Five games in and a little over a week away from its showdown with top-ranked Clemson, No. 4 Notre Dame’s passing attack is beginning to show life again heading into Saturday’s game at Georgia Tech.
Few expected the Fighting Irish to struggle there, particularly with grad student Ian Book back at the helm after throwing for 3,034 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2019.
While a veteran offensive line has cleared the way for sophomore running back Kyren Williams and the defense has been sound, Book finally looked like his old self last week in a 45-3 victory at Pittsburgh, throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
“We’re ascending at the right time,” Book said. “I feel like my game is starting to ascend and I need to keep doing the same things.”
Wide receiver Ben Skowronek, a first-year graduate transfer from Northwestern who calls Book his best friend, had touchdown receptions of 34 and 73 yards in the first half at Pitt. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound Skowronek, who totaled 110 receptions for 1,417 yards and eight touchdowns at Northwestern, could sense Book’s frustration following an 11-of-19, 106-yard, no-touchdown performance in a 12-7 victory over Louisville the week before.
“He came in locked in every single day, doing the extra things, watching film, communicating more,” said Skowronek, who flew to California to work out with Book after the COVID-19 shutdown in March. “Obviously, it paid off for him. I can’t wait to play with him moving forward.”
Betting Analysis & Pick
I think this game has blowout written all over it.
Georgia Tech’s offense is going to struggle because this Notre Dame defense is up there with Clemson for best in the ACC. On the flip side, Ian Book and the Fighting Irish offense should be able to move the ball at will against a below-average Georgia Tech defense.
Sure, Notre Dame is in a look-ahead spot with Clemson looming next week, but it will need to take Georgia Tech seriously if it wants to feel good about itself heading into next weekend.
I have the Fighting Irish projected as -31.54 favorites on the road, so I think there is plenty of value on Notre Dame at -20.
