
The 2022 football season comes to an end for Notre Dame this Friday as the Irish are set to battle South Carolina in the Gator Bowl. It’s Notre Dame’s fourth trip to the game all-time, their first since falling to a Phillip Rivers-led North Carolina State team at the end of Tyrone Willingham’s first season.
With the news of Sam Hartman’s seeming imminent arrival, all of the recruiting happenings and dramas of NIL and the transfer portal, it’s easy to sort of forget there is still a game to be played.
Will Notre Dame use it as a chance to develop for the future? Or will it be all hands on deck, upperclassmen included, to finish the year with a victory?
In a hard game to predict the strategy of, it’s even more difficult to predict the end result. However, the Fighting Irish Wire crew makes their best bets for Friday’s Gator Bowl here.
Geoffrey Clark
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
For me, the difference in this game is very simple: Continuity. The Irish are missing their top receiver in Michael Mayer, and they’re turning to a quarterback that hasn’t played in three-and-a-half months in Tyler Buchner. Even if Sam Hartman miraculously transferred to the Irish and then was able to play in this game, I still would have doubts. The Gamecocks have both Spencer Rattler and Antwane Wells Jr. available, and it is for that reason that an often frustrating season for the Irish will end on a low note.
South Carolina 35, Notre Dame 24
Mike Chen
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been a tough go for me calling games this year and I hope to finish this season on a positive note. South Carolina came on strong at the end of the year, two impressive wins against Tennessee and Clemson (who the Irish curb stomped). USC quarterback Spencer Rattler has been in an absolute groove and Notre Dame gets back their season opening starter, Tyler Buchner, after a long injury layoff. In a game like this, it seems that the better quarterback should win but Rattler is just so inconsistent. The Notre Dame offense will do enough while the defense ends the Gamecock hot streak and gets Marcus Freeman his first bowl win.
Notre Dame 31, South Carolina 21
John Kennedy - Always Irish
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
For a game being played between two four loss teams, I actually find it to be very intriguing. Both Shane Beamer and Marcus Freeman are young, early tenure energetic coaches trying to shape programs in their image. Both come from highly respected football backgrounds. Both are dealing with a plethora of major impact personnel losses for one reason or another. Something has to give. South Carolina was 2nd to last in run defense this season. I expect Notre Dame to capitalize on this with an extra boost from the addition of Tyler Buchner’s athletic legs and running instincts. I think Notre Dame runs the ball well enough to control most of the game, but nothing ever comes that easy for the 2022 Irish. Notre Dame pulls ahead late with a power run drive when they need it most.
Notre Dame 34, South Carolina 28
Jeff Feyerer
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
I’m on to Sam Hartman.
South Carolina 27, Notre Dame 21
Nick Shepkowski
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t know what we’re going to see from either side Friday as you look at the losses to opt-outs and the portal for both sides and see significant losses of production. Spencer Rattler ended the year as hot as a firecracker but will that remain? The thing I trust most in this game is Notre Dame’s ability to run the ball and control the clock and they’re 7-0 when they posses the ball more than their opponents in 2022. For that I have the Irish finishing the year with a victory.
Notre Dame 23, South Carolina 20
