Previewing No. 12 Notre Dame's game Saturday vs. in-state rival Purdue
Michael WanbaughSOUTH BEND — Notre Dame hasn't made anything easy on itself so far this season. The 12th-ranked Irish survived it's season-opener against Florida State in Tallahassee, 41-38, on an overtime field goal by Jonathan Doerer.
In last week's home opener, Notre Dame had to rally in the final minutes for a touchdown to escape upset-minded Toledo, 32-29.
The Irish will be looking for a more comfortable path to victory Saturday when in-state rival Purdue comes to South Bend for the first time since 2012.
Here's a quick guide to the contest:
Preview coverage guide
► Players to Watch: Four to keep an eye on during Purdue-Notre Dame football game
► How does No. 12 Notre Dame beat Purdue? By following these four keys to the game
► Notebook: Adding simplicity and impact to the Notre Dame defense with Botelho
► Podcast: Former Notre Dame QB Gary Godsey on upsetting Purdue, Drew Brees in 2000
► Chat Transcript: Breaking down ND's O-line breakdowns, possible solutions to a slow start
Irish items
Week 3 vs. Purdue
♦ Saturday will be the 87th meeting between Notre Dame and Purdue and first since a 30-14 Irish win in the 2014 Shamrock Series game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
♦ The 86 games against Purdue are the most for a Notre Dame Big Ten opponent and third most in program history behind only Navy (93) and USC (91).
♦ Notre Dame leads the overall series 58-26-2 with Purdue’s last victory coming in 2007, 33-19, in West Lafayette. The Boilers’ most recent win in South Bend was 41-16 in 2004.
♦ An Irish win Saturday would give head coach Brian Kelly his 105th victory at Notre Dame, tying him with Knute Rockne. Kelly holds a 104-39 record in his 12th season. Rockne coached 13 years (1918-30) with a 105-12-5 record.
♦ Purdue and the Irish play for the Shillelagh Trophy, one of five traveling trophies associated with Notre Dame rivalries. The others are USC (Jeweled Shillelagh), Boston College (Leahy Memorial Bowl), Stanford (Legends Trophy) and Michigan State (Megaphone Trophy). The Irish are currently in possession of all five.
♦ Purdue has started the season 2-0 in back-to-back season for the first time since 2006-2007.
♦ Notre Dame has won 19 straight regular-season games dating back to a 45-14 loss at Michigan on Oct. 26, 2019 in Ann Arbor.
♦ New Notre Dame football analyst Drew Brees will work his second game Saturday for the NBC Network. A Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, the future Hall-of-Famer was also a standout for Purdue, holding nearly every QB record. He led to the Boilers to the Rose Bowl his senior season in 2000. He also led a Purdue defeat of Notre Dame in 1999, 28-23 at Ross-Ade Stadium.
♦ Notre Dame has won 25-straight home games, a modern record for the program and second longest active streak in FBS. The last Irish home loss was Sept. 26, 2017 to Georgia, 20-19.
