Blue and Gold Illustrated

GAME PREVIEW: CLEMSON that highlights the athleticism of his front seven. Clemson's first three opponents rushed for just 114.7 yards per game and 2.9 yards per rush. Notre Dame rushed for more than 200 yards in each of its first three games, the first time it had accomplished that feat since 1996 when Lou Holtz was still coaching in South Bend. The dominant Irish line has opened up gaping holes for the Irish backs, allowing senior C.J. Prosise to get off to a fast start. After three games, Prosise ranked fifth in the country in rushing yards (453) and was av‑ eraging 7.6 yards per carry. ADVANTAGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. CLEMSON PASS DEFENSE Clemson has a talented and experienced second‑ ary, one of the best Notre Dame will face all season. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Mackensie Alexan‑ der is a dynamic athlete and was named a first‑team Freshman All‑American by the Football Writers Asso‑ ciation of America after the 2014 season. Opponents have spent the early part of the season avoiding him. A key matchup will be Irish offensive tackles Ron‑ nie Stanley and Mike McGlinchey against Clemson junior defensive end Shaq Lawson, who has a team‑ high 2.5 sacks. The Tigers ranked sixth nationally in sacks during the 2014 season, and Lawson is the key figure towards continuing that pressure this season. Notre Dame counters with one of the nation's top receivers in junior Will Fuller, who hauled in four touchdowns of at least 39 yards in the season's first three games. Sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer handled his first career start well, throwing for 242 yards and completing 70.0 percent of his passes, but the Tigers will provide a much stiffer test. Clemson enters the game ranked third nationally with an 80.36 defensive pass efficiency rating. ADVANTAGE: Even SPECIAL TEAMS Clemson has an excellent kick return unit that ranks ninth in the country at 30.6 yards per run back. Scott is the primary returner, but freshman Ray‑Ray McCloud has game‑breaking speed and ripped off a 73‑yarder on his first career return. Notre Dame enters the game with the 30th‑best kick coverage unit in the land, holding its opponents to just 18.2 yards per return. Tigers junior punter Andy Teasdall averages only 38.1 yards per attempt, while Notre Dame sopho‑ more punter Tyler Newsome enters the matchup ranked 17th nationally at 45.1 yards per kick. Both team's units will factor heavily into the field position battle, which will be a key factor to the outcome of this game. ADVANTAGE: Even COACHING Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney both have offensive back‑ grounds. Kelly has compiled a 49‑20 record at Notre Dame. Swinney is 64‑26 at Clemson, but the Tigers have gone 45‑11 dating back to 2011. Venables has built the Tigers defense into one of the nation's best, a group that will challenge Kelly and the talented Irish offensive staff. VanGorder is a veteran coordinator that will look to confuse Clemson's co‑offensive coordinators Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott, who are in their first season running the offense after replacing Chad Morris, now the head coach at SMU. ADVANTAGE: Even INTANGIBLES The Irish are the more experienced football team, having entered the season with 19 returning start‑ ers — 11 more than Clemson. Despite its youth, Clemson has jumped out to a fast start, blowing out its first two opponents before winning a hard‑fought road contest against Louisville. Going back to the 2011 season, Swinney and the Tigers have gone 28‑2 at home and only five of those victories have been by less than 10 points. Clemson has a significant home‑field advantage that will be difficult for Notre Dame to overcome. ADVANTAGE: Clemson

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