With the 2024 college football regular season over, this is a great time to see how the Irish stack up, statistically, against potential playoff opponents.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
Now that each FBS program has 12 games under its belt (besides Army and Navy), it is officially time to look ahead to the debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Below is a list of programs that have potential, or have already, earned their spots this season (in no order):
Notre Dame
Oregon
Penn State
Ohio State
Indiana
Texas
Georgia
Tennessee
ACC Champion
SMU or Clemson
Big 12 Champion
Iowa State or Arizona State
Mountain West Champion
Boise State or UNLV
Alabama
Apologies to Miami, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and other fans of programs that may have been left out of this list. Now, we will be seeing how Notre Dame ranks in key stats, and how these potential playoff opponents rank against that same stat.
Total Offense:
Notre Dame ranks 42nd (among 133 FBS programs), averaging 421.2 total yards per game. With dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard, the Irish heavily lean on a ground game headed by running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.
Playoff teams with the best total defenses:
Ohio St. (1st) - allowing 241.1 yards per game, only 13 touchdowns allowed is tied for fewest in the country. Edge rusher Jack Sawyer, safety Lathan Ransom, and linebacker Cody Simon are elite contributors at each level of this OSU defense.
Indiana (2nd) - allowing 244.8 yards per game. Edge rusher Mikail Kamara and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds have been defensive standouts throughout the Hoosiers’ magical season.
Texas (3rd) - allowing 247.2 yards per game, tied with OSU with 13 touchdowns allowed, 3.99 yards per play allowed leads the nation. The Longhorns have one of the best secondaries in the country with safety Michael Taafe and corner Jahdae Barron combining for six interceptions and ten passes defended this season. Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and lineman Alfred Collins pose as formidable run-stoppers.
Penn St. (4th) - allowing 266.8 yards per game. Like OSU, the Nittany Lions feature an elite-level player at each level with Abdul Carter coming off the edge, Kobe King at linebacker, and cornerback A.J. Harris leading the secondary.
Tennessee (5th) - allowing 278.2 yards per game. The combination of Joshua Josephs and James Pearce Jr. is, arguably, the best edge rusher duo in the country. Cornerback Jermod McCoy heads the Vols’ secondary with four interceptions including a pick-six and eight passes defended this season.
Oregon (7th) - allowing 283.8 yards per game. The Ducks have been well-rounded defensively, garnering production from numerous players. The biggest game-wrecker on this defense is linebacker Bryce Boettcher, the Ducks leading tackler with 51 on the year.
Total Defense
Notre Dame ranks tenth, allowing 296.8 total yards per game. The Irish rely on an elite secondary led by safety Xavier Watts and cornerback Leonard Moore who have combined for seven interceptions. Linebacker Jack Kiser is one of Notre Dame’s better defenders against the run, leading the team with 53 tackles.
Playoff teams with the best total offenses:
Boise St. (5th) - averaging 478.2 yards per game, leads Mountain West in yards per play and offensive touchdowns. The Broncos are led by sensational, Heisman finalist running back Ashton Jeanty. He runs behind one of the best tackles in the country, Kage Casey. Quarterback Maddux Madsen and receiver Cam Camper lead the less-potent passing attack.
Clemson (8th) - averaging 465.7 yards per game, second in the ACC. Quarterback Cade Klubnik has been the Tigers’ offensive leader all season. Receiver Antonio Williams has been a solid option for the signal-caller this year. The run game also shows flashes featuring running back Phil Mafah rushing behind one of the best all-around tackles in the ACC, Blake Miller.
Tennessee (9th) - averaging 462.9 yards per game, second in the SEC. The Volunteers have one of the best rushing attacks in the country, thanks to the running back duo of Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop. Receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. and tight end Miles Kitselman have been effective options in the passing game led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Texas (14th) - averaging 450.1 yards per game. The Longhorns’ line is among the best in the country featuring tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., center Jake Majors, and guard Hayden Conner. Running behind this elite line are three talented running backs, Quintrevion Wisner, Jaydon Blue, and Jerrick Gibson. Highly touted quarterback Quinn Ewers has struggled in moments throughout this season but he still has Texas’ passing game ranked among the top 25 in the country.
