Utah will visit Notre Dame on Saturday for the first-ever football game between these schools. The Utes are 8-1 after suffering a merciless 47-7 drubbing at the hands of third-ranked TCU last week, and hope to resume their winning ways against the 4-5 Irish. Notre Dame is coming off a bye week that followed two embarrassing losses, and this contest represents the final opportunity for the seniors to play in front of the home crowd. Any realistic chance the Irish have to earn a post season bowl invitation must include a victory this weekend.

Despite the apparent disparity in the win-loss records and Utah’s gaudy offensive statistics, this game is hardly a mismatch. The Utes have not played a strong schedule, and Pittsburgh is the only common opponent between these teams. Both teams recorded home victories against the Panthers by narrow margins. Utah might well get used to playing a more demanding schedule, as they will join the PAC-10 conference next year with Colorado.

Coach Kyle Whittingham is in his sixth season as head coach after being promoted from a ten year stint as the program’s defensive coordinator. His record of 56-18 includes a 13-0 record in 2008 highlighted by a 31-17 Sugar Bowl victory against Alabama. The Utes run a spread offense with good run/pass balance, and play a stout 4-3 defense. One characteristic that stands out upon review of their roster is the lack of size as compared to most major programs. This was particularly evident against TCU, where the Horned Frogs basically manhandled the Utes from start to finish.

Although the Irish will enjoy a similar size advantage in the trenches, their finesse style of offense and reluctance to attack on defense may turn this into a battle of matchups and execution in the passing game. Utah has shown the ability to score in bunches against weaker opponents, and Notre Dame must not let the Utes get off to a fast start. Early success by the Irish, particularly on defense, may rekindle a sense of doubt by Utah that is sure to be just below the surface after last week’s shattering loss.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. UTAH’S DEFENSE

Tommy Rees will start at quarterback for the Irish. The freshman performed well against Tulsa despite a depleted supporting cast, and the situation will not change very much despite the week off. Kyle Rudolph and Armando Allen are gone for the year, while Theo Riddick is still sidelined as he recovers from a severe ankle injury. Michael Floyd should be healthy following the extra rest and will be Rees’ primary target. T.J. Jones will not be in the lineup, which means that Duval Kamara will play on the outside while Robbie Toma will continue to fill Riddick’s spot as the slot receiver.

The Notre Dame ground game has atrophied without Allen, and this week’s workload will be shared by Cierre Wood and Robert Hughes. Jonas Gray has not played much in recent weeks. Rees would benefit from run-based support this week, since the Utes will focus on pressuring him in the pocket and adjusting coverages to confound his decision-making in the passing game. Utah has recorded 23 sacks this season while allowing only four.

Whittingham’s defense is aggressive despite its overall lack of size. Blitzes come from everywhere on the field, as evidenced by the fact that 5’8” cornerback Lamar Chapman leads the team in sacks. Linebacker Chaz Walker, who had 18 tackles last week against TCU, leads the team in that category. Other players to watch are ends Chris Cox and Derrick Shelby, as well as safeties Justin Taplin-Ross and Brian Blechen.

Utah had compiled very impressive statistics prior to the defensive meltdown against TCU. The Utes had allowed only 268 yards and 14 points per game before TCU gained 558 yards and scored 47. The question at hand is whether an injury-riddled but still talented Notre Dame squad can force Utah out of its comfort zone. It will be a difficult task if Rees is asked to win the game strictly through the air, since his arm strength appears to be insufficient to stretch a defense with the deep ball.

UTAH’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

Utah is a high-scoring machine led by quarterback Jordan Wynn, who has completed 65% of his passes in the spread offense. Wynn is not a serious running threat, but the swift Eddie Wide and the powerful Matt Asiata comprise a formidable tandem of tailbacks.  The two Utes have combined for over 1000 yards this season. Utah’s receivers are quite good and have above-average speed. Jereme Brooks leads the team in receptions, while DeVonte Christopher, Luke Matthews and Shaky Smithson present matchup problems for any secondary. Sophomore tight end Kendrick Moeai is filling in for injured senior Brad Clifford.

Utah favors an up-tempo style of play that is similar to the offense Brian Kelly is trying to install at Notre Dame. The Irish defenders should be familiar with this attack since they practice against it every day, so the key to victory will be their ability to win the one-on-one matchups between blockers and tacklers as well as between receivers and cover men.

If the Utes can neutralize Notre Dame up front, they will have the means to attack with both deep passes and intermediate throws. Both Wide and Asiata can catch the ball out of the backfield when Wynn is looking for a safety valve. This versatility through the air combined with a competent ground game yields an offense that is lacking only a true running threat at quarterback. Utah is an unimpressive -4 in the turnover department this season, which is a surprise given its 8-1 record. This ratio did not cost them until last week, when they lost the ball four times against only one takeaway.

The Irish defense will be helped by the return of Carlo Calabrese and Jamoris Slaughter, but they must deal with the continued absence of Ian Williams in the middle of the line. If Notre Dame can apply a strong pass rush, victory may be within reach. Wynn had been a 68% passer coming into last week’s game, but the Horned Frogs pressured him into a 16 for 35 performance.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Shaky Smithson is a dangerous return man, especially in the punting game where he averages over 20 yards per attempt. Field goal kicker Joe Phillips is solid, although he has only ten attempts this season with nine successes. David Ruffer remains one of the season’s bright spots for Notre Dame, but inconsistent punter Ben Turk must achieve sufficient hang time to keep Smithson from finding room to maneuver. Of course, the best solution to this problem is for the Irish to convert third downs and never punt the ball.

SUMMARY

Although Rees performed well in relief against Tulsa, Notre Dame won’t win if he has to throw 50 passes against a defense that will be prepared for this style of attack. Floyd will draw a crowd of Utes and the absence of Riddick and Jones means that others will have to contribute. Unless the Irish rediscover their running game and win the battle in the trenches, it could be a long afternoon. Defensively, Notre Dame has the ability to keep the high powered Utah offense within reach, but without help from the offense it may only be enough to keep the game reasonably close.

Here are a few questions that will help determine whether the Irish can pull off the upset:

Can Notre Dame’s offensive and defensive linemen get the upper hand against the Utes?

Which team will be able to sustain a balanced attack?

Will the Irish be able to shut down Smithson on special teams?

Can Notre Dame pressure Wynn into a sub-60% passing day?

How well will Utah bounce back emotionally after last week’s crushing defeat?

Will Rees have to throw 50+ passes?

Which team will win the turnover battle?

PREDICTION

Notre Dame must start well in this game to have a chance of winning. A sluggish first quarter after the bye week could enable the Utes to jump in front by 10-14 points, and this could take the fight out of a group of Irish players that have suffered through a lot of adversity this season. Rees appears to have a healthy degree of confidence and leadership skills, but Utah is well-coached defensively and a couple of his passes are bound to fall into the wrong hands.

UTAH 31  NOTRE DAME 20