Notre Dame @ Northwestern preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 15, 2014 ) Northwestern 43, Notre Dame 40

Notre Dame continues its march to an undefeated season as it visits Northwestern on Saturday evening. The third-ranked Fighting Irish are coming off a relatively easy win over Navy, while the Wildcats got a huge home win over Wisconsin and are in the driver’s seat to win the Big Ten West.

Notre Dame took care of business as a 22.5-point favorite in San Diego as running back Dexter Williams gashed Navy for 142 yards and three touchdowns in the 44-22 win. “I'm glad this game's over. Any time we play Navy, it is a chore for preparation...I'm just excited to move on to the next week with a victory,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters after the game. Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson ran for two scores and threw for another as the Wildcats upset previously ranked Wisconsin 31-17. "I think our team is starting to improve. I think we're growing up,” Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters of his team after the game.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Notre Dame -9.5.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (8-0): Notre Dame was focused on getting its running game back on track after a mediocre performance two weeks ago and Williams delivered with a little help from Jafar Armstrong (nine carries for 52 yards and a touchdown), who was playing in his first game since Sept. 22. Quarterback Ian Book is the key to the Irish offense, however, and his stat line of 27-of-33 for 330 yards and two touchdowns increased his season totals to 1,468 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions in the five games he has started this season. The Fighting Irish defense, which ranks sixth in the nation in the S&P+ advanced metric, had no problem adapting to Navy’s triple-option offense and were able to pitch a shutout in the first half, allowing the offense to build a 27-0 lead.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (5-3): Thorson was shaky through the air, throwing three interceptions to go along with the touchdown on 17-of-30 passing for 167 yards, bringing the senior’s season totals to 193-of-318, 2,072 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has also taken 18 sacks on the season and will have to stay upright against a Fighting Irish defense that has 17 sacks. Freshman running back Isaiah Bowser has provided a nice spark to the Wildcats offense with back-to-back 100-yard efforts after gashing the Badgers for 117 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Book’s completion rate of 76.5 is the best in the nation.

2. Thorson has started 47 straight games at quarterback, the second-longest active streak in FBS.

3. Irish LB Te’Von Coney had 14 tackles against Navy, one week after being named to the Pro Football Focus Midseason All-America First Team.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 31, Northwestern 21