It's back to the drawing board for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish got clocked 41-8 at Miami and have to hit the reset button. Still, the Irish are on track for a 10-win season, which would mark a huge improvement over last season's 4-8 disappointment. (This season has already been a nice turnaround.)
But up next for Notre Dame is a tough Navy team capable of running wild and scoring points. It's always difficult to prepare for the Midshipmen in one week, so don't be surprised if this game goes north of 600 rushing yards. Here's what you need to know about Saturday's matchup in South Bend.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium -- South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC | Live stream: fubo.TV (try for free) and NBCSports.com
Storylines
Navy: The quarterback situation is somewhat up in the air. Zach Abey and Malcolm Perry are both banged up. Abey has been nursing a left shoulder injury while Perry sustained a sprained ankle during last week's win against SMU. Still, Perry rushed for 282 yards and four touchdowns in his first start of the season. Whoever the Midshipmen opt to go with should get the job done, but will they be healthy enough to be a game-changer?
Notre Dame: The Irish have to shake off their worst game of the season from Miami. The consensus is that Notre Dame's playoff chances are dead, but they most certainly will be with one more loss. The only thing coach Brian Kelly and his team can control is winning, and there are two opportunities left to get two solid wins -- this week and next week vs. Stanford. Taking better care of the ball will be the No. 1 priority of quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who had two interceptions and a fumble against the Hurricanes.
Prediction
I normally like good teams at home in bounce-back games. In that way, this line feels a bit like the one for Michigan State-Ohio State in Week 11 (just without the accompanying lofty CFP ranking for the underdog). Also, expect the Fighting Irish to get the ground game going again and Wimbush to get back on track. Still, this is quite a line for an opponent who's difficult to prepare for in a week, even if you know what's coming. Navy is an efficient enough offense to hold its own (and the ball), meaning it should be able to cover a spread this big. Pick: Navy +16.5
