Notre Dame is looking to re-establish a level of dominance against their ACC opponents and they'll have another prime opportunity this Saturday afternoon against the 7-2 Pittsburgh Panthers. Pitt will likely enter this matchup ranked a spot or two higher than what they were this past weekend after some chaos around college football.
The Irish are riding a seven game win streak and will likely be ranked inside the CFP Top 10 ahead of their matchup this weekend. Head coach Marcus Freeman opened today's press conference talking about their upcoming opponent and wanted to make one thing abundantly clear: this is not an opponent to over look.
"Somebody texted me yesterday that this is a trap game," Freeman said. "I said, ‘This is not a trap game, this is a challenge.' This is a real challenge and a great challenge. We have to understand the challenge we have ahead of us Saturday and use that as a reminder to prepare the right way, to take what we have and that’s what’s right in front of us. We’ve got to get to work and we’ve been getting to work and have got to continue to do it."
Pittsburgh is riding a five game winning streak and have looked like a different unit after making a quarterback change. Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi elected to bench quarterback Eli Holstein and go to freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel.
"They’re 7-2, on a five-game winning streak and playing with a lot of confidence and momentum and rightfully so," Freeman stated. "They’re earned it. On offense, they’re explosive, play fast, utilize shifts, motions and temp. I think they’re in the top 10 in scoring offense right now. They obviously made the change at quarterback and he is confident in himself but you see the confidence in the people around him."
"He is really doing some great things with this offense," Freeman continued. "They’ve got great weapons across the board. Their aggressive and tough; everything you would think of. I've studied Pat Narduzzi and the things they do for years. "They’re creating a lot of havoc. They’ll do everything in their power to stop the run so we’ve got to be prepared and we’ve got to have answers. I’ve seen a big difference in their special teams from the last time we played them. They are creative, challenging on all phases of special teams and we have to be prepared for that."
Notre Dame's young offensive line will be put to the test against a productive Panthers defensive front. As of today, Pitt ranks No. 3 in the country in rushing yards allowed per game and No. 1 in the country in rushing yards allowed per attempt. The Irish have redshirt sophomores Joe Otting and Sullivan Absher going into their third and second career starts respectively. They'll be put to the test this weekend but Freeman is confident they'll handle their own.
"They're improving," Freeman explained. "There's areas where they have to continue to improve, just like everybody else. But they're doing a really good job and not only recognizing different tells from the defense, but trying to play on their side of the line of scrimmage and that's the ultimate challenge. They're also doing a good job in pass protection. Otting is doing a good job at recognizing different looks and making calls. It's going to be a greater challenge, we know that. This challenge ahead of us is going to be a really tough one. We've got to keep working and preparing, but I'm really pleased with the way they've been playing."
Freeman is correct, Notre Dame will have a tough challenge in front of them. Pitt has gained momentum this season and is looking to add another win to their five-game streak. With a win Saturday, the playoff odds for the Irish will continue to rise. This is a big matchup in Acrisure Stadium Saturday afternoon, but Freeman is confident his group won't be overlooking this opponent.
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