Will Utah bounce back against Notre Dame?
Utah (8-1) at Notre Dame (4-5)
When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium
TV: Channel 5; Radio: WLS 890-AM
Series: First meeting
Coaches: Kyle Whittingham (56-18, sixth year at Utah); Brian Kelly (4-5, first year at Notre Dame, 174-62-2 overall)
Utal players to watch: This team ranks ninth nationally in scoring offense (41.0 ppg) as sophomore QB Jordan Wynn has thrown for 1,579 yards and 14 TDs in his 7 games. WR DeVonte Christopher averages more than 18 yards per catch and owns 5 TDs. PR Shaky Smithson leads the nation with 22.8 yards per return.
ND players to watch: The Irish ost QB Dayne Crist (ruptured patella tendon) and RB Armando Allen (hip surgery) for the year after the Tulsa game on Oct. 30. They join TE Kyle Rudolph (hamstring) and WR Theo Riddick (ankle) on the sidelines. Freshman Tommy Rees, who played most of the Tulsa game two weeks ago, steps in at QB. MLB Manti Te'o ranks seventh in tackles with 100 stops. That includes 7 TFLs and no sacks. K David Ruffer remains perfect this (13 of 13) and for his career (18 of 18) on FGs.
The skinny: Utah dropped from 5th to 14th in the BCS rankings after last week's 47-7 home loss to TCU. As for Notre Dame, it's the final game at Notre Dame Stadium for 36 seniors who'll be honored prior to kickoff. The group includes Arlington Heights resident Steve Botsford, a walk-on linebacker from St. Viator.
He e-mailed it: In his statement released late last Friday, just four paragraphs after stating everyone will be careful not to pre-judge the results of the investigation into Long Grove resident Declan Sullivan's tragic death on Oct. 27, Notre Dame president Father John Jenkins offered this take on Brian Kelly:
“Coach Kelly was hired not only because of his football expertise, but because we believed his character and values accord with the highest standards of Notre Dame. All we have seen since he came to Notre Dame, and everything we have learned in our investigation to date, have confirmed that belief. For those reasons I am confident that Coach Kelly has a bright future leading our football program.”