Three keys and prediction: Notre Dame – UMass

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1. Cover Tajae Sharpe. UMass’ best offensive weapon is Sharpe, a senior receiver with 294 yards in two games this year. If KeiVarae Russell and/or Cole Luke can mute his production, quarterback Blake Frohnapfel’s best target is eliminated. Frohnapfel is wildly inefficient — he’s completed 55.1 percent of his passes this year and thrown two picks — and will be in for a long day if he can’t get the ball to Sharpe. But this Irish secondary struggled against the Virginia tandem of Matt Johns and Canaan Severin, so it’s not a given that Sharpe will be locked down on Saturday.

[MORE: Notre Dame aiming to not take UMass lightly]

2. Set the tone early. Notre Dame hasn’t allowed a first quarter point this year. If that trend continues the Irish establish C.J. Prosise and Will Fuller early and jump out to a quick and sizable lead, a UMass team that’s 5-33 at the FBS level likely will have no chance of a comeback. The last thing Notre Dame wants is this to be close at halftime, requiring a second-half push to pull away.

[MORE: UMass game should be good opportunity for Brandon Wimbush]

3. Rest the starters. This is a game Notre Dame should win by a wide margin, which should allow mass substitutions on offense and defense to take place in the second half. Getting Prosise, Fuller, Ronnie Stanley, Sheldon Day, Jaylon Smith, Joe Schmidt & Co. off the field will help keep the fresh for next week’s playoff showdown at Clemson, and also allow some younger guys and key depth (like freshman quarterback Brandon Wimbush) to get some valuable experience.

Prediction: Notre Dame 48, UMass 13

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