NC State vs. Notre Dame: A Battle of the 6’s

When the Wolfpack take on the Fighting Irish this Saturday at South Bend, it will be a battle in the trenches.

NC State enters the game ranked 6th nationally at stopping the run, allowing a measley 91.3 yards on the ground per game. Notre Dame enters the game ranked 6th nationally in rushing offense, piling up a whopping 317.9 on the ground per game.

The ability to stop the run is the signature of the Wolfpack defense. This is no secret. NC State ranks 1st in the ACC in Rush Defense, but ranks last in the conference in pass defense, giving up 287 yards through the air per contest.

The ability to run the ball is the signature of the Fighting Irish defense. This is no secret as well. While their Rush Offense is ranked 6th nationally, their Pass Offense ranks 117th, producing only 157 yards per game.

Notre Dame will get a heavy dose of NC State’s Bradley Chubb and company, and the Wolfpack will get a heavy dose of the Fighting Irish’s Running Back Josh Adams.

Adams has put his name in the Heisman Trophy conversation, and deservedly so. He has 967 yards rushing through 7 games, averaging 9.2 yards per carry.

NC State will do well to watch the game film from the Notre Dame vs. Georgia game from earlier this year, when the Bulldogs held Adams to 53 yards and an ugly 2.8 yards per carry. Whatever the recipe was, the Wolfpack needs to use the exact same ingredients.

73 yards.

That’s the most yards NC State has allowed an individual to rush against them this year (Lamar Jackson and Keion Davis). Lamar Jackson is averaging 108.5 yards rushing per game, and the Wolfpack were able to hold him well below his average.

Will the #6 NC State Rush Defense be able to do the same against the #6 Notre Dame Rush offense?