Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati: Prediction, pick, spread, football game odds, live stream, TV channel, watch online

The 2021 season has been a profitable one up to now for No. 9 Notre Dame, and it loved its most spectacular win of the season up to now final week with a 41-13 beatdown of Wisconsin. The Combating Irish are actually set to face their hardest check of the season in Week 5, nonetheless, as they welcome in No. 7 Cincinnati to South Bend for one of many most-anticipated battles of the younger season. 

The stakes right here don’t come from its collection historical past; the 2 applications have performed solely as soon as … 121 years in the past. That 58-0 Notre Dame win carries little significance to the Bearcats program now, however going through the Combating Irish means a reunion with former coach Brian Kelly, who went 34-6 in three full seasons at Cincinnati from 2007-09. Throughout that span, he led the group to Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl berths, and he presently holds the second-best successful share in class historical past. 

But it surely’s not simply Kelly among the many acquainted faces. Combating Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman left the Bearcats to affix Kelly’s employees after the 2020 season. On high of all of it, there’s the data that the winner has a leg up within the College Football Playoff race whereas the loser will discover it robust to get again to a place of rivalry. 

All of those storylines collide Saturday in a top-10 matchup that guarantees to be among the many most important video games of the weekend. 

Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati: Have to know

Cincinnati’s CFP possibilities cling within the steadiness: The Bearcats began the yr within the highlight as a group that would contend for the playoff and be the primary to make the sector of 4 from a Group of 5 convention. Cincinnati went undefeated within the 2020 common season solely to complete at No. 8 within the closing CFP rankings, however this yr, Luke Fickell’s group began the season greater within the rankings with nonconference alternatives at each Indiana (a 38-24 win in Week 3) and Notre Dame. The thought is one other undefeated season with these two video games would make for one of the best argument the choice committee has seen from a Group of 5 group. 

Combating Irish protection successful with cross rush and interceptions: There have been some rising pains within the transition from former defensive coordinator Clark Lea, now the coach at Vanderbilt, to Freeman, however the former Cincinnati assistant does have the Combating Irish protection off to a quick begin relating to dashing the passer. Notre Dame has totaled 14 sacks by way of its first 4 video games, essentially the most because the 2012 group that completed because the nationwide runner-up to Alabama. That cross rush forces opposing quarterbacks to hurry up their course of, and we have seen Kyle Hamilton and the remainder of the Combating Irish secondary capitalize with an FBS-leading 9 interceptions. 

Desmond Ridder re-writing the Cincinnati file books: The Bearcats quarterback will go down as one of many program’s all-time greats, not only for his statistics collected throughout a prolonged profession, however for his position within the ascent of this system as a complete. Ridder’s 33-5 file as a starter is one of the best successful share (87%) amongst lively FBS quarterbacks with a minimal quantity of video games performed. His numbers aren’t unhealthy, both, as he sits at No. 2 in class historical past in passing yards (7,653) and touchdowns (64), and he stays a powerful contender to repeat as AAC Offensive Participant of the 12 months.  

Learn how to watch Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati dwell

Date: Saturday, Oct. 2 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium — South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC | Dwell stream: fuboTV (Attempt at no cost)

Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati prediction, picks

Featured Sport | Notre Dame Combating Irish vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

There’s simply one thing startling about seeing Cincinnati favored at Notre Dame. The Bearcats are worthy favorites primarily based on all of the expertise collected and the excessive customary set by Fickell, however I am going to take the group that is rolling proper now. The Combating Irish appear to give you successful performs in shut video games each week, so if I believe it’ll be an in depth sport, I am going to take the house canine that is sizzling. Prediction: Notre Dame (+2)

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