Notre Dame won its fourth straight game in convincing fashion with a 36-7 victory over NC State. It was a struggle for awhile, but Notre Dame turned it on during the second half and buried the Wolfpack. Notre Dame takes the all-time series lead over NC State and picked up yet another convincing win over an ACC foe.
There were a number of standouts from the win, but below are my top performers for the Irish.
OFFENSE - Eli Raridon, Tight End
Stats: 7 catches, 109 yards, 15.6 YPC
Runners Up: WR Will Pauling (7 catches, 105 yards, 1 TD), QB CJ Carr (342 yards, 2 TD)
Senior tight end Eli Raridon has been a weapon for the Notre Dame offense all season but his performance against NC State was the best of his career. Raridon hauled in seven passes for 105 yards, making plays down the field throughout the game. NC State spent a lot of its game plan focusing limiting Malachi Fields and the Irish running backs, which meant they weren't focused on Raridon and he certainly made them play.
He beat NC State over the middle on a deep throw, had a huge gain on a backside seam and late in the game he made a tremendous grab on a deep corner route. Raridon also drew a pass interference penalty for another first down in the game. NC State had no answers for Raridon, who used his size and athleticism to get open throughout the game and make several big plays. Raridon hauled in catches for 36 yards, 30 yards and 26 yards. He also had a key 14-yard gain that converted a 3rd-and-7 and got the Irish inside the 10-yard line.
Raridon had a quality performance in the run game as well, which adds to his player of the game credentials.
He wasn't the only standout in the pass game. Fifth-year senior Will Pauling had his most productive performance in a Notre Dame uniform, hauling in seven catches of his own for 105 yards and a touchdown. It's the third straight game that Pauling has caught a touchdown pass. Quarterback CJ Carr had another big game for the Irish. He was the one distributing the ball to Raridon and Pauling. His backside seam throw to Raridon was a thing of beauty, as was the corner route.
DEFENSE - Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Linebacker
Bowen Stats: 7 tackles
Viliamu-Asa Stats: 6 tackles, 1 INT
Runners Up: DE Boubacar Traore (4 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks), S Adon Shuler (3 tackles, 1 INT), DE Junior Tuihalamaka (2 tackles, 1 TFL), CB Christian Gray (2 break ups)
It was very hard to pick just one standout from the game, and ultimately I couldn't do it. You could make a case for five different players earning this spot. I am going with linebackers Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who were both incredibly impactful in all aspects of the game.
Bowen was all over the field making plays. He played a key role in keeping standout running back Hollywood Smothers from making plays as a runner or passer. Bowen's early open field tackle of Smothers in the flats was a great read and showed off his speed and athleticism. NC State also tried to beat him deep with RB isolation go route but Bowen locked it down. He delivered punishing hits throughout the game, had two pressures and did a great job getting his teammates lined up.
Viliamu-Asa was all over the field as well and he played a key role at the point of attack with shutting down the NC State run game. It was one of his most impactful run game performances of the season, but that still didn't stop him from making plays in the pass game, and that goes beyond the interception he had in the fourth quarter.
Redshirt sophomore Boubacar Traore was a major factor in the pass game, tying a career high with two sacks to go with a team-leading three pressures (PFF). Traore has often dominated as a pass rusher with his speed, but he mixed in some physical pressures in the game as well. Traore was stout on the edge against the run as well, and it's impressive how much that part of his game has improved. Fellow redshirt sophomore Adon Shuler was also a factor in the game and is really getting into a rhythm. Senior Junior Tuihalamaka was active as a pass rusher and showed instincts sniffing out a throwback to the quarterback that shut down a potential big play for the Wolfpack.
SPECIAL TEAMS - Tyler Buchner, Quarterback
Fifth-year senior Tyler Buchner had the special teams play of the game with the Irish up just 10-7 in the third quarter. The Notre Dame offense was struggling, but Carr found Jordan Faison over the middle to pick up 15 yards on a 3rd-and-17. That put them in position to fake a 4th-down punt, and Buchner made a good read and run to move the chains. That crucial 4th-down conversion led to a Carr touchdown pass to KK Smith that put the Irish up 17-7 and gave them the distance they needed to bury NC State.
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