ORLANDO – Notre Dame’s goal this season was a return trip to the College Football Playoff.
But after suffering two losses to SEC powerhouse Georgia (23-17 in Week 4) and Big 10 powerhouse Michigan (45-14 in Week 8), the Fighting Irish had to settle for a mid-tier bowl game. With a 10-2 record, the independent program was selected to play in this year’s Camping World Bowl.
To end the season, Notre Dame will face off against Big 12 rising power Iowa State (7-5), a team that can beat anyone, anywhere, and anytime. The Cyclones, who finished their regular season with a 27-17 loss to Kansas State, are hungry for the opportunity to finish their season strong today (12 p.m. kickoff) in Orlando.
According to some national reports, Iowa State seems to be more motivated for the Camping World Bowl than Notre Dame. It’s understandable, considering the fact that the Fighting Irish have little to gain or lose in this one.
But this is a bowl game, which means pride is everything, regardless of a team’s won-loss record.
SKINNY ON NOTRE DAME
This is the first time that Notre Dame will play Iowa State. The Cyclones are one of only eight Power 5 schools that the Fighting Irish haven’t faced off against prior to the Camping World Bowl.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is not going to overlook his bowl opponent (Iowa State).
“Many people don’t know how good this team is,” Kelly told media members on Friday morning.
Notre Dame will come into this afternoon’s game as the nation’s No. 15-ranked team. The 10-win program is currently No. 13 in the country in scoring offense (just over 37 points per game) and No. 14 in the country in scoring defence (allowing less than 19 points per game).
So Iowa State’s big test will be figuring out a way to counter a well-balanced team on both sides of the ball.
“I think watching Coach Kelly’s teams, no matter where he’s been, I think they’ve always had a very common denominator, and that’s great fundamentals, great detail,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said. “And then you look at this year’s Notre Dame team and the size, defensively, the size and discipline across the board, the ability to create turnovers with that defensive front and the ability to have the length in the secondary to be able to close the passing windows is really impressive.”
Campbell had more to say about Notre Dame.
“On the offensive side of it, again, the size of the offensive line, the wide receivers, the tight ends [stands out],” Campbell said. “Certainly, I think the great understanding of the offense at the quarterback position and the detail that he plays with and the ability to make things happen with not only his feet but his arm, it’s really impressive.”
Key players for Notre Dame: QB Ian Book (senior), DE Khalid Kareem (senior), WR Chase Claypool (senior), WR Chris Finke (senior), DB Kyle Hamilton (freshman), TE Cole Kmet (junior), WR Lawrence Keys III (sophomore)
SKINNY ON IOWA STATE
The Cyclones have a chance of posting one of their most significant wins in school history. Don’t be surprised if it happens today.
It is Iowa State’s third straight bowl game appearance, as it posted a win over Memphis in the 2017 Liberty Bowl and a loss to Washington State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl.
“I think, more than anything, is the opportunity to finish the football season playing our best football, and that’s always been our goal, to be able to play our best football for four quarters,” Campbell said. “We haven’t done that yet this year, but I think that they get another opportunity to do that, and to play an incredible program, and obviously an incredible football team like Notre Dame, I think that’s big for us.”
One strength that Iowa State possesses is the ability to play physical on both sides of the ball. This team is not one to take many plays off, so we can reasonably expect the Cyclones players to give their all for Campbell and his coaching staff.
The level of effort in today’s game could ultimately be the deciding factor, and Kelly knows it.
“They play physical for four quarters,” Kelly said of Iowa State. “They play with confidence. They play with a belief that they’re going to find a way to win, and they play with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder. And maybe that’s because of the conference that they’re in, that they don’t feel like they get the kind of notoriety that they deserve. But you can just see the way they play with the disdain of, ‘We don’t care what you think about us.’”
Key players for Iowa State: QB Brock Purdy (sophomore), RB Breece Hall (freshman), WR DeShaunte Jones (senior), TE Charlie Kolar (redshirt sophomore), LB O’Rian Vance (redshirt sophomore), DB Greg Eisworth (redshirt junior)
Local for Iowa State: DB Datrone Young (Delray Beach Atlantic alum; redshirt sophomore)
PREDICTION
It’s simple: Notre Dame’s balance and veteran experience vs. Iowa State’s level of physicality and opportunity.
The Fighting Irish will send their seniors off in style, while the Cyclones will continue their push toward true national relevancy.
Notre Dame will prevail over Iowa State in a close one that will be decided in the final seconds, 28-24.
GAME TIME KICKOFF: 12 p.m. on ABC Network
