(Photo: AJ Houk/Fighting Irish Preview)
Notre Dame is 3-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country. The Irish should beat Purdue Saturday. But this isn’t Three Keys to Victory anymore. Playing Like a Champion sets a different standard.
Each week, we’ll identify three or four specific things we want to see from Notre Dame — measurable goals that tell us something about whether the Irish are developing into a team capable of winning a national championship. Maybe it’s a 50-yard run. A defensive touchdown. Winning every quarter. Holding a dangerous quarterback below a certain number. And sometimes we’ll go a step further and predict exactly who does it and how.
These aren’t necessarily the things Notre Dame must do to win Saturday. They’re things a championship team should be able to do.
Here are four against Purdue.
1. Break a Run of at Least 50 Yards
Notre Dame needs an explosive run. Actually, let’s raise the bar. The Irish need a 50-yarder.
Three games into the season, Notre Dame’s longest run from scrimmage is just 17 yards, by Nolan James Jr. against Michigan State. The Irish haven’t produced a single run of 20 yards. If that’s going to change, Purdue is the opponent to do it against.
Last week, UCLA absolutely shredded the Boilermakers on the ground, rushing for 369 yards on 48 carries — 7.7 yards per attempt. The Bruins finished with four rushing touchdowns and 645 yards of total offense.
James showed against Michigan State that he can handle the workload, carrying 26 times for 121 yards and a touchdown. Now Notre Dame needs to see the other dimension of its running game — the ability to change a game with one carry. Aneyas Williams and Jonaz Walton are candidates, too. Somebody needs to find a crease and turn it into six points.
Notre Dame has been waiting three games for its first home run. The call: Nolan James Jr. breaks one for at least 50 yards Saturday.
2. Make Ryan Browne Look Ordinary
Ryan Browne has opened the season with three straight 300-yard passing games. He threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns against UCLA last week.
Good for him. Now he gets Notre Dame.
The Irish defense has been an absolute monster through three games, allowing just 193 yards of total offense per game. Michigan State managed only 40 yards in the entire second half last week and didn’t gain a single rushing yard after halftime.
So play like it. Play like a champion. End Browne’s 300-yard streak — emphatically. Pressure him from the opening series, collapse the pocket and make him spend Saturday afternoon looking at the Ross-Ade Stadium sky.
In fact, we’re willing to say this benchmark should be a piece of cake. It’s going to be awfully difficult for Browne to complete passes while lying on his back with about 1,000 pounds of Notre Dame defensive linemen smothering him.
The goal: Hold Browne under 250 yards, sack him at least three times and intercept him at least once. The call: Notre Dame checks all three boxes.
3. Mylan Graham, Where Are You?
Mylan Graham, where are you? We’re sending out the Bat-Signal.
We really haven’t seen much of Graham since the spring, when at times he looked like the next Jerry Rice. Okay, maybe that’s a little much — but he certainly looked like Notre Dame’s next big-time receiving threat. Now we’re waiting.
Jordan Faison has established himself. Micah Gilbert announced himself in a big way against Michigan State with eight catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. But if Notre Dame is going to play like a champion, this offense needs a third receiver who can become a legitimate playmaker and big-play threat for CJ Carr.
Graham has the talent. He has the opportunity. Now he needs the production, and Purdue is the perfect place to start. We don’t need 10 catches or 150 yards. We need a moment. A deep ball. A catch-and-run. A touchdown. Something that makes future opponents look at No. 3 and realize they have another problem to deal with.
The goal: Graham catches at least four passes, produces a 25-plus-yard reception and scores a touchdown. Mylan Graham, you’re on the clock.
4. Put Two Donuts on the Scoreboard
Notre Dame held Michigan State scoreless in the second half last week. Now do it again.
Purdue can move the football, particularly through the air. But if this Notre Dame defense wants to be considered championship caliber, then play like it. Play like a champion.
Don’t just bend and tighten up in the red zone. Take entire quarters away from Purdue. Get off the field on third down. Create negative plays. Force turnovers. Make Purdue punt. And when the quarter ends, leave a zero on the scoreboard. Then do it again.
The goal: Shut Purdue out in at least two quarters — and don’t allow a touchdown after halftime. The call: Purdue doesn’t score a second-half touchdown.
That’s it. If Notre Dame checks all four boxes Saturday, the conversation next week won’t be about what’s wrong with the running game, where the explosive plays are or whether the Irish have enough weapons at receiver.
It will be about a Notre Dame team that went to West Lafayette and played like a national championship team.