Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2013 ) Notre Dame 21, Pittsburgh 28

Notre Dame debuted in the College Football Playoff rankings right on the edge of the top four at No. 5, beating out a host of undefeated teams based partly on its strength of schedule. That schedule strength will get another boost when the Fighting Irish visit Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Notre Dame’s lone setback came at No. 1 Clemson by two points, and a solid victory at Temple last week only improved its stock. The Irish squeezed out a 24-20 come-from-behind win over the Owls, marking just the second time this season (after the 24-22 loss to Clemson) that the team failed to score at least 30 points. That offense will go up against a Panthers defense eager to bounce back after surrendering first place in the ACC Coastal Division with a 26-19 home loss to North Carolina last week. “They're bringing a great football team, very well coached,” Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi told reporters of Notre Dame. “Obviously, a top-10 football team and probably one of the most talented teams that will walk into Heinz Field this year.”

TV: Noon ET, ABC. LINE: Notre Dame -8.5

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (7-1): The Irish need some help from the outside to move into the top four and make the playoff but should be favored in each of the next three games before finishing out the regular season at Stanford. Quarterback DeShone Kinzer ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns last week but could not find the end zone through the air until hitting Will Fuller with a go-ahead touchdown pass with 2:09 to play. “It just says a lot about DeShone's maturity and trust in his own ability in finding Will Fuller because that was probably, in my opinion, one of the best throws he made all night,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters of Kinzer.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (6-2): The Panthers are stepping out of conference play before finishing up with a rough stretch against Duke, Louisville and Miami in ACC play. "I don't know if there's ever a good time to play Notre Dame, am I right?” Narduzzi questioned reporters. “I mean, it's a good football team. It doesn't matter if it's within the first four games or late in the season, it doesn't matter. We have to re-evaluate what we have going and what we've done.” Narduzzi would like to see his defense improve the pass rush to take some of the pressure off the defensive backfield, which was burned for a pair of long touchdowns in the loss to North Carolina.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh took the most recent meeting 28-21 at home on Nov. 9, 2013.

2. Kinzer became the second QB in Notre Dame history to throw for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 100 in the same game last week (Jarious Jackson).

3. Panthers WR Tyler Boyd needs 49 receiving yards to pass Antonio Bryant (3,061) for the school record.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 34, Pittsburgh 28