Notre Dame and Boise State will meet this weekend in a matchup between a pair of College Football Playoff teams from last season. The Notre Dame offense has played red hot football over the last three weeks but it will face a quality Bronco defense this weekend. If Notre Dame is going to continue its current win streak the offense will need to keep rolling.
Notre Dame has averaged 46 offensive points in the last three games, which is the most of the Marcus Freeman era. Irish fans hope the offense won't need to score at that rate to beat Boise State, but the unit will certainly need to continue playing at a high level if the Irish are going to come away with a victory.
Let's take a look at how the Notre Dame offense stacks up against the Boise State defense:
Things didn't start out great for the Irish offense, which scored just 24 points and had two bad turnovers in the loss to Miami. It showed improvement in game two against Texas A&M, scoring 33 points and racking up 429 yards (6.0 YPP). What we've seen from this offense in the last two games has been downright elite.
Notre Dame averaged 52.5 offensive points in wins over Purdue and Arkansas, and its 105 offensive points is the most from an Irish offense in back-to-back games since 1977. Notre Dame has racked up impressive yard totals in the two wins. Notre Dame went for 535 yards in the win over Purdue and 641 yards in the win over Arkansas. The offense averaged 8.5 and 8.9 yards per play, respectively, in those two victories. The 641 yards is the most from a Notre Dame offense since 2017 when the Irish went for 710 yards in a win over Wake Forest.
Everything about the offense has improved. Notre Dame is running the ball better, it is throwing the ball better and it is certainly playing more efficient football. Notre Dame went 6-10 on third down in each of the last two games. Even more impressively, the offense went a combined 7-8 on third down in the first half of those victories. By moving the chains so effectively the offense has been able to stay on the field, creating more opportunities for big plays to happen.
Notre Dame ranks 12th in red zone touchdown percentage, but the offense ranks 63rd in red zone trips. That is further evidence of Notre Dame's big play ability. You don't average 44 points per game while ranking 63rd in red zone trips without being a big play offense.
Boise State has struggled with big plays on defense, giving up 12 so far this season. That is something to watch in this matchup. Can Notre Dame's big play offense continue ripping off those game changing plays against a Boise State defense that has struggled to limit big plays this season.
The Broncos ranks 37th in scoring defense in 2024, but so far this season it has struggled to keep points down against its two best opponents. South Florida and Air Force both went over 30 points against the Broncos. Boise State ranks near the bottom in red zone defense and its third down defense has struggled as well.
The good news for Bronco fans is that the defense is coming off its best performance of the season. Boise State allowed just 174 yards and 3.1 yards per play against Appalachian State. It also held the Mountaineers to just 2-of-12 on third down.
On paper this is a mismatch for Notre Dame, but the Irish will need to continue playing the clean (mostly), big play football it has shown the last two games.
Advantage: Notre Dame
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