Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh preview
Heinz Field
Last Meeting ( Nov 3, 2012 ) Pittsburgh 26, Notre Dame 29
No. 25 Notre Dame has made a habit of doing just enough to win lately, which also sums up how its recent meetings with Pittsburgh have gone. The Fighting Irish have won four in a row entering Saturday’s road contest against the Panthers, including three by four points or fewer after a 38-34 victory over Navy last weekend. Notre Dame’s last five games against Pittsburgh have been decided by an average of four points, highlighted by last season’s 29-26 triple-overtime victory.
The Figthing Irish are the only FBS team with five wins by seven points or fewer this season. The Panthers, who have dropped three straight in this series, have lost two straight and three of four overall after falling 21-10 at Georgia Tech last Saturday. Despite the loss, defensive tackle Aaron Donald had a day to remember with 11 tackles (including six for losses – the most by a player in FBS in 2013), two forced fumbles and a sack.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Notre Dame -5
ABOUT NORTE DAME (7-2): Linebacker Ben Councell will miss the rest of the season with a left knee injury, one of three key defensive players (along with defensive linemen Kona Schwenke and Sheldon Day) injured against Navy. Councell is the third linebacker the team has lost since the start of the season while Schwenke was filling in for Day and Louis Nix III, both of whom have missed multiple games this season. Notre Dame also lost defensive linemen Chase Hounshell and Tony Springmann to season-ending injuries earlier in the year.
ABOUT PITTSBURGH (4-4): Donald was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his effort against Georgia Tech and leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.4 per game), ranks third in sacks (1.1 per game) and is tied for 12th in forced fumbles (0.38). Freshman receiver Tyler Boyd had a career-high 11 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against Georgia Tech. Boyd has four 100-yard receiving games through his first eight career contests, matching Larry Fitzgerald’s 2002 freshman season record.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Notre Dame has won 10 consecutive games decided by a touchdown or less, tying coach Brian Kelly with Knute Rockne for the second-longest such streak in school history.
2. Donald is the nation’s active career leader with 27.5 sacks.
3. The Fighting Irish are 11-1 in November under Kelly.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 31, Pittsburgh 30