Notre Dame's defense is coming off of one of their most impressive performances of the Chris Ash era considered the level of opponent they faced. They held Miami to just three points in the first half, their lowest output since October of 2023. The Fighting Irish defense was also able to get off of the field in the most crucial moment of the game and forced turnovers against a team that does a tremendous job of taking care of the football.

This week, they have the opportunity to maintain their dominant streak against a reeling offense. Boston College has struggled to put up points against teams with a pulse. As a team, they scored 14 points against Virginia Tech, 16 against SMU and two against Duke. Here are the three biggest storylines, two crucial battles and one player to watch for Notre Dame's defense when they host the Eagles. 

1. Stay Focused

This offense should not be able to consistently move the ball on this defense. Quarterback Mason McKenzie is a fine player, but he doesn't compare to some of the other signal callers the Irish have faced this season. They're game plan on offense is to essentially let him play street-ball. That works when they play teams like Main, Rutgers and Georgia Tech who don't have a significant talent advantage. That didn't work, however, against Virginia Tech, SMU and Duke and it certainly should not work against this Notre Dame defense. Their biggest key is remaining focused, disciplined and aggressive against this Boston College offense. Do that and they'll struggle to move the football. 

2. Build Off Of Miami Performance

There's several factors as to why the Notre Dame defense played significantly better against Miami than what I thought they would entering the matchup. Regardless of the why, the product on the field yielded promising results. Now, it's time to build on the things they did against Miami. The aggressive, downhill, man-coverage defense we saw against the Hurricanes can't be a one-off or something we only see against top-level competition. This game is the opportunity for Notre Dame to fine tune the things they executed last weekend. 

3. Get The Football

Boston College, unlike some of the other opponents they faced this season, does not do a good job of taking care of the football. They rank 109th in the country in turnovers lost (14) and 113th in the country in interceptions thrown (9). Notre Dame, on the other hand, ranks 6th in the country in turnovers gained (18). This should be the key difference maker for the Irish in this matchup. McKenzie and the Boston College offense will give the Irish ample opportunities to take the ball away and they'll have to capitalize on the opportunity when presented.

1. Boubacar Traore vs Kristian Phillips

One of the key difference makers in their 31-24 win over the Hurricanes was the presence of defensive end Boubacar Traore. He consistently got pressure on Darian Mensah and was a force against the run getting two crucial stops in the first half. This weekend. the 6-5, 253-pound edge rusher is going up against right tackle Kristian Phillips who has struggled mightily in pass protection. This season, the 6-4, 315-pound tackle has allowed a team-leading 23 pressures and eight hits plus sacks on the quarterback. Traore, on the other hand, leads the Irish with 29 total pressures and 11 hits plus sacks on the quarterback according to PFF. This is a matchup he should dominate. 

2. Tionne Gray vs DJ Williams 

There might not be a more significant size advantage for Notre Dame than the matchup between 6-5, 327-pound defensive tackle Tionne Gray and 6-2, 300-pound Boston College center DJ Williams. Williams has allowed 16 total pressures and four hits plus sacks on the quarterback this season as a center. Gray is coming off his most dominant and consistent performance of the season against Miami. The former Oregon defensive tackle needs to show that he can stack performances and do it against inferior competition because he shows out when the lights are the brightest. 

One player that needed to get back on track against the Hurricanes was junior defensive end Bryce Young. The 6-6, 260p-pound edge rusher was a game-wrecker this past weekend and he has the opportunity to do the same this weekend against Boston College. Unlike the Gray-Williams matchup along the interior, the Irish don't have the size advantage in this one. Young will be going against 6-9, 315-pound left tackle Veguer Jean-Jumeau who has allowed 14 total pressures this season and six hits plus sacks on the quarterback. Young has the opportunity to stack performances and build some momentum heading into their Senior Day matchup against SMU. 

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