Keys To Victory For Notre Dame Over Syracuse

Notre Dame (4-3) will need its offense to step up in a big way if they are going to beat the 16th-ranked Syracuse (6-1) squad that is fueled by a very stingy defense. It's been a disappointing season for the Notre Dame offense, but it has an opportunity to make up for it against the Orange.

It won't be easy by any stretch, but there are matchups that work well for Notre Dame, and there are parts of the offense that have the potential to give Syracuse problems. There are four areas above all others that are key to Notre Dame playing well enough on offense to pull off the upset.

Here are those four keys to victory for the offense.

1. Start Fast - This has been an issue all season, and it's vitally important to victory over Syracuse. After scoring just six first quarter points in the first six games, Notre Dame broke out with 23 points against UNLV. Even in that success, Notre Dame still missed too many early game opportunities.

The Syracuse crowd will be loud and full of energy, and the Notre Dame offense needs to start fast to quiet them down. It also needs a fast start to protect its own defense, and a fast start gives this group a much-needed boost in confidence.

2. Drew Pyne Needs To Shine - When quarterback Drew Pyne has played well the Irish offense has looked very good. You saw that against North Carolina and stretches against BYU, but he's struggled in the team's two most recent games. As he goes the offense goes, which means he must play better against the Orange.

Him playing well isn't just about Pyne. He needs offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to make the schematic changes needed to put Pyne in comfortable spots, the offense needs to establish some rhythm, and the playmakers around him need to step up and make plays when Pyne gets them the football.

If all those things happen then it's up to Pyne to properly work through his progressions, make the right decisions and get the ball out on time and accurately.

3. Generate Big Plays - Notre Dame hasn't been much of a big-play offense in 2022, which has put the unit in position where consistently going on long drives is the only way they can score. Unfortunately, Notre Dame hasn't been efficient enough to make that happen, which is why the Irish are struggling to score.

If Notre Dame is going to win this game it will need to find ways to rip off big plays. That's up to Rees to scheme up the Syracuse defense, the playmakers need to play fast and play with a sense of urgency, and when the opportunities are there the offense must execute.

A few big plays would force Syracuse to alter its defense, soften up the box and give the run game chances to put the game away in the second half.

4. Finish - Notre Dame hasn't been very good on third down or in the red zone this season. Against Syracuse the Irish need to be efficient, move the chains and when they get into the red zone they need touchdowns. It's that simple, and if the Irish can do that early it will make them tough to beat.

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