The Clemson football team will take on Notre Dame on Saturday. Let’s take a look at each side of the ball and see who holds the advantage in this matchup.
As we get closer to Saturday, Clemson football fans are wondering just what kind of advantage they may have on Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are very talented and come in ranked sixth in the nation, but the Tigers hope to play well with a chip on their shoulder and get the victory Saturday night.
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Let’s take a look at when each team has the ball and who has the advantage on each side of the ball.
When Clemson has the ball:
When Clemson has the ball, it is very simple. I think they will go fast on first and second down and slow it down on third down. Deshaun Watson and the Clemson wide receivers may have an advantage against the Notre Dame secondary, but the Tiger offensive line has to find a way to block. The Fighting Irish front-seven is very talented and Clemson has to find a way to rush the ball. Hopefully, they have worked out the kinks with 15 days of practice and will be ready Saturday night when the game kicks off.
Advantage: Slight to Clemson
When Notre Dame has the ball:
The Fighting Irish offense has some of the best talent in the country. DeShone Kizer has looked solid in his last couple of games after taking over for an injured Malik Zaire. He is very athletic and makes a lot of plays with his legs. Sometimes he still makes mistakes in the passing game, especially if you can get him under pressure. C.J. Prosise has proven to be a very strong back after getting starts due to an injury ahead of him. He is one of the hardest runners in the nation and is capable of carrying the ball 20-30 times a game. In addition to that, the Fighting Irish have Will Fuller, one of the nation’s top receivers, and a top-notch offensive line.
The Clemson defense will be playing with a chip on its shoulder and I believe the Tigers will come out strong and continue to play strong defense. To be honest, this side of the ball is a complete wash for obvious reasons.
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Advantage: Even
Special Teams:
After three games, Clemson football fans cringe at the words “special teams.” Greg Huegel has looked consistent, but still has not earned the complete trust of the Tiger fan base. Ammon Lakip will handle kickoff duties, which hopefully means touch back after touch back. There has been no threat to return the ball this season, for the most part, but the Tigers do have some explosive players back there.
Overall, special teams do not look good for Clemson. Notre Dame has not been bad this season and until I see a difference, the Fighting Irish have to have the advantage here.
Advantage: Notre Dame
Coaching:
This is the last area of the game. It will be Dabo Swinney vs. Brian Kelly. Both men know how to coach and Swinney has done a great job putting a staff in place that knows how to win. Notre Dame also has a top-notch staff. To be honest, if you Notre Dame fans who has the better coaching staff, they’d say the Fighting Irish. If you ask Clemson fans who has the better staff, they’d say the Tigers. I, personally, think both staffs are really good and the game may be decided by who wins the “halftime adjustments” category.
For now, I’m going to put this one as “even” despite the fact Clemson has also had 15 days to prepare for this game.
Advantage: Even
Overall, Clemson has a slight advantage on offense and Notre Dame has an advantage on special teams. The two teams drew even when Notre Dame has the ball and in coaching. Only time will tell who truly holds these advantages, but for now I like the Tigers’ chances of winning the game Saturday night.
Next: Clemson vs Notre Dame: Game Announcers, TV Info, and More