No. 12 Notre Dame plays Clemson in one-time showcase, now undercard
No. 12 Notre Dame (7-2, No. 15 CFP) at Clemson (4-4), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
Line: Notre Dame by 3, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Clemson leads 4-3.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
This was expected to be a heavyweight showdown with the College Football Playoff in play. Instead both schools are seeking some momentum to start the season's final month. Notre Dame would need plenty of chaos to work itself back into the mix. Clemson has lost two straight and has four defeats in a season for the first time since 2010.
KEY MATCHUP
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik vs. Notre Dame's pass defense. Klubnik has been mistake-prone and erratic with his accuracy in his first season as Clemson's starter. The sophomore must now navigate a Fighting Irish team that's third nationally in both interceptions (13) and in passing yards allowed (158.6)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Notre Dame: QB Sam Hartman lost all four games he played against Clemson while he was at Wake Forest from 2018 through last season. But he's fared well statistically, passing for 735 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.
Clemson: LB Barrett Carter, known as “Agent Zero” for his uniform number, has been a remarkable forced on the Tigers' top-10 defense. Carter is second on the team with 46 tackles and 6.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also has a pair of sacks and five quarterback pressures.
FACTS & FIGURES
Notre Dame has not played at Clemson since 2015 as the Tigers stopped a two-point conversion at the end for a 24-22 victory and coach Dabo Swinney called it a “BYOG” game, bring your own guts. ... Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts leads the country with six interceptions, including two each in the past two wins over Southern Cal and Pitt. .... Clemson RB Will Shipley's status is up in the air after taking hard hit to the helmet near the end of the first half in the North Carolina State loss. Shipley left the field under his own power, but was in concussion protocol. ... Notre Dame receiver Chris Tyree is among three active FBS players to score on a punt return, kick return, rush and reception in his career. He completed the grand slam with his 82-yard punt return score against Pitt last week. ... Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans is out for the season after tearing a knee ligament. He had 29 catches for 422 yards and a touchdown.
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