Oregon (15th) - averaging 448.5 yards per game, leads the Big Ten. Heisman candidate quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been elite all season, leading the Ducks through a perfect regular season. Running back Jordan James has become one of the top rushers in the country. Gabriel’s top target is the very talented receiver, Tez Johnson.
Penn St. (19th) - averaging 442.8 yards per game, second in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions are a true ‘triple-threat’ with Drew Allar at quarterback, Tyler Warren at tight end, and Nicholas Singleton in the backfield. Allar has been consistently productive all season, as has Singleton. Warren is, arguably, the best receiving tight end in the country.
SMU (21st) - averaging 441.8 yards per game, fourth in the ACC. All-purpose running back Brashard Smith is one of the best runners in the country. After an early-season quarterback change, Kevin Jennings has run away with the job, playing very good football through most of the season. Tackle PJ Williams is one of the best at his position in the ACC.
Indiana (24th) - averaging 438.8 yards per game, fourth in the Big Ten. Elite quarterback Kurtis Rourke has a plethora of talented receivers to throw to, including Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., Myles Price, and Ke’Shawn Williams. Running back Justice Ellison has also come on as one of the more talented rushers in the country.
Passing Offense
Notre Dame ranks 101st, averaging 196.4 passing yards per game. Riley Leonard has been solid, especially as the season continued. Jeremiyah Love has provided value as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Receivers Jaden Greathouse and Jayden Harrison have served as reliable options for Leonard for most of the season.
Playoff teams with the best passing defenses:
Texas (1st) - allowing 143.7 passing yards per game, tied for fewest passing touchdowns allowed (4), leads the nation in total passing yards allowed, yards per pass attempt, and yards per completion defensively. Edge rusher Colin Simons is one of the best pass rushers in the SEC with seven sacks on the year. The Longhorns secondary features elite playmakers including safeties Michael Taafee and Andrew Mukuba and cornerback Jahdae Barron, who each have five pass breakups and a combined ten interceptions.
Ohio St. (2nd) - allowing 144.2 passing yards per game, tied with Texas for fewest passing touchdowns allowed, one of two defenses (Texas) allowing under 150 passing yards per game. Safeties Lathan Ransom and Caleb Downs lead this unit, quietly shutting down opposing offenses each week.
Iowa St. (3rd) - allowing 156.6 passing yards per game. Cornerback Darien Porter is one of the best at his position in the Big 12. Behind him, fellow corner Jontez Williams and safety Malik Verdon have also been keys to this Cyclones secondary. These three have combined for 12 passes defended and eight interceptions this season.
Penn St. (7th) - allowing 169.8 passing yards per game, third in the Big Ten. Abdul Carter off the edge is an elite pass rusher with a team-high ten sacks on the year. The leader of the Nittany Lions secondary is talented cornerback A.J. Harris.
Oregon (8th) - allowing 171.5 passing yards per game, tied for fourth in passing touchdowns allowed (9). The Ducks have six highly-skilled pass rushers including linemen Derrick Harmon and A’Mauri Washington, edge rushers Jordan Burch, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Teitum Tuioti, and linebacker Bryce Boettcher. These six game-wreckers have combined for 29 sacks this season. The secondary is not as talented, but corner Jabbar Muhammad, who has eight passes defended this season, is their leader.
Indiana (10th) - allowing 174 passing yards per game, fifth in the Big Ten, 9.28 yards per completion allowed is the second-fewest in the country. Linebacker Jailin Walker and edge Mikail Kamara are among the best pass rushers in the Big Ten, with a combined 13 sacks this season. Like Oregon, this secondary is not super talented, but corner D’Angelo Ponds has been valuable for the Hoosiers most of this season, with two interceptions and a team-leading seven passes defended.
Tennessee (16th) - allowing 178.7 passing yards per game, second in the SEC. The Vols’ edge duo of James Pearce Jr. and Joshua Josephs is among the best in the country with a combined ten sacks between the two. This defense also features elite cornerback Jermod McCoy in the secondary who leads the team in passes defended (8) and interceptions (4).
Passing Defense
Notre Dame ranks fourth, allowing 157.9 passing yards per game, 5.56 yards per pass attempt allowed is the third-fewest in the country. The Irish pass rush has struggled at certain points throughout the season, but one consistent has been lineman Rylie Mills, who leads the team with seven sacks. Their secondary is led by elite safety Xavier Watts who has a team-leading five interceptions this season.
