Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/226401
Game Preview: Rutgers match for the Tigers, who lost earlier in the year to the Irish. Meanwhile, Notre Dame opponents such as Florida State in the 1996 Orange Bowl, Oregon State in the 2001 Fiesta, Ohio State in the 2006 Fiesta and LSU in the 2007 Sugar — among others — were all deemed bigger, stronger and faster, and it showed. Even last year, it was easy to talk about what if Kansas State could have been the opponent in the BCS National Championship Game instead of Alabama, which administered a 42-14 beating on Notre Dame. That meant in the four BCS appearances by the Irish, they lost by an average of 25.3 points. Notre Dame ended the nine-game losing streak in bowls to 7-6 Hawaii in 2008, and two years later won in the Sun Bowl against a Miami team in disarray. No one can say the matchup with 6-6 Rutgers isn't in Notre Dame's favor. A victory would improve the Irish to 3-2 in their last five bowls and 16-17 overall, one step from reaching .500 again. ✦ Predictions Tom Loy: Notre Dame 38, Rutgers 27 The Irish should be able to establish a strong passing game against a Scarlet Knights defense that is ranked 120th nationally (311.4 yards given up per game). Rutgers will likely lean on running back Paul James, who has averaged nearly six yards per carry on the season, to spark the offense. Notre Dame should win this game by two scores, but it wouldn't be a shock if this became a shootout, with the winning team having the ball last. Dan Murphy: Notre Dame 33, Rutgers 13 Those expecting the Irish to pound an overmatched Rutgers team on the ground in a convincing win might not get their Christmas wish. The Scarlet Knights had the No. 4 rushing defense in the country this year, mostly because the shortest path to the end zone was through the air. They allowed an average of 311.4 passing yards per game, which could set up senior duo Tommy Rees and TJ Jones for a memorable farewell. Andrew Owens: Notre Dame 38, Rutgers 13 One question will be repeated constantly as the Pinstripe Bowl approaches: Will Notre Dame want to be there? The players have said all the right things after initially wanting a warmer location, but this game will come down to the team's mindset. Rutgers is one of the worst bowl teams, and a win will provide little momentum as a frustrating 2013 comes to a close. Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 31, Rutgers 16 This isn't about matchups or strategy. Notre Dame has the better players across the board and a coaching staff that was in the BCS National Championship Game a year earlier. This is going to be more about playing with purpose and motivation. It's Rutgers' Super Bowl, while it's only a consolation game for the Irish. If Notre Dame shows up sluggish, it could get interesting — but even that shouldn't be enough for a Scarlet Knights upset. If the Irish open strong, it should get ugly quickly.