Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/208902
Game Preview: BYU offenses doing their best to stay away. "Teams are really keyed on him, but he's done so many things for this team," Call said. "They talk about filling up the bingo card as far as all the different statistical categories where he can make an impact on the game. He's doing that." Van Noy is still a distant second in overall tackles behind middle linebacker Uani 'Unga, who averaged 10.25 tackles per game (84 total) before the team's bye week in November. Mendenhall called 'Unga maybe the best he's coached at the position because of his toughness and his ability to gobble up tackles in the middle of the defense. BYU's biggest weakness on defense this season is at cornerback, where season-ending injuries robbed them of both starters before the season began. The pass defense allowed 237.4 yards per game (75th nationally) through eight contests, but senior safety Daniel Sorensen has played a big role in keeping the secondary from becoming too large of a liability this season. Mendenhall's defense has been strong enough to help the Cougars on a four-game winning streak, which earned them a spot in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in December. With their postseason destination locked in before election day, the Cougars turned their eyes to finishing the season ranked in the top 25. A win against the Irish could be enough to push them into the polls. That's a far cry from where many thought the season could be headed after losing two of their first three games in shoddy fashion. "Again, it's a tale of two seasons," Call said. "Over the first few weeks it was very disappointing for BYU. … Over the last month, I would have to say expectations have been exceeded a little bit because they were so low during the beginning of the season." ✦ 2013 BYU Schedule Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 31 Temple (NBC) W, 28-6 Sept. 7 at Michigan (ESPN) L, 41-30 Sept. 14 at Purdue (ABC) W, 31-24 Sept. 21 Michigan State (NBC) W, 17-13 Sept. 28 Oklahoma (NBC) L, 35-21 Oct. 5 vs. Arizona State^ (NBC) W, 37-34 Oct. 19 USC (NBC) W, 14-10 Oct. 26 at Air Force (CBSSN) W, 45-10 Nov. 2 Navy (NBC) W, 38-34 Nov. 9 at Pittsburgh (ABC) L, 28-21 Nov. 23 Brigham Young (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Stanford (FS1) TBA Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 31 at Virginia (ESPNU) L, 19-16 Sept. 7 Texas (ESPN2) W, 40-21 Sept. 21 Utah (ESPN2) L, 20-13 Sept. 27 Middle Tennessee (ESPNU)W, 37-10 Oct. 4 at Utah State (CBSSN) W, 31-14 Oct. 12 Georgia Tech (ESPNU) W, 38-20 Oct. 19 at Houston (ESPNEWS) W, 47-46 Oct. 25 Boise State (ESPN) W, 37-30 Nov. 9 at Wisconsin L, 27-17 Nov. 16 Idaho State 1 p.m. Nov. 23 at Notre Dame (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Nevada (CBSSN) 12 p.m. 2013 Notre Dame Schedule ^ Shamrock Series at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas