Joel Klatt goes all in on Notre Dame in Boise State matchup

Notre Dame enters Saturday at No. 21 in the AP poll (2–2), having rebounded from a pair of one-score losses — 27–24 at then-No. 5 Miami and 41–40 to then-No. 16 Texas A&M — with back-to-back 56-point outbursts against Purdue and Arkansas. The latter result had real consequences as Arkansas fired head coach Sam Pittman the next day and installed Bobby Petrino as interim.

When previewing the matchup between ND and Boise State, Joel Klatt claims that Notre Dame is much better than No. 21 in the country. QB CJ Carr has thrown for 1,091 yards and 9 TD's through four games while steering an offense that has scored 40-plus in three straight. Against Arkansas, the Irish produced 13 plays of 20-plus yards, and they have converted 52.3% on third down this season (top-20 nationally).

"CJ Carr is a star," Klatt said. "If you haven’t watched CJ Carr, he's one of the three or four best quarterbacks in college football to date. He has been fantastic. I think you can project him looking forward — I think he's absolutely a top-five-to-top-10 pick in the NFL Draft when he decides to come out in the future. He's young right now; he's just developing, and he's fantastic. He's on time, he's on target. This offense is playing extraordinarily well."

The path for Boise State? It probably sits in the air. Notre Dame's defensive weakness so far is against the pass. The Irish are allowing 7.7 yards per opponent pass attempt (outside the top 80) and Klatt mentioned that you have to throw in order to stress them. Boise State QB Maddux Madsen has been productive — 1,129 yards, 9 TD's, 1 INT — and the Broncos average 299 passing yards per game. If Boise protects well and hits big plays, that's how they keep the game close.

The trouble is that Boise's traditional identity leans run-heavy, and life after Ashton Jeanty (No. 6 pick in April) means a committee approach. They've been efficient — 221 rushing YPG at 5.82 yards per carry — but Notre Dame's offense can force a track meet, which would throw Boise off their game. Boise's defense also sits 109th nationally in penalty yards and 121st in red-zone defense (100% opponent scoring), while Notre Dame's red-zone offense is 94.1%. That's not how you survive in South Bend.

The Irish' offense is humming with a pair of RB's — Jeremiyah Love (341 rush yards) and Jadarian Price (273 rush, 6 TD; plus a 100-yard KR TD vs. Purdue). When they get rolling early, it snowballs, as seen when they scored touchdowns on their first six drives at Arkansas. That's how they can actually cover something like 20.5 points here.

"So, 20.5. I know this sounds crazy — it's like, how do you go 9-16 through the first month? Well, you give away 20.5 points, and I’m going to do it again," Klatt said. "I think Notre Dame covers this 20.5. I think they win huge. 48–24. Is that out of the question? No, it's not out of the question. Again, folks, if you just watch the Irish on offense, it's something to behold, and I don't think Boise has the defense to hold them up in this game."

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