UP NEXT: ACC Championship: #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. #3 Clemson Tigers, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, 4pm ET, 3 CT, 2 MT, 1 PT, at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C., on ABC [PDF] Notre Dame vs. Clemson – extended game notes [62 pages]
The #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0) take on the #3 Clemson Tigers (9-1) for the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. ET, 3 CT, 2 MT, 1 PT on ABC, with temperatures projected to be near 50 degrees at the start.
The game is a rematch of a double-overtime thriller that Notre Dame won 47-40 back on Nov. 7 at Notre Dame Stadium. It also comes in what is likely Notre Dame’s only conference season before returning to football independence. The Irish arguably are enjoying an easier schedule than they would have faced as an independent. Even as Clemson has been a national title-contending juggernaut, the overall quality of the ACC has seen a bit of downturn in recent years.
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The conventional wisdom is that Clemson is favored in the rematch, given that the last game was so close, at Notre Dame, with Clemson missing several key starters, including starting Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The rematch is at a neutral site, with several of those players back, including quarterback Lawrence. Meanwhile, however, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book is 30-3 as a starter, the Notre Dame defense all but shut down the Clemson running game the last time and Notre Dame’s offense lit up Clemson for more than 500 yards the first time around. The oldest living Heisman winner, Johnny Lujack, who played for Frank Leahy during one of the greatest dynasties in sports history, is the only Notre Dame quarterback with a higher winning percentage than Book .
Notre Dame and Clemson easily could end up playing three times this year, with both teams potentially heading to the would-be College Football Playoff, even as Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly has threatened to boycott the playoff is player families are not allowed to attend amidst draconian California Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
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Notre Dame vs. Clemson Additional Resources: IRISH NEWSLINK: “#2 IRISH TAKE ON FIRST ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN PROGRAM HISTORY” – UND
IRISH NEWSLINK: “[PDF] ACC Championship: Notre Dame vs. Clemson – extended game notes [62 pages]” – UND
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame vs. Clemson – Game Summary” – ESPN
IRISH NEWSLINK: “ACC Championship Prediction and Preview: Clemson vs. Notre Dame” – Athlon
IRISH NEWSLINK: “No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Clemson set for Round 2” – Lindy’s
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame-Clemson II Countdown: 10 To 1” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Clemson: Who, what, when, where, why and by how much?” – NBC
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Here’s what Kelly said Saturday ahead of Notre Dame vs. Clemson” – Irish Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Football: Fighting Irish’s Rock-Solid Offensive Line Paves Way to ACC Championship Game” – Athlon
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Who and What to Watch: ACC Championship Game” – Irish Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “And In That Corner … Clemson, again, stands between Notre Dame and the ACC title” – NBC
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame is looking for its 1st ACC football title but Clemson is the favorite in their rematch” – Chicago Tribune
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Ready for the rematch: Irish and Clemson set to clash in ACC Championship However, both teams are done talking about that game back on November 7.” – WNDU
RISH NEWSLINK: “BGI Staff Predictions: Notre Dame Vs. Clemson II” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Ian Book, Trevor Lawrence on center stage at ACC championship game; The Notre Dame and Clemson quarterbacks have much respect for each other.” – Chicago Sun-Times/ AP
IRISH NEWSLINK: “ACC Championship Matchup: Notre Dame Offense vs Clemson Defense; Breaking down the matchup between the Notre Dame offense against the Clemson defense” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “ACC Championship Matchup: Notre Dame Defense vs Clemson Offense; Breaking down the matchup between the Notre Dame defense against the Clemson offense” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Anything But Meaningless: Notre Dame Sees Lots To Gain In ACC Championship” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame’s most-respected defensive player also ‘cement head,’ according to Clemson” – NDInsider/ South Bend Tribune/ Greenville News
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea has one more job before leaving for Vanderbilt; The Fighting Irish will face Clemson in the ACC title game. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly doesn’t think Lea’s new job will be a distraction.” – Chicago Sun-Times/ AP
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame-Clemson: In The Trenches” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Brian Kelly notes the similarities between Notre Dame and Clemson’s success; Brian Kelly says the success of both Notre Dame and Clemson comes from a few different places.” – WNDU
IRISH NEWSLINK: “The Last Time: Clemson’s Offense vs. Notre Dame’s Defense” – Irish Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Football: Fighting Irish’s Rock-Solid Offensive Line Paves Way to ACC Championship Game” – Athlon
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Lea must now balance Vanderbilt, Notre Dame obligations; Calling recruits, assembling staff among first initiatives for new Commodore coach” – Nashville Post
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson next for soon to be Lea-less Notre Dame defense” – New York Newsday/ AP
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Leftovers & Links: On Javon McKinley, Notre Dame’s OL depth and lack of Irish injuries” – NBC
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Football: Midweek Musings; Thoughts on Notre Dame football and college football.” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Stacking Up: Notre Dame Offense vs Clemson; Breaking down how the Notre Dame offense stacks up on paper against the Clemson defense” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Football: Kyren Williams could become Brian Kelly’s best ever” – FanSided
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Rees’ run-pass shift aligns with Notre Dame’s late-season surge” – NBC
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Is Focused On Clemson, Not The College Football Playoff; Notre Dame is not worried about whether it will or won’t be the College Football Playoff, its focus is on Clemson” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame football program receives just one positive COVID-19 test ahead of ACC Championship; For the first time in four weeks, the Notre Dame football program has a positive COVID-19 test.” – WNDU
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame’s Best Freshmen Ascending As Postseason Arrives” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Take Two: Irish Still Focused on Etienne” – Irish Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame-Clemson Round II evokes a defensive focus for Brian Kelly” – NBC
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame considers CFP boycott if families barred from semifinals” – UPI
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Notre Dame Produces Championship COVID-19 Game Plan, Results” – Blue and Gold Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Dabo Swinney compares Irish quarterback Ian Book to Notre Dame legend Joe Montana; Swinney is really impressed by Book’s ability to run the football. He says Book really knows how to scramble.” – WNDU
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson Football: How Tigers That Missed the First Notre Dame Game Will Impact the ACC Championship Rematch” – Athlon
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson rushing attack looks to rebound in ACC title game” – NDInsider/ South Bend Tribune/ Greenville News
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Meet Clemson’s key players vs. Notre Dame: Jackson Carman” – Anderson Independent Mail
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson Football: Notre Dame has no incentive to play ACC Championship” – Rubbing the Rock
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Q&A: Talking Notre Dame vs Clemson Rematch; I did a Q&A with TigerNet about the Notre Dame vs Clemson rematch in the ACC Championship” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Lawrence, Lewis and a Conundrum for the Corners” – Irish Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson Depth Chart vs. Notre Dame; Clemson has released its depth chart in advance of its matchup against Notre Dame for the ACC Championship” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson WR’s Approaching Rematch Against Notre Dame With Fresh Eyes” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Clemson At First Glance: Defensive Players Notre Dame Fans Need To Know There are three Clemson defensive players that Notre Dame fans absolutely must know, and the Irish offense must prepare for” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “Midweek Musings Thoughts on Notre Dame football, its recruiting efforts and college football.” – Sports Illustrated
IRISH NEWSLINK: “ACC commissioner John Swofford says title game complaints ring ‘hollow’” – ESPN
