Joel Klatt Reveals His Pick for Notre Dame vs. Miami Showdown

Another expert has weighed in with his pick for the Notre Dame at Miami showdown on Sunday

Apr 24, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; NFL Network analyst Joel Klatt speaks to the media at the Play Football Prospect Clinic at The Corner Ballpark. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The countdown is in the final days as Notre Dame travels to Miami to take on the Hurricanes in a massive Week 1 matchup for the 2025 season. The winner of the game will be in prime position to make a College Football Playoff appearance while the loser will have its back to the wall the next three months.

So what happens in Sunday night's showdown?

Not every college football analyst deserves a post when they predict a Notre Dame game, but when Joel Klatt speaks, we tend to listen.

Klatt predicted Sunday's showdown in Miami on his most recent podcast. Check out his pick and reasoning behind it below.

Joel Klatt Makes Prediction for Notre Dame at Miami:

Klatt, the current Fox Sports college football analyst and former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback, made the following prediction for Sunday night's game in Miami:

Sep 21, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman prepares to lead his players onto the field for the game against the Miami Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

“Favored by 2.5, that run game, that offensive line, Notre Dame goes on the road, and they get a win,” Klatt said. “I like Notre Dame to cover. I think they win it 24-17. They cover the 2.5, and (Notre Dame head coach) Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish are on their way to another playoff berth.”

Klatt is using the three years of evidence of both Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame and Mario Cristobal at Miami in his reasoning.

“Let’s face it now, if you’re looking at these two teams and these two coaches, who do you trust more in a large, matchup style game?” Klatt said. “I told you about those [Notre Dame’s] big wins. Meanwhile, (Miami head coach) Mario Cristobal hasn’t won a big one yet for Miami.”

Klatt then reaffirmed his Notre Dame pick by loving on the physicality of the Fighting Irish.

“I think that they do all the things fundamentally that you need to do to win at the top level,” Klatt said. “They’re physical, they’re great at the line of scrimmage, and they win big games."

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway:

I don't know how many times I have to say it but I'll keep repeating myself with it. Notre Dame is more talented than Miami at most places, but with Carson Beck at quarterback, his hype has a lot of people talking crazy about the Hurricanes.

Notre Dame is a better football team, has a ton of talent returning that is full of battle scars from huge games last year, and is going to walk out of Hard Rock Stadium 1-0 on Sunday night.