NCAAF Game Preview - New Mexico at Notre Dame
Sat Sep 14, 2019 2:30 PM EDT

Clem
41
Syr
6
F
Bama
47
SCar
23
F
ArkSt
0
UGA
55
F
NWSt
14
LSU
65
F
Okla
48
UCLA
14
F
OSU
51
Ind
10
F
NM
14
ND
66
F
Kent
16
Aub
55
F
Fla
29
KY
21
F
IdSt
0
Utah
31
F
Tex
48
Rice
13
F
Pitt
10
PSU
17
F
Mont
3
Oreg
35
F
Lamar
3
TxAM
62
F
Stan
27
UCF
45
F
AzSt
10
MSU
7
F
Iowa
18
IASt
17
F
WaSt
31
Hou
24
F
MD
17
Temp
20
F
PorSt
10
Boise
45
F
Hawaii
20
Wash
52
F
USC
27
BYU
30
F OT
FlaSt
24
UVA
31
F
UNC
18
Wake
24
F
Kans
48
BC
24
F
K St
31
MissSt
24
F
E Mi
34
Ill
31
F
NCSt
27
WVU
44
F
Furm
17
VaTec
24
F
Chat
0
Tenn
45
F
MiaOH
13
Cin
35
F
Cit
27
GATec
24
F OT
AF
30
Colo
23
F OT
Norf
7
CoCar
46
F
FlAtl
41
Ball
31
F
Akr
24
C Mi
45
F
ECU
10
Navy
42
F
Army
31
UTSA
13
F
OkSt
40
Tuls
21
F
Mem
42
SoAl
6
F
UNLV
14
NW
30
F
GaSo
32
MIN
35
F
Mor
12
JMU
63
F
SouLA
29
Miss
40
F
Lou
38
W Ky
21
F
EWa
45
JacSt
49
F
ColSt
34
Ark
55
F
B-C
0
MiaFL
63
F
CAPly
7
OreSt
45
F
NorTx
17
Cal
23
F
SamHu
23
UND
27
F
Idaho
16
Wyo
21
F
LT
35
BGSU
7
F
SMiss
47
Troy
42
F
SCSt
16
SoFL
55
F
Buff
17
Lib
35
F
UMass
17
UNCC
52
F
Ohio
31
Marsh
33
F
GASt
10
WestMI
57
F
Murr
0
Toled
45
F
Web
13
NEV
19
F
TxSt
17
SMU
47
F
Duke
41
MidTN
18
F
UNH
17
FLInt
30
F
SEMO
0
MIZ
50
F
TxSo
6
ULLaf
77
F
TCU
34
Purd
13
F
MoStU
6
Tul
58
F
SDSU
31
NMS
10
F
NIU
8
Neb
44
F
TxTch
14
Ariz
28
F
New Mexico-Notre Dame Preview
Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:25 PM

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Brian Kelly decided to be proactive before No. 7 Notre Dame gets more than a wakeup call.

After viewing film of his team's lackluster 35-17 victory at Louisville and with 12 days to prepare for Saturday's home opener against New Mexico, the Fighting Irish coach decided he wasn't going to make things easy for his players with such an early bye week. The Irish got physical last Friday and Saturday.

"When you have a week off, you look at yourself and what you need to do to continue to build," Kelly said. "It was about living up to a standard. We tackled. We scrimmaged. It was a physically demanding and mentally demanding week for our team."

The Irish, who trailed 14-7 after Louisville's first two possessions, scored 21 unanswered points to take command of the game and finished with a 423-383 advantage in total yards despite being outrushed 249-230. Senior quarterback Ian Book passed for 193 yards, rushed for 81 more and accounted for two touchdowns, but he also was sacked three times and fumbled twice, losing one. Notre Dame converted only five of its 12 on third-down conversions against a team that had one of the worst defenses in the country a year ago.

There was plenty to clean up before welcoming the Lobos, who opened with a 39-31 victory against FCS power Sam Houston State.

"I think we're going to be more calm, cool and collected," senior wide receiver Chase Claypool said.

NO DAVIE

The first meeting between the two schools will not include a homecoming for New Mexico coach Bob Davie, who was fired by Notre Dame in 2001.

The 64-year-old Davie collapsed in the locker room following New Mexico's victory over Sam Houston State from a "severe medical incident" and will remain in Albuquerque as offensive line coach Saga Tuitele handles Davie's duties on the sideline Saturday.

"This game, quite honestly, was never about me coming back to Notre Dame," Davie said this week. "The key for us is to improve."

The Lobos are approaching it as a fun business trip.

"We will do enough on Friday when we get there to get all the awe out of our players, out of their heads and out of their minds," Tuitele said. "Then it's back to football. It's about winning your one-on-one matchups and executing your game plan."

New Mexico will receive $1.1 million from Notre Dame for the visit.

BALL CONTROL

Book may have fumbled twice and lost one against Louisville, but the Irish running back corps has good hands. Notre Dame's running backs have gone 571 carries since their last fumble, the longest active streak among FBS teams.

MAKING THEIR POINTS QUICKLY

New Mexico, which got 107 yards on 16 carries from senior running back Ahmari Davis, had four lightning-fast touchdown drives against Sam Houston State. They took 1:57, 0:59, 0:41 and 0:23.

INJURY UPDATES

Notre Dame running back Jafar Armstrong is out for several weeks after surgery on an abdominal muscle. Tony Jones Jr. (110 yards, TD vs. Louisville), Jahmir Smith (2 TDs), Kyren Williams, C'Bo Flemister and Avery Davis could all see time. Smith has been limited by a sprained toe. Tight end Cole Kmet could also play after recovering from a broken right collarbone

New Mexico lost starting QB Brandt Hughes with a shoulder injury in the first half of its opener. Senior Sheriron Jones, who replaced Hughes and threw for 122 yards and ran for two scores, battled sophomore Tekava Tuioti and freshman Trae Hall during practice this week.

The Lobos won't have senior nose tackle Aaron Blackwell, who was lost for the season with an ACL injury.

"Aaron is a big loss for us, being the captain and emotional leader for us," Tuitele said. "But we're deep at the d-line right now - we can move some guys in and out of different spots."

HE SAID IT

"They balled out." - Notre Dame running back Tony Jones Jr. on the Irish offensive line after he piled up nearly half the team's 230 rushing yards against Louisville.

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AP freelancer writer Glen Rosales contributed.

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Team Record Comparison

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