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16 passes for 117 yards with one touchdown and one interception. With the aerial struggles, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly opted to run the ball 43 times compared to 17 pass attempts (backup quarterback Andrew Hendrix completed his only attempt for two yards). The Cougars' pass defense is more vulnerable in 2013 with a pair of new starters in the secondary. It was torched in the last two games of October (Houston and Boise State) for 720 yards and five touchdowns, but otherwise the unit has fared well in 2013 (222.3 yards allowed per game). With the Cougars lacking depth in the secondary, Notre Dame might try to spread them out and distribute the ball to some of the options that have emerged in the last month. Van Noy is strong in pass coverage (two interceptions and seven passes broken up), so junior tight ends Troy Niklas and Ben Koyack's greatest contributions might come in run blocking this weekend. Advantage: Notre Dame Special Teams Kelly has discussed Notre Dame's woeful kickoff coverage unit at length lately after his team sunk to 121st nationally while allowing returns at a clip of 26.08 yards on average. With junior Kyle Brindza performing admirably at kicker and punter, kickoff coverage is the most concerning aspect of Notre Dame's special teams. BYU has not returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season, but it has allowed one. Kelly mentioned how close Atkinson has been to returning one for a score in recent games. A play like that could put the Irish over the top against BYU. Advantage: BYU Senior middle linebacker Uani 'Unga, one of seven first-time starters on the BYU defense, led the Cougars with 106 tackles (six for loss) during their 7-3 start. photo courtesy byu Coaching Now in his ninth season at BYU, Bronco Mendenhall has developed a strong program that wins consistently with stout defensive play. His squad took Notre Dame to the wire a year ago, and it would not be a surprise for it to happen again in 2013. Even with the seven-point loss at Pittsburgh Nov. 9, Kelly, has made winning close games a staple of his program. Advantage: Notre Dame Intangibles Notre Dame has the advantage of a scheduled bye ✦ Page 5 week prior to the clash with BYU, which should help in preparation, health and overcoming a letdown game against Pittsburgh. Last year the Irish faced the Cougars after the emotional 20-13 overtime win against Stanford and before the 30-13 victory at Oklahoma. The Irish are aware of BYU's physical play and will not be surprised by anything on senior day. Advantage: Notre Dame Predictions Tom Loy: Notre Dame 34, Brigham Young 31 BYU quarterback Taysom Hill is a terrific athlete who can beat you with his arm or his legs. He will be a thorn in the side of Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, and stopping Hill will be no easy task. Irish quarterback Tommy Rees should have a big day as well, and this game could come down to the final possession. Look for Notre Dame to win this game late in the fourth quarter on a big throw by the senior signal-caller. Dan Murphy: Notre Dame 27, Brigham Young 24 Brigham Young's up-tempo offense has been rolling since the midway point of the season, and Notre Dame has had trouble with mobile quarterbacks this season. But it's senior day for Tommy Rees, who ends his final stop at Notre Dame Stadium in a fashion befitting his roller-coaster career. BYU will push out to an early lead, but the Irish survive thanks to some late-game heroics from their veteran quarterback. Andrew Owens: Notre Dame 23, Brigham Young 21 Stanford gets all the attention as a difficult late-season test for the Irish, but BYU could prove to be just as challenging. Notre Dame gets its first look at versatile Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill and another matchup with fierce linebacker Kyle Van Noy. The Irish needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to top BYU last season at Notre Dame Stadium and will need to do the same this year to avoid tripping up in its penultimate game. Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 27, Brigham Young 23 The Irish had won 10 straight games in which the final margin was seven or less points prior to the 28-21 loss at Pitt Nov. 9. You can keep doing that for only so long before the pendulum starts swinging the other way. However, with a bye week providing more mending opportunities for various personnel, Notre Dame should be capable of eking out another one at home. A lot could depend on the mental attitude after the game at Pitt. BYU has too many weapons to overlook.