First look: What to know about Clemson’s ACC championship opponent, Notre Dame
Clemson and Notre Dame each had last week off and will now meet in the ACC championship game on Saturday in Charlotte. The Irish already beat Clemson once this season, but the Tigers were without several starters that night, including Heisman candidate Trevor Lawrence.
Notre Dame is currently ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings and has likely already clinched a spot in the CFP. Clemson can lock up a spot in the playoff with a win over the Irish. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney believes Clemson should be in the playoff win or lose. Here’s what you need to know about Saturday’s game:
No. 3 Clemson (9-1) vs. No. 2 Notre Dame (10-0)
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte
TV: ABC
Line: Clemson by 11
Three storylines for Tigers vs. Irish
1. Trevor Lawrence admitted that it was hard to watch from the sideline as Clemson lost to Notre Dame in double overtime last month. Now Lawrence gets his shot against the Irish. Clemson’s junior quarterback can also make a Heisman statement with a strong performance against Notre Dame. Lawrence currently has the fifth-best odds to win the Heisman at 16-1, but a strong showing Saturday could certainly help his chances.
2. Even though Notre Dame beat Clemson last time, it was far from a dominant performance. Tigers backup quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei passed for 439 yards. And receivers Cornell Powell and Amari Rodgers each had 100-yard games, giving Notre Dame defensive backs fits. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly acknowledged Sunday night that the Irish will need to play better defensively to have a shot Saturday.
3. While Kelly is looking for improvement from Notre Dame’s pass defense, Swinney wants to see Clemson’s offensive and defensive lines perform better against the Irish in Round 2. Notre Dame rushed for 209 yards against Clemson last month, while the Tigers rushed for only 34. Swinney said Sunday night that the Tigers “got our butts kicked” up front in the first game.
Notre Dame players to watch
1. Quarterback Ian Book has had an exceptional senior season and currently has the fourth-best Heisman odds at 14-1. Book has passed for 2,382 yards, with 15 touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He has also rushed for 465 yards and eight scores.
2. Running back Kyren Williams is a Doak Walker Award semifinalist. He rushed 23 times for 140 yards and three touchdowns the first time against Clemson and has 1,011 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the year.
3. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is a Bednarik Award semifinalist and one of the best defensive backs in the country. He is second on Notre Dame’s team with 46 tackles.
Clemson vs. Notre Dame, ACC betting odds for this week’s football games
- Florida State at Wake Forest (-7), Noon (ACC Network)
- Clemson (-11) vs. Notre Dame, 4 p.m. (ABC)
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "First look: What to know about Clemson’s ACC championship opponent, Notre Dame."
