Notre Dame football will host the Syracuse Orange on Saturday afternoon for Senior Day, and while it’s an important game due to it being Senior Day, not many believe that the Irish will lose.
There are more than a few big games inside college football during Week 13, some of them will play a big part in how the College Football Playoff shakes out. Some of them have impacts due to Notre Dame needing a win or being a past opponent.
It’ll be yet another exciting week and the staff here of Tim Healey, Dave Miller and Michael Chen pick winners of the top games and the result of Syracuse at Notre Dame.
No. 21 Missouri Tigers (7-3) at No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners (8-2)
Game data: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CST on ABC
Healey – Oklahoma looked pretty dang good at Alabama, but Missouri has been solid most of the year. However, I think the Sooners take this one.
Miller – These are the matchups that make me miss the Big 12.
I am buying OU as a dangerous College Football Playoff threat. Boomer Sooner in this one.
Chen – I didn’t believe in Oklahoma last week, and I won’t make that mistake two times in-a-row. The Sooners can’t slip up again, or they might find themselves on the outside looking in for a CFP spot. They’ll get a win to stay in the hunt.
Louisville Cardinals (7-3) at SMU Mustangs (7-3)
Game data: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CST on ESPN2
Healey – Louisville is ranked and frisky. SMU was ranked, and is a bit dull, but won’t roll over easily. Cardinals in a close one.
Miller – The Mustangs are coming off of a bye, and they are at home. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have been making way too many mistakes during their losing streak. Give me the Ponies.
Chen – SMU had an outside chance at making the playoff, but that’s not happening this year. Louisville has been solid, and I think they pull out the road victory.
No. 16 USC Trojans (8-2) at No. 5 Oregon Ducks (9-1)
Game data: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST on CBS
Healey – USC has talent and has flashed success, but as we saw when they played Notre Dame, these aren’t the Trojans of old. They’re close, but not all the way there. The Ducks are legit and their one loss came from a hot Indiana Hoosiers team. It won’t be easy, but Oregon should win this one.
Miller – I’m taking the better defense in this one: Oregon’s. The Trojans should be able to produce some explosive plays, but I think the Ducks will come up with some key stops in critical moments.
Chen – I don’t know what to think about Oregon, the Ducks haven’t played anyone and when they did, they lost to Indiana, needed double-overtime to beat Penn State and topped Iowa by just 2-points. USC has been much more battle tested this fall, and hasn’t fared as bad as other seasons. The Irish need the Trojans to win, and they do.
Pittsburgh Panthers (7-3) at No. 12 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-1)
Game data: Saturday at 6:00 p.m. CST on ESPN
Healey – Pitt has its focus on the ACC — so much so that it’s possible the Panthers were looking past the chance of a massive upset versus Notre Dame last week. Pitt isn’t as bad as they appeared to be against the Irish — it looks like the team folded late — but Georgia Tech isn’t 9-1 by accident. Tech in a squeaker.
Miller – The Yellow Jackets are very good at controlling the pace of the game, which should prevent the Panthers from being able to outscore them.
Chen – The Notre Dame hangover is real, we’ve seen plenty of teams struggle the week after playing the Irish. Pitt will look tired and won’t play its best and the Yellow Jackets take advantage.
No. 11 BYU Cougars (9-1) at Cincinnati Bearcats (7-3)
Game data: Saturday at 7:00 p.m. CST on FOX
Healey – BYU might not be as good as its record indicates, but the Cougars should be good enough to beat the Bearcats.
Miller – If the Cougars are able to notch a win here, they are very likely heading to the Big 12 title game. Give me Bear Bachmeier and the Cougars to outscore the Bearcats.
Chen – Cincinnati hasn’t been very consistent this fall, and BYU has. While I don’t think they’ll last long in the CFP if they make it, they are better than the Bearcats and get the win.
Tim Healey – contributor
Notre Dame has to avoid emotional letdowns the next two games — and has to avoid beating itself as it did at Boston College.
So if the Irish come out focused and avoid mistakes, they should be fine. I do expect the first half against Syracuse may be competitive, just because underdogs often throw their best punch early — and sometimes because of a turnover or other momentum-changing play. The Irish seem to settle into rhythms over the course of a game, on both sides of the ball, and I suspect that by late in the second half, Notre Dame will look like the favorite.
Irish 35, ‘Cuse 17
Dave Miller – contributor
Syracuse freshman QB Joe Filardi should get humbled against this Fighting Irish defense. He’s a former walk-on who is making his second start, first on the road. It’s going to be a rough afternoon for the young quarterback.
Marcus Freeman’s team may be after style points, particularly as it relates to Miami. They’ll push the envelope early and often to try and impress the committee with a blowout victory.
I have ND 44-16.
Michael Chen – site lead
It’s hard to see Notre Dame losing this game, so to me, the question is how big of a win will it be. On one hand, I see where Dave is coming from as style-point might help.
On the other hand, Freeman has a very good relationship with Syracuse head coach Fran Brown, there’s a level of respect between the two that is pretty large. He’s a big ready why Steve Angeli left with Freeman’s blessing to play for the Orange. For that reason, I don’t see Notre Dame running up the score, but I do see a very good win.
Notre Dame 34, Syracuse 6
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: FIW staff picks Notre Dame vs. Syracuse and top Week 13 games
Reporting by Dave Miller, Fighting Irish Wire / Fighting Irish Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