Two-deep depth charts
PURDUE
OFFENSE
Wide receiver
8 T.J. Sheffield | 5-11, 190 | So.
18 Deion Burks | 5-11 | 180
Left tackle
69 Greg Long | 6-4, 300 | Gr.
68 Cam Craig | 6-5, 310 | So.
Center
53 Gus Hartwig | 6-5, 310 | So.
75 Spencer Holstege | 6-5, 310 | So.
Right guard
78 Tyler Witt | 6-2, 305 | Gr.
59 Dave Monnot | 6-6, 300 | So.
Right tackle
74 Eric Miller | 6-7, 305 | Jr.
68 Cam Craig | 6-5, 310 | So.
Tight end
87 Payne Durham | 6-5, 255 | Jr.
88 Garrett Miller | 6-5, 245 | So.
Wide receiver
0 Milton Wright | 6-3, 195 | Jr.
29 Broc Thompson | 6-3, 190 | Jr.
Wide receiver
3 David Bell | 6-2, 205 | Jr.
9 Mershawn Rice | 6-2, 205 | So.
Quarterback
13 Jack Plummer | 6-5, 215 | Jr.
16 Aidan O'Connell | 6-3, 210 | Gr.
Running back
22 King Doerue | 5-10, 205 | Jr.
38 Dylan Downing | 6-0, 225 | So.
DEFENSE
Defensive end
5 George Karlaftis | 6-4, 275 | Jr.
99 Jack Sullivan | 6-5, 275 | Jr.
Defensive tackle
90 Lawrence Johnson | 6-3, 310 | Jr.
92 Bryce Austin | 6-2, 305 | So.
Defensive tackle
58 Branson Deen | 6-2, 275 | Jr.
34 Damarjhe Lewis | 6-3, 300 | So.
Defensive end
44 Dydran Jenkins | 6-1, 270 | So.
15 DaMarcus Mitchell | 6-3, 265 | Sr.
Sam linebacker
6 Jalen Graham | 6-3, 220 | Jr.
20 OC Brothers | 6-2, 220 | So.
Mike linebacker
43 Kieren Douglas | 6-2, 240 | Gr.
37 Jacob Wahlberg | 6-4, 235 | So.
Will linebacker
36 Jaylan Alexander | 6-1, 240 | Sr.
42 Clyde Washington | 6-3, 230 | So.
Cornerback
1 Dedrick Mackey | 5-11, 190 | Gr.
7 Jamari Brown | 6-3, 205 | Jr.
Safety
10 Cam Allen | 6-1, 195 | Jr.
17 Chris Jefferson | 5-11, 190 | Sr.
Safety
4 Marvin Grant | 6-2, 210 | So.
21 Sanoussi Kane | 6-0, 205 | So.
Cornerback
23 Cory Trice | 6-3, 215 | Jr.
26 Brandon Calloway | 6-1, 195 | Fr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
30 Jack Ansell | 6-2, 205 | Fr.
47 Brendan Cropsey | 6-1, 190 | So.
Place kicker
24 Mitchell Fineran | 5-11, 185 | Gr.
39 Ben Freehill | 6-1, 190 | So.
Holder
11 Jack Albers | 6-0, 185 | So.
Punt returner
8 T.J. Sheffield | 5-11, 190 | So.
33 Jackson Anthrop | 5-11, 190 | Gr.
Long snapper
31 Nick Zecchino | 6-0, 185 | Sr.
96 Hunter MacDonald | 6-2, 245 | So.
Kickoffs
24 Mitchell Fineran | 5-11, 185 | Gr.
57 Chris Van Eekeren | 5-11, 195 | So.
Kick returner
8 T.J. Sheffield | 5-11, 190 | So.
25 Marcellus Moore | 5-8, 170 | So.
NOTRE DAME
Offense
Quarterback
17 Jack Coan | 6-3, 223 | Graduate
10 Drew Pyne | 6-0, 200 | Sophomore
Running back
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
Field receiver
0 Braden Lenzy | 5-11, 182 | Senior
21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Freshman
Slot receiver
3 Avery Davis | 5-11, 202 | Graduate
5 Joe Wilkins Jr. | 6-2, 195 | Senior
Boundary receiver
4 Kevin Austin Jr. | 6-2, 215 | Senior
16 Deion Colzie; 6-5, 207; Freshman
Tight end
87 Michael Mayer | 6-5, 251 | Sophomore
85 George Takacs | 6-6, 247 | Senior
Left tackle
68 Michael Carmody | 6-6, 290 | Sophomore (questionable, sprained ankle)
79 Tosh Baker | 6-8, 307 | Sophomore
Left guard
52 Zeke Correll | 6-3, 295 | Junior
50 Rocco Spindler | 6-5, 300 | Freshman
Center
55 Jarrett Patterson | 6-5, 307 | Senior
73 Andrew Kristofic | 6-5, 295 | Junior
Right guard
62 Cain Madden | 6-3, 310 | Graduate
56 John Dirksen | 6-5, 306 | Senior
Right tackle
75 Josh Lugg | 6-7, 305 | Graduate
76 Joe Alt | 6-8; 305 | Freshman
DEFENSE
Vyper defensive end
7 Isaiah Foskey | 6-5, 260 | Junior
9 Justin Ademilola | 6-2, 255 | Senior
Defensive tackle
57 Jayson Ademilola | 6-3, 280 | Senior
99 Rylie Mills | 6-5, 283 | Sophomore
Nose guard
41 Kurt Hinish | 6-2, 300 | Graduate
56 Howard Cross III | 6-1; 275 | Junior
Big defensive end
95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | 6-3, 268 | Graduate
31 NaNa Osafo-Mensah | 6-3, 250 | Junior
Mike linebacker
40 Drew White | 6-0, 228 | Graduate
52 Bo Bauer | 6-3, 233 | Senior
Will linebacker
27 JD Bertrand | 6-1, 230 | Junior
24 Jack Kiser | 6-2, 224 | Junior
Rover linebacker
10 Isaiah Pryor | 6-2, 217 | Graduate
(Or) 24 Jack Kiser | 6-2, 224 | Junior
Boundary cornerback
5 Cam Hart | 6-3, 205 | Junior
11 Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Sophomore
Field cornerback
6 Clarence Lewis | 6-0, 193 | Sophomore
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
Free safety
14 Kyle Hamilton | 6-4, 220 | Junior
2 DJ Brown | 6-0, 200 | Senior
Strong safety
3 Houston Griffith | 6-0, 202 | Senior
16 KJ Wallace | 5-10, 185 | Junior
Nickelback
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
16 KJ Wallace | 5-10, 185 | Junior
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place-kicker
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Punter
19 Jay Bramblett | 6-2, 197 | Junior
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
Long snapper
65 Michael Vinson | 6-2, 230 | Senior
44 Alex Peitsch | 6-1, 210 | Sophomore
Holder
19 Jay Bramblett; 6-2, 197; Junior
30 Jake Rittman; 6-3, 210; Senior
Kickoffs
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Kick returner
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior
Punt returner
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
(Or) 29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior