No. 9 Notre Dame arrives at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday to face the No. 22 Pittsburgh Panthers in one of the biggest games of the Week 12 college football slate.
The Irish roll in with seven straight wins, fresh off a 49‑10 rout of Navy, as the Panthers counter with five consecutive victories, including a 35‑20 statement win at Stanford.
Many believe this clash will ultimately come down to Notre Dame’s multi-dimensional attack versus Pitt’s stout run defense, a storyline Nick Saban spotlighted Friday on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“They’re scoring 39 points a game, so Notre Dame’s got a pretty powerful offense, and it’s balanced, you know, they can run it, they can throw it. So I’m sure they’re going to think they can continue to do those kinds of things,” Saban said. “But Pittsburgh’s defense has been really good against the run. They’re one of the top teams in the country in stopping the run. So, if you can make them one-dimensional, then I think you’ve got a chance.”
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Through nine games, the Irish are averaging 38.7 points per game on offense (ninth in FBS) and allowing just 18.8 (18th); a 19.9 point differential that ranks sixth in the country.
Leading the way is junior running back Jeremiyah Love, who ranks fifth in the nation in rushing yards (988) and third in rushing touchdowns (13) on 131 touches (6.4 yards per carry).
Quarterback CJ Carr has also been impressive, throwing for 2,275 yards, 19 touchdowns, and four interceptions, completing 67.6% of his attempts along with a 176.8 passer rating (fourth-best in college football).
Having an efficient quarterback who averages over 250 passing yards a game, coupled with an elite dual-threat running back who’s putting up nearly 140 scrimmage yards per game, makes Notre Dame’s offense nearly impossible to stop.
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However, to Saban’s point, Pittsburgh also boasts one of the best run defenses in college football, allowing just 80.9 rushing yards per game (the third-fewest).
What makes this defense most intimidating is its balance — nine players have an interception, eight have multiple sacks, and five have 30-plus tackles.
Junior linebacker Kyle Louis leads the way with 52 combined tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.
Should Pitt bottle up the run and force Notre Dame into third-and-long, the game opens up: turnovers, heat on Carr, and the potential for big Pitt highlights.
On the flip side, if Notre Dame sustains drives with balanced downs and reduces third-and-long, the Irish can seize control of possession and rhythm.
Whichever way it goes, the outcome will vastly impact where things stand heading into bowl season.