Week 11 Preview: Notre Dame vs Boston College

The 2015 edition of the Shamrock Series will get underway tomorrow night when the 4th ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (9-1) travel to historic Fenway Park to take on the Boston College Eagles (3-7). In the past, Boston College has spoiled some of Notre Dame's better seasons, but can the Eagles derail the Irish once again?

Here's what to look for tomorrow night...

1. Can the Irish run on Boston College? Despite their poor record, the Eagles have one of the best defenses in the country, particularly against stopping the run. We all know the Irish have had sort of a boom or bust rushing attack by gouging defenses with big runs, yet struggling to even gain positive yards on many occasions throughout the year. So, pay attention to the trenches early on. If the Irish can consistently gain positive yardage against the Eagles' stout defensive line, then it will be a long day for Boston College. However, even if the Irish can't run the ball effectively on a consistent basis, you can rest assure that Brian Kelly won't completely abandon the run given Notre Dame's tendency for explosive runs.

2. Kizer time. Considering how well Boston College has performed against the run, it will be up to DeShone Kizer to lead the Irish with his arm and his legs. When facing quality defenses like Temple, Clemson, and Pittsburgh, Kizer had some of his best performances of the season, and I expect that to continue tomorrow night. I'm asuming that the Eagles will load the box to take away the run, so look for Kizer to have opportunities for big plays in the passing game.

3. Complete defensive effort. The Irish defense has played great at times, but they have also struggled at some point in every game. Boston College has one of the nation's worst offenses, so now would be the time to shut down, or even shutout the opposition. Notre Dame's front seven appears to have a huge edge in skill, athleticism, and size, so let's see if they can take advantage of that mismatch. It is always hard to shutout any team in college football, but it should be a realistic goal to keep the Eagles out of the end zone.

This one could look similar to last week versus Wake Forest, but I think the Irish offense will fare a bit better if the time of possession isn't drastically skewed like it was last Saturday.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Boston College 6

-Eric Tichelbaut

Twitter @etichel07

Week 10 Preview: Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest

Tomorrow is Senior Day in South Bend, and the 4th ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (8-1) will host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-6). While the Irish are ranked 4th, I firmly believe that they do not control their own destiny on their quest to the college football playoff. There's no doubt the Irish will need help, but that will be all moot if they don't win their final three games. On paper, this match-up looks like a blowout in favor of the Irish. Will that prove to be the case?

Here's three things the Irish can do to make that happen...

1. Give Josh Adams some work. Even if C.J. Prosise suits up, true freshman Josh Adams has proved that he is capable of handling some of the workload. There is no doubt Prosise has been a workhorse, but that's probably part of the reason he's banged up. Since the Irish have a great offensive line, they should continue to lean on them regardless of who is the running back.

2. Start fast. Whenever it is Senior Day, there's always a worry that the home team will come out sluggish given the emotions. I don't expect this to happen, but it needs to be brought up. I actually expect a few deep balls early, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Irish up 14-0 in a hurry.

3. No big plays. The Achilles Heel of this defense has been allowing the big plays, and the secondary has been most to blame. If the Irish want to run the table, which includes beating a terrific Stanford team, and knocking off two teams in the playoffs, they simply can't afford these lapses in coverage.

The Irish are a superior team, and I really don't expect Wake Forest to be competitive.

Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Wake Forest 13

-Eric Tichelbaut
@etichel07

Week 9 Preview: Notre Dame at Pittsburgh

In a rare occurrence, Notre Dame (7-1) will kick-off at 11am when the 5th ranked Fighting Irish travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers (6-2). I don't think I have to remind Irish fans that Pitt has historically played Notre Dame tough, so expect another hard fought contest.

Here are three things to look forward to tomorrow morning...

1. Get Prosise going again. C.J. Prosise had a tough time last week versus Temple, and he faces another good defense tomorrow. Nevertheless, I fully expect Brian Kelly to make an effort to get Prosise going early and often. By doing this, one of two things will happen. Either Prosise will run it down Pitt's throat, or we will find out if Pitt will load the box to take him away like Clemson and Temple did. If that becomes the case, Kelly has shown he'll let DeShone Kizer take over. No defense has been able to stop both the run game and the passing game, so I don't expect that to happen tomorrow.

2. Be efficient in the red zone. Ever since Brian Kelly came to Notre Dame, the Irish have struggled in the red zone. I think a large part of that was the immobility of Tommy Rees, and turnovers were an issue with Everett Golson. This season, I feel the red zone efficiency hasn't been brutal, but it could have cost the Irish last week. Touchdowns are obviously more important than field goals, but avoiding careless turnovers and getting points is main key. I'm hoping for a flawless performance (TD or FG) in the red zone tomorrow. If that happens, then Notre Dame shouldn't have much trouble leaving with a victory.

3. Complete performance from Russell. Cornerback KeiVarae Russell has had an up-and-down season, but he has produced two of Notre Dame's biggest interceptions of the year. Still, Russell can and should be playing a more consistent level of defense. Pitt doesn't feature an explosive passing game, so now would be the time to play like a shutdown corner.

Pitt's defense will keep them in the game, but the Irish offense will be too hard to completely stop.

Prediction: Notre Dame 30, Pittsburgh 20

-Eric Tichelbaut

Twitter @etichel07