Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome prize versus Utah State. "Once Northern Illinois lost that football game, that kind of evaporated any opportunity for us," Kelly said. Door No. 3 was the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City, where the Irish found a spot open because the Big 12 couldn't qualify a bowl-eligible team for its tie-in there. Chris Watt Ruled Out For New Era Pinstripe Bowl Fifth-year senior guard Chris Watt, a mainstay on the Fighting Irish left side of the offensive line the past three years with tackle Zack Martin, will not be able to play in the Dec. 28 New Era Pinstripe Bowl because of an MCL sprain he suffered in the regular-season finale at Stanford Nov. 30. Although surgery is not required, Watt's knee has been immobilized to give more stability for the PCL he tore in the same knee ealier this season. Lining up in Watt's place will be junior Conor Hanratty, who started the last two games at right guard. Freshman Steve Elmer also has played both guard slots. He has been a starter and regular at right guard since the Air Force game Oct. 26, after senior Christian Lombard was ruled out for the year because of back surgery. Watt should be healthy enough to play in the Senior Bowl Jan. 25. WATT The only other regular who did not practice Dec. 8 was freshman wideout Corey Robinson, who moved gingerly with a sore ankle, but head coach Brian Kelly anticipates Robinson will be ready for the Dec. 28 bowl game. The Irish were expected to get in 10 total practices during bowl preparation. 2014 Slate Nearly Complete Ever since agreeing in September 2012 to join the Atlantic Coast Conference as a partial member in football, the 2014 Fighting Irish football schedule became a game of musical chairs. Recently it has had 13 contestants to fill the final 12 seats. By the looks of it, one of the tentatively scheduled ACC games in 2014 will be pushed off to a future year in order to complete the 12-game schedule. Under the partial football agreement with the ACC, Notre Dame is required to play 15 ACC games in the three seasons from 2014-16, or five per year, with the next three-year home-and-away rotation occurring in 2017-19. Unofficially, the 2014 schedule appears as follows, according to FBSschedules.com and/or released announcements by schools. Aug. 30 — Rice Oct. 18 — Open or ACC Team Sept. 6 — Michigan Oct. 25 — Open or ACC Team Sept. 13 — Purdue Nov. 1 — vs. Navy^ Sept. 20 — Open or ACC Team Nov. 8 — at Arizona State Sept. 27 — vs. Syracuse* Nov. 15 — Northwestern Oct. 4 — Stanford Nov. 22 — Open or ACC Team Oct. 11 — Open or ACC Team Nov. 29 — at USC * Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.; ^ Fed Ex Field in Landover, Md.