Notre Dame's defense has been steadily improving since their abysmal performance against Texas A&M in week three of the regular season. They hit a turning point in the second half against Purdue and really turned it on against Arkansas and Boise State. Their momentum has been impressive, but defensive coordinator Chris Ash will have another daunting challenge ahead of him this weekend as he prepares his guys to contain and explosive NC State offense. The Wolfpack have tallied 59 explosive plays so far this season (34 rushing and 25 passing) and will be looking to do more of the same in South Bend Saturday afternoon. We've broken down the three biggest storylines, two biggest position battles and one player to keep your eye on for the offense in Saturday's game.
Three Biggest Storylines
1. Can The Defense Keep The Momentum? - Notre Dame's defense held Boise State's offense to seven total points and 315 total yards of offense. Coming into their matchup, the Broncos were averaging close to 40 points per game and 520 total yards of offense. It was an extremely impressive performance from Ash's group, but can they contain a high-powered NC State offense? This game will be a litmus test to see if they carry over the aggressive tendencies they showcased against Boise State. On October 18, they face yet another high-powered offense when USC comes to town; Notre Dame's defense will have to continue their momentum against the Wolfpack this weekend.
2. Make CJ Bailey Uncomfortable - Bailey is one of the better quarterbacks the Irish will face this season. The 6-6, 215-pound quarterback has an extremely big arm and is more accurate than some of the previous quarterbacks they've faced. The Notre Dame defense is coming off of a game where they pressured Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen 33 times, but only got home four times. When given the opportunity, they have to bring Bailey to the ground. The defensive line, in particular, missed out on too many sack opportunities last weekend. Pressuring Bailey will limit their big play ability and will force him to put the ball in harms way.
3. Stopping The Run Is Key - One of the more underrated players for NC State's offensive success has been running back Hollywood Smothers. The 5-11, 195-pound back has rushed for 693 yards on 100 attempts and reached the end zone five times on the ground and once through the air. He's recorded runs of 42, 51, 57 and 59 yards through six games and has been a focal point of the Wolfpack offense. Notre Dame's defense has been relatively stout against the run the last few weeks. They will have to do everything they can to make NC State one-dimensional on offense and that begins with shutting down their ground attack.
Two Key Battles
1. Notre Dame Defensive Backs vs NC State Pass Catchers - This is one of the more talented group of pass catchers Notre Dame will face this season. Receivers Noah Rogers, Terrell Anderson, Wesley Grimes and tight end Justin Joly have combined for 1,122 yards, 78 receptions and eight touchdowns so far this season. The Fighting Irish defensive backs have rebounded from their early season woes, but haven't faced a test like this since the Texas A&M game. With Leonard Moore back healthy, their nickel position figured out and safety Tae Johnson inserted into the starting lineup, the secondary for Notre Dame is in a prime position to limit the big playmaking ability of the NC State pass catchers.
2. Notre Dame Pass Rush vs NC State Offensive Line - NC State's offensive line has kept Bailey's jersey relatively clean throughout the season. They've only allowed three sacks on the season and 49 total pressures through six games. They don't have any first round draft picks on their offensive line, but what they do have is a unit of five guys who all execute and do their job. Sometimes, that's all you need when you have the skilled talent the Wolfpack have. Notre Dame's defense is coming off of a game where they had 33 pressures against Boise State; that performance will have to be replicated relative to the level of competition they're facing this weekend. If the pass rush can get home, NC State will struggle to put points on the board.
One Player To Watch: Cornerback Christian Gray
Cornerback Christian Gray has quickly become one of the more polarizing topics of Notre Dame's defense. He started the season in rough fashion getting targeted 12 times against Miami and allowing seven receptions. Since then, Gray has turned a corner and has started to look like the corner we remember from 2024 in some aspects. This weekend, he'll be going against both Rogers and Anderson who have big playmaking ability. These next two weeks for the St. Louis native will be massive moving forward. If Gray is able to return to form against NC State, this cornerback duo in South Bend will be hard to beat.
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