Playoff teams with the best passing offenses:
Georgia (10th) - averaging 297 passing yards per game, third in the SEC. Quarterback Carson Beck has certainly had his ups and downs this season with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while throwing for over 3,400 yards. Despite being ultra-talented, the Bulldogs’ receiving core has struggled throughout the year. All-purpose running back Cash Jones has been an underrated option for Beck out of the backfield. Receivers Dominic Lovett and Dillon Bell and tight end Lawson Luckie will need to step up to give the ‘dawgs a legitimate national title shot.
Oregon (14th) - averaging 277.6 passing yards per game, second in the Big Ten. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been impressive this season, throwing for over 3,200 yards with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Very talented receiver Tez Johnson is Gabriel’s favorite target with 685 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in ten games played this season. The tight-end combination of Terrance Ferguson and Kenyon Sadiq has also been reliable in the passing game for most of the season.
Clemson (16th) - averaging 275.1 passing yards per game, fourth in the ACC. Quarterback Cade Klubnik has, like most of the quarterbacks on this list, been very good all season. He has thrown for over 3,000 yards with an impressive 29:5 touchdown to interception ratio. Similar to Georgia, there is no truly ‘elite’ wideout that has emerged on this Tigers squad. Receiver Antonio Williams is, arguably, the most talented option for Klubnik as he has 792 receiving yards and ten touchdowns this season.
Texas (17th) - averaging 274.6 passing yards per game, fourth in the SEC, 33 passing touchdowns are the third-most in the country. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, like UGA’s Beck, has had his fair share of ups and downs this season. With over 2,300 passing yards and a 24:7 touchdown to interception ratio, Ewers has not performed like a top NFL Draft prospect, as many claimed in preseason. If he can elevate his game in the playoff, Texas could be nearly unstoppable. The Longhorns’ top weapons are receivers Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden and tight end Gunnar Helm, all of whom have over 500 receiving yards and five or more touchdowns.
Rushing Offense
Notre Dame ranks tenth, averaging 224.8 rushing yards per game, tied for third nationally in yards per carry (6.3) and rushing touchdowns (40). The Irish feature three productive runners, including running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price and quarterback Riley Leonard. This trio has combined for 2,362 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. Love is among the most talented rushers in the country with 949 yards and 15 touchdowns with no fumbles.
Playoff teams with the best rushing defenses:
Indiana (1st) - allowing 70.8 rushing yards per game, the only team in the country to have less than 1,000 rushing yards allowed. The Hoosiers have multiple skilled run-stoppers including linebackers Rolijah Hardy and Jailin Walker, linemen Tyrique Tucker and CJ West, and edge Mikail Kamara. These five have combined for 90 tackles and four forced fumbles against the run this season.
SMU (4th) - allowing 95.8 rushing yards per game, 2.8 yards per rush allowed ranks third nationally. The Mustangs' run-stopping efforts are led by linebacker Ahmad Walker and edge Elijah Roberts. This duo has combined for 54 tackles and three forced fumbles against the run this season. Behind these two, the linebacker duo of Kobe Wilson and Alexander Kilgore and lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte have provided value in stopping the run as well.
Ohio St. (6th) - allowing 96.8 rushing yards per game, fourth in the Big Ten. Edge rushers JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer and linebacker Cody Simon are three elite run-stoppers featured on the Buckeyes' defense. This trio has combined for 66 tackles against the run this season. All three are capable of wrecking opposing rushing attacks by themselves.
Penn St. (tied-7th) - allowing 97 rushing yards per game, second-fewest rushing touchdowns allowed (5). The Nittany Lions' rush defense relies on their versatile safeties coming up to make plays. However, linebacker Kobe King is the most talented run-stopper on this roster, with 32 tackles against the run this season.
Tennessee (9th) - allowing 99.6 rushing yards per game, second in the SEC, 2.83 yards per rush allowed is the fourth-fewest in the country. The Vols’ edge rusher duo of Joshua Josephs and James Pearce Jr. are just as capable of stopping the run as they are attacking the quarterback. This pair has combined for 36 tackles and three forced fumbles against the run this season. Furthermore, Josephs has been one of the more talented run-stoppers in all of the SEC.
