No. 11 Notre Dame aims to extend its win streak against ACC teams with visit to No. 17 Duke
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman looks to hand the ball off during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. Credit: AP/Michael Caterina
No. 11 Notre Dame (4-1) at No. 17 Duke (4-0), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Line: Notre Dame by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Notre Dame leads 5-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Blue Devils are searching for their first 5-0 start since 1994, and they'll get it with a national TV audience and the first-ever visit from ESPN's “College GameDay” to the Durham campus for a football game. The challenge will be ending the Fighting Irish's 29-game winning streak in regular-season matchups against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, most recently at North Carolina State on Sept. 9.
KEY MATCHUP
Duke's ground game against Notre Dame's run defense. The Fighting Irish are allowing 111.2 yards per game on the ground. That unit will face a versatile Duke attack that can move the ball on the ground with mobile quarterback Riley Leonard — who shrugged off a blitzer on a 44-yard touchdown run that highlighted the Week 1 upset of Clemson — along with running backs Jordan Waters, Jaquez Moore and Jaylen Coleman. That unit averages 200.5 yards on the ground, though it managed just 74 yards in last week's win at Connecticut.
Duke wide receiver Jordan Moore (8) is congratulated by wide receiver Jontavis Robertson (1) after a second-half touchdown against UConn during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Hartford, Conn. Credit: AP/Josh Reynolds
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Notre Dame: QB Sam Hartman. He played twice against Duke when he was at Wake Forest, throwing for six touchdowns with one interceptions while also running for two scores in the 2021 and 2022 matchups. Duke won the second of those in coach Mike Elko's debut season.
Duke: WR Jordan Moore. He's Leonard's top target and is coming off an eight-catch, 86-yard day that included a touchdown against UConn.
FACTS & FIGURES
Notre Dame's last regular-season loss to an ACC team came at Miami in 2017. The Fighting Irish have a scheduling agreement to play an average of five ACC teams per year as a football independent that is an ACC member in all other league sports. ... The Blue Devils beat the Fighting Irish 38-35 in 2016 in one of Notre Dame's few losses in the ACC scheduling partnership. ... Duke is 4-0 for the second straight season under Elko and can push to the program's best start since the 7-0 start in ‘94. ... The Blue Devils have allowed five total touchdowns on the season, only two after halftime. ... Duke has won all four games by at least 20 points for the first time in program history, with the Clemson win (28-7) marking the closest margin. ... With this game, the Fighting Irish will have completed half of their schedule before the end of September. This year's group can join the 2015 team as the only teams in program history to reach five wins before October. ... Notre Dame is coming off a last-second loss to Ohio State.
