This Saturday night in Notre Dame Stadium, the Irish walk into their biggest regular season test of the Marcus Freeman era. They've faced top five opponents during his tenure at home and on the road, but this game has a different feel. It's not an exaggeration to say that the fate of their entire season is riding on this one game. If Freeman and the Irish wish to get back to the College Football Playoffs, they'll have to get past the No. 1 team in the country, the Miami Hurricanes, in order to do so.
The Notre Dame offense has been hit or miss in the big games over the last year and a half. They didn't do what needed to be done last season against the Hurricanes but have an opportunity to right the ship this weekend on their home turf. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock will have to be in his bag Saturday night and quarterback CJ Carr will have to be sharp. Here are my three biggest storylines, two crucial battles and one player to watch in tomorrow night's monumental matchup in South Bend.
1. Be Ready To Win The Day
We have to have a very real conversation about the defense in big games since the start of 2025. They weren't able to get off the field against Miami in 2025 or prevent Texas A&M from walking into Notre Dame Stadium and drop 41 points. This season, in their biggest test, they weren't able to get off the field against BYU in Provo. Meanwhile, the offense only showed out in one of the three aforementioned games. This weekend, the offense needs to be prepared to win the day.
Freeman has utilized the offense as a compliment to the defense rather than a driver of success the last season and a half. That has to change tomorrow night. Despite Malachi Toney being out with an unfortunate ankle injury, the Miami offense remains exceptionally talented and are too good for the Irish and Freeman to hope to win this matchup 24-17. The offense will have to put up points in this game for the Irish to beat the No. 1 ranked team in the country and that's something Denbrock will have to be prepared for.
2. Perimeter Players Have To Make Plays
Miami brings one of the top rush defenses in the country to South Bend. They rank 1st in the country in rushing yards allowed per game, 3rd in the country in yards allowed per rush and 6th in the country in rushing touchdowns allowed. Meanwhile, their pass defense ranks 122nd in the country in yards allowed per game, 87th in the country in passing touchdowns allowed and 81st in the country in passer rating.
This is a game where the Notre Dame perimeter plays, Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, Micah Gilbert and a handful of others have to make plays early and often. Last season, we didn't see the pass offense take off until they were facing a 21-7 deficit in the third quarter. Tomorrow night, Faison, Greathouse and Gilbert have to impact this game early to help open up the run game. Making plays on the perimeter will be crucial for offensive success.
3. Situational Success Will Be Key
Any way you carve it, situational success will be key to winning this football game. I'm talking third down, red zone, sudden change, starting the first and third quarters and short yardage. The two I'm going to be paying attention to the most will be sudden change and starting the first and third quarters. Notre Dame was not able to take advantage of the two turnovers BYU gave them, one of a stopped fake punt and one on an interception. Off of the three turnovers Notre Dame had against the Cougars, they turned that into six total points. Miami does a phenomenal job of taking care of the football. If the defense forces a turnover, the offense has to capitalize.
1. Mike Denbrock vs Corey Hetherman
Last season, first-year defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman bested Denbrock a early in the season opener. I firmly believe this matchup will dictate who wins or loses this game. If Denbrock is in his bag early and is cooking on offense, the defense won't be put into a position where they have to make a stop on every single drive and with the Hurricanes offense, that's extremely unlikely. Hetherman is still one of the better defensive coordinators in the country, but moving pieces in the secondary have been an achilles heel to this unit. Denbrock will have to take advantage of matchups on the backend in the pass game and be creative in the run game.
2. Notre Dame Offensive Line vs Miami Defensive Line
Both programs are striving to become line-driven programs and based on Miami's performance last season, I'd argue they're closer to achieving that goal than Notre Dame at the moment. Having said that, this is an opportunity for Notre Dame's offensive line to change that narrative. The Hurricane's defensive line put in work against the Fighting Irish offensive line last season. Now, this unit is bigger, strong and more experienced than what they were the last time they squared off. A lot of the talk about getting the pass game going will be moot if the offensive line doesn't handle business up front.
Every big-named quarterback that has come through Notre Dame has had 'their moment'. When you think back to players like Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen, Joe Montana, Tony Rice and a handful of others, you think of the iconic plays they made in big time games or in clutch moments. Tomorrow night, Carr has the opportunity to cement his name up with some of the best that have put on a Fighting Irish uniform. The Saline, Michigan native has had a good season, but hasn't had that 'Heisman moment' that some thought he would have against BYU. When the No. 1 team comes into town, you need your dudes to be dudes and Carr is the biggest 'dude' on offense.
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