UNLV (10th) - allowing 101.1 rushing yards per game, leads the Mountain West. The Rebels receive a well-rounded effort from the entire defense against the run. Linebacker Jackson Woodard leads the way with a team-leading 58 tackles against the run this season. Lineman Alex Whitmore and edge Fisher Carmac have also provided value versus the rush, combining for 44 tackles.
Texas (12th) - allowing 103.5 rushing yards per game, third in the SEC. The Longhorns’ premier run-stoppers are lineman Alfred Collins and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Collins has been very impressive this season, but the duo has combined for 60 tackles and three forced fumbles against the run. Behind these two, Texas is loaded with talented run-stoppers including linebacker David Gbenda, linemen Jermayne Lole and Vernon Broughton, and edge rushers Colin Simmons and Barryn Sorrell.
Boise St. (17th) - allowing 106.6 rushing yards per game, second in the Mountain West. The Broncos, like UNLV, have a very team-oriented approach to stopping the run, with almost everyone playing a role. Their best run-stoppers are linebackers Marco Notarainni and Andrew Simpson and lineman Herbert Gums. This trio has combined for 59 tackles against the run.
Oregon (22nd) - allowing 112.2 rushing yards per game, seventh in the Big Ten. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher and lineman Jamaree Caldwell are the Ducks leading run-stoppers, with a combined 47 tackles against the run this season. Lineman Derrick Harmon and linebacker Jeffrey Bassa have also provided value in this phase throughout the year.
Rushing Defense
Notre Dame ranks 52nd, allowing 138.8 rushing yards per game. Similar to the Mountain West foes mentioned above, the Irish rely on a team effort against the run, which heavily involves defensive backs. Specifically, cornerback Leonard Moore has been, arguably, one of the best run-stopping corners in the country. In the middle, the talented linebacker duo of Jack Kiser and Jaiden Ausberry have combined for 68 tackles against the run.
Playoff teams with the best rushing offenses:
UNLV (4th) - averaging 254.1 rushing yards per game, leads the Mountain West. The Rebels have a three-headed rush attack featuring running backs Jai’Den Thomas and Kylin James and dual-threat quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams. These three each have over 500 yards and four rushing scores a piece. Combined, they have compiled over 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. All three of these rushers are talented and are capable of breaking for a big play at any moment.
Boise St. (6th) - averaging 253.5 rushing yards per game, third in the Mountain West, 6.36 yards per carry is the second-most in the country, and 40 rushing touchdowns are tied for the third-most in the country. The Broncos have the best running back in the country, and it is not close. Ashton Jeanty has recorded 2,287 yards with 28 touchdowns on the ground this season. If Jeanty’s yards after contact (1,695) were another person, they would be the FBS’s second-leading rusher this season. Opposing defenses can not stop this Heisman finalist, they can only hope to slow him down.
Tennessee (9th) - averaging 232 rushing yards per game, leads the SEC. The Volunteers feature an elite running back in Dylan Sampson, who carries most of the rushing workload. He has 1,482 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns this season with four fumbles on 256 attempts. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is a talented runner, but his nine fumbles on just 69 carries are a major red flag.
Arizona St. (24th) - averaging 195 rushing yards per game, fourth in the Big 12. The Sun Devils are led by an elite runner in Cam Skattebo. He has recorded 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground in 11 games played this season. Behind Skattebo, fellow running back Kyson Brown and quarterback Sam Leavitt are also capable rushers, combining for over 700 yards and six scores.
Penn St. (25th) - averaging 194.7 rushing yards per game, second in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions have a unique run game, considering running back Nicholas Singleton was expected to be one of the top backs in the nation before this season. Instead, a duo of Singleton and fellow running back Kaytron Allen have, together, led this rush attack. They have combined for 1,431 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. To add to the uniqueness of this rushing offense, PSU receives production from their tight end Tyler Warren, and backup quarterback Beau Pribula. Both of these players have four rushing scores and are averaging over 6.5 yards per carry. Starting quarterback Drew Allar has also been effective when he needs to tuck and run.
Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun
Comments