The 2025 season has been a weird one for the Notre Dame defense, but there's no doubt the unit is headed in the right direction. After getting off to an abysmal start of the season, the Irish have played much, much better defense in recent weeks. Heading into the bye week Notre Dame was playing as good as any team in the country on defense, outside of maybe Ohio State. In the matchup against Boston College the Irish face a unit that should allow them to continue thriving.

Notre Dame had a very hard time adjusting to defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who went away from the defensive structure that worked so well the last two seasons. Ash implemented a much more passive defense and it didn't work, as the Irish gave up 32.7 points per game, 398.7 yards per game and 5.8 yards per play in the first three games. 

We started to see a change in the 56-13 win over Arkansas, but it wasn't until the Boise State game that Notre Dame showed the more aggressive style that worked so well heading into the bye week. Notre Dame gave up just 12.7 points per game, 314.7 yards per game and 4.7 yards per play. It allowed 24 points and 396 yards against USC, but those were both season lows for the Trojans, as was the 5.6 yards per play. 

Over the last four games the Notre Dame defense gave up just 12.8 points per game, 327.3 yards per game and 5.0 yards per play. What makes those numbers even more impressive is that three of those opponents (USC, Arkansas, Boise State) rank in the Top 30 in scoring offense this season. It's the kind of defense Irish fans expected this unit to play coming into the season.

The question in the final five games will be can the defense continue playing at this high level, which will largely be determined by the defense continuing to play the aggressive style we saw the last three games. If they do there's a good chance the defense will come out of the break playing the same dominant football it was playing going into the break. That will be needed if Notre Dame is going to run the table in the regular season and then make another deep run in the postseason.

Boston College is a very interesting offensive football team. They have a very talented quarterback in Dylan Lonergan, who may or may not start. Boston College has talented skill players outside and in the backfield. But that talent hasn't manifested into matching production. Boston College doesn't rank in the Top 75 nationally in scoring, total offense, yards per play or red zone offense, and it ranks just 73rd in third-down offense.

Turnovers have been a major issue for the Eagles, who rank 120th with 14 turnovers on the season. That presents a great opportunity for the Notre Dame defense, who ranks 12th nationally with 15 forced turnovers on the season.

A big issue for Boston College has been the play of the offensive line. The Eagles rank 80th in tackles for loss allowed, 112th in sacks allowed and the unit has struggled to win enough battles to allow its talent to show out. If Notre Dame wants to dominate this matchup it will need the defensive line to continue playing the dominate football it did in the three games going into the break.

That matchup has an interesting storyline heading in. Notre Dame defensive end Boubacar Traore went to high school just outside of Boston. Even more intriguing is that defensive line coach Al Washington played defensive line for the Eagles from 2002-05. Boston College actually went 3-0 against Notre Dame during Washington's playing career.

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