David Pollack picks Notre Dame-Arkansas winner on Saturday

Pollack backs Notre Dame’s offense and CJ Carr to edge Arkansas in Fayetteville.

College football analyst David Pollack picked Notre Dame to beat Arkansas in Week 5. | Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Two programs fighting to keep their seasons alive will square off Saturday when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks. Both teams entered September with high expectations but now find themselves with two losses apiece. This matchup represents a turning point. The winner will move forward with hope for a strong finish, while the loser will be staring down a third defeat before October even begins.

The spotlight shines on Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, two playmakers tasked with keeping their teams’ seasons afloat. Arkansas is averaging more than 550 yards of offense per game, but the Razorbacks have struggled defensively. Notre Dame, meanwhile, has endured defensive issues of its own, giving up nearly 400 yards per game. That combination sets the stage for a high-scoring contest in Fayetteville.

On his See Ball Get Ball podcast, college football analyst David Pollack shared his view on the matchup. Despite acknowledging Notre Dame’s defensive problems, he placed his confidence in Carr and the Irish offense to deliver when it matters most.

Pollack Sides With Notre Dame Behind Carr And Backfield Duo

Pollack pointed to Notre Dame’s ability to move the ball and the emerging flashes from Carr under center. “But I do think Notre Dame is going to win this football game. Carr has shown me enough flashes to think he can score. Love and Price are still the best one-two punch in the country. It’s not as much space without Riley Leonard, but Carr is going to create more space with the downfield passing attack to get people out of the box.

"From what I’ve seen from him, he’s going to be really good. So I have Notre Dame.”

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) has passed for 737 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in three games. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before making his pick, Pollack praised Marcus Freeman for the way the head coach has addressed questions about his defense. “I loved it. He’s a dude. That’s why you believe in Notre Dame and why it’s going to be different. What he basically said was, ‘Listen, we’re not playing that game. We’re all on the same page. We’re all in this together.’”

Still, Pollack admitted Notre Dame’s defense is not close to what it was last season. The unit has fallen from one of the best in the country to ranking near the bottom nationally in passing yards allowed. Even so, he believes the Irish offense will score enough to overcome those shortcomings and leave Fayetteville with a win.

Razorbacks Offense Presents A Serious Challenge

Pollack’s co-host Brent Rollins took the opposite side, picking Arkansas to pull the upset in front of its home crowd. “I’ve got Arkansas 38–34. I think Sam Pittman gets one of these games at home against a bigger team. You know he can score. Notre Dame’s defense — you know they’re going to give up points.”

Green leads an explosive Razorbacks attack that ranks in the top 20 nationally in both rushing and passing yards. He has already accounted for more than 1,500 total yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Wide receiver O’Mega Blake has emerged as a reliable target, while Green also doubles as the team’s leading rusher.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) has run for 284 yards and three touchdowns on 52 carries. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Arkansas will look to test a Notre Dame defense that ranks 132nd in passing yards allowed and 94th in red zone stops. But penalties and inconsistency on third down have plagued the Razorbacks all year. Against a Notre Dame offense converting half of its third-down tries, those small mistakes could prove decisive.

Pollack acknowledged Green’s talent but remained firm in his pick. “Taylen Green, we talked about him before the season. He’s a freak. If he takes care of the football, they’ll score a bunch. They’ll score, but they won’t stop anybody. Where are they playing this game? That’s why you can feel good about it. But I’ll disagree. I’ll take Notre Dame. They’ll find a way to get the dub.”

Notre Dame will meet Arkansas on Saturday at noon ET on ABC.