Notre Dame's 2023 Opponents: String of unbeaten opponents await Irish, from Duke to Louisville to USC

Notre Dame (4-1) was always likely to face only one ranked ACC opponent this season, but the expectation was that it would be Clemson and not Duke. Instead, at 2-2, Clemson will be looking into the polls from the outside for at least a few weeks and quite possibly the entire season (a trip to No. 18 Miami on Oct. 21 looms), but the Blue Devils await the Irish as the No. 17 team in the AP poll.

A few times each season, a Notre Dame game is teased as “the opponent’s Super Bowl.” That is meant in terms of their biggest game that year. Amplify that this weekend. This may be Duke’s biggest game ever.

No. 17 Duke (4-0): The Blue Devils could have looked past Connecticut with this weekend’s primetime matchup awaiting. They did not, walloping UConn 41-7, the touchdown allowed coming with only 12 seconds left. Remove that garbage-time possession, and the Blue Devils allowed a total of 120 yards. No matter how bad the Huskies are, and they are bad, holding an FBS team to 120 yards through 56 minutes is a testament to a comprehensive defense.

That defense will face a test in Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman this weekend, a defense he has succeeded against in the past. The Irish (7:30 ET on ABC) are favored by 5.5 points with a combined point total Over/Under of 53.

Louisville (4-0): The Cardinals are one win away from being the third-straight unbeaten opponent on Notre Dame’s schedule and quite possibly the second ranked ACC foe, rendering today’s introduction inaccurate. That ranking will be built on the back of winning ugly game after ugly game against inferior opponents. Last week was the exception, not an ugly game, routing Boston College 56-28, with Louisville the beneficiary of four explosive-play touchdowns and excellent field position the entire game.

The Cardinals’ offense is getting by thanks to those big plays. Without them, Louisville would have lost to Georgia Tech in the season opener and Indiana two weeks ago. Of note: The Irish defense has given up only one explosive score this season, last week’s 61-yard rush to Ohio State.

The Cardinals will lean on their run game Friday night at North Carolina State (7 ET on ESPN), 3.5-point favorites in what should be a low-scoring affair, perhaps partly because Louisville may do what Duke did not, look ahead to Notre Dame.

No. 8 USC (4-0): The Trojans allowed Drew Pyne and Arizona State to hang around late Saturday night, though the Sun Devils never had the ball with a chance to take the lead. Literally, the whole game. Arizona State never had possession with the deficit less than seven points. In that respect, USC was comfortable all night as defending Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams scored five total touchdowns, numbing the pain of one mishandled snap.

USC now gets to run up the score on Colorado (12 ET on FOX), favored by 21.5 points with an Over/Under of 73.5 suggesting the Trojans should flirt with a 50-spot.

Pittsburgh (1-3): With the Panthers trailing North Carolina, 28-17, at the end of the first half, Christian Veilleux replaced Phil Jurkovec behind center due to a targeting hit on Jurkovec. The Boston College and Notre Dame transfer did not return to the 41-24 loss, while the Penn State transfer completed just seven of 18 passes for 85 yards — an average of 4.7 yards per pass attempt — and threw two interceptions.

As bad as Jurkovec has been this season, it would appear his job is safe as long as he is healthy. There is no clear word yet this week about Jurkovec’s health, but with the Panthers favored by only 2.5 points at Virginia Tech (8 ET on ACCN), one may surmise he will be sidelined. Raw numbers suggest Pittsburgh would be favored by 5.5 in this game, that aggressive knock down perhaps being Jurkovec’s value over Veilleux.

Clemson (2-2): The Tigers should be 4-0 and ranked in the top five. Scoring no points on three quality drives in the second half at Duke to open the season cost Clemson out of the gates, and missing a field goal at the end of regulation last weekend against Florida State led to an overtime loss and the Tigers standing at .500 a third of the way into the season.

As long as those are Clemson’s only two losses, these vague disclaimers will be remembered. But as soon as it loses a third game, perhaps this weekend at Syracuse (12 ET on ABC) as a 6.5-point favorite, then the Tigers’ repeated close calls will no longer be a vague compliment.

Wake Forest (3-1): This space’s preseason preview of Wake Forest mused, “This year will answer if the Deacons’ near-decade of success was entirely dependent on a strong run of quarterbacks or if those quarterbacks were somewhat a byproduct of (head coach Dave) Clawson’s design.” The answer may be a credit to the preceding quarterbacks, including Sam Hartman.

Losing 30-16 at home to Georgia Tech will not be a fun thought to carry into an idle week.

Stanford (1-3): The Cardinal are hurtling toward an uglier season than most cynics expected entering the year, which was a low bar to start with. Turnovers did not doom Stanford at home against Arizona. Neither did a lopsided offensive showing. The Cardinal was just beaten in a tight game, 21-20, one of the rare moments Stanford had a chance at a win.

There will be no chance at a win against No. 9 Oregon (6:30 ET on Pac-12 Network), not as a 27-point underdog against a Heisman hopeful.

Navy (1-2): Off its second idle week, the Midshipmen will host South Florida (3:30 ET on CBSSN) as three-point favorites.

Tennessee State (2-1): Off an idle week, the Tigers head to Tennessee-Martin.

North Carolina State (3-1): The Wolfpack needed a last-second field goal to beat woeful Virginia, 24-21, last Friday night, a baffling victory but a victory, nonetheless.

North Carolina State gets to repeat its Friday night showing tonight with that visit from Louisville.

Central Michigan (2-2): The Chippewas surprised South Alabama with a 34-30 upset on the road as 16.5-point underdogs. Backup quarterback Jase Bauer again played in Bert Emanuel Jr.’s stead, scoring all five of Central Michigan’s touchdowns, four coming on the ground.

Now the Chippewas begin their fracas for Michigan bragging rights, hosting Eastern Michigan (1:30 on ESPN+) as a 7.5-point favorite.

No. 4 Ohio State (4-0): The Buckeyes have the week off.

Favorites: Louisville (-3.5) at North Carolina State; USC (-21.5) at Colorado; Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Virginia Tech; Clemson (-6.5) at Syracuse; Navy (-3) vs South Florida; Central Michigan (-7.5) vs Eastern Michigan.
Underdogs: Duke (+5.5) vs Notre Dame; Stanford (+27) vs Oregon

Friday
7:00 ET — Louisville at North Carolina State on ESPN.

Saturday
12:00 ET — USC at Colorado on FOX; Clemson at Syracuse on ABC.
1:30 ET — Central Michigan vs Eastern Michigan on ESPN+.
3:30 ET — Navy vs South Florida on CBSSN.
6:30 ET — Stanford vs Oregon on Pac-12 Network.
7:30 ET — Notre Dame at Louisville on ABC.
8:00 ET — Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech on ACCN.

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