The Anti-Preview: #9 Notre Dame VS #14 North Carolina State

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just keep TRUCKING along with Josh Adams and their moving company, the mammoth offensive line. At 6-1. Notre Dame is in a position that few though was possible right now, and they are looking to be in a position that even fewer thought was possible.

Notre Dame’s scoring offense is ranked #11 in the nation with 41.3 points per game, and their scoring defense is ranked #12 in the nation after only giving up 16.3 points per game.

They are indeed trucking along. The back half of the schedule is daunting, but they just have to take it one game at a time, and this week is no different.

The Wolfpack

The N.C. State Wolfpack are having a really nice season of their own. They too are 6-1, with their lone loss coming at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks. The six wins only include 4 Power 5 schools, and they have a combined record of 11-11.

I’m not trying to discredit what the Wolfpack has done so far, but for all of the rumblings about how good they have been, they really haven’t played anyone yet. So... the Irish will be their biggest challenge so far.

There is absolutely no point in using last year’s game as any type of reference point. It was in a hurricane and is void of any real analysis. HOWEVER... it was a game in which Brian Kelly was outcoached by Dave Doeren.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DRINKING?

It’s time to Zombie this shit up son! Well, zombie it up and rub that apple ass-whooping in N.C. State’s face.

Subway Domer One Foot Crack

• One part Apple Cider or Apple Juice
• One part Rum

Mix together in a large water bottle, apple cider jug, cup, keg- whatever. Mix and drink yo! The type of rum is almost inconsequential. Captain Morgan is always a solid choice, but Bacardi does make a Big Apple rum that works quite well too. It just doesn’t matter.

You’ll be getting wasted with ease.

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WHAT SHOULD YOU BE EATING?

Fried Sausage and Apples

This dish is one of the pure classics when it comes to the Anti-Preview cuisine. Sausage and Fried Apples. There are many, many ways to make this succulent plate of heaven, but I’m going to show you how I make it best.

• 3 lbs. of Eckrich skinless Sausage
• 5 Apples (get a good baking kind)
• Butter
• 3 shots of Jack Daniels
• 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar

Put some butter in a big pan. Lots of butter. Slice up your apples and put them in the pan. Now take a shot of Jack Daniels and put it down your throat. Take the other two shots and the brown sugar and put it in the pan. Fry it all up for about 5 minutes on high. Slice your sausage up in threes and put it in the pan for 5 minutes while stir-frying it all. Take the contents of that pan and put in a crock pot. Heat on low for 2 hours. Serve. Send all thank-yous to my email.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE WEARING?

Look y’all... it’s basically Halloween weekend, and in some towns across America, this Saturday is Trick-or-Treating (which is the absolute worst). So, in that spirit, get your costume game on. If you want to wear that sexy pirate costume (ladies and gentlemen) go right ahead, but it’s going to be cold AF in a lot of places. Good luck with that.

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?

It’s an incredibly big game, and we can thank the Penn State Nittany Lions for overshadowing the Irish for the second week in a row. Perhaps it’s all for the best, because the extra spotlight that ESPN puts on Penn State just might burn the Lions ass when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. If the Irish handle their business this week, both the team and Josh Adams could surge.

It’s a BIG ASS game.

5 REASONS TO HATE N.C. STATE

1. Phillip Rivers.
2. Gator Bowl Green loss.
3. Hurricane Matthew voodoo.
4. Raleigh and the surrounding area is a really nice place to live. Pullen Park is DOPE AF.
5. 0-2 is quite enough.

SHAMROCK STARS

Kevin Stepherson. I know it’s probably taboo to pick anyone other than Josh Adams right after the official Heisman campaign started - but... Kevin Stepherson could be the key to the entire Irish offense on Saturday. The Wolfpack is going to be gunning for that run, but their secondary play has been susceptible this season, and if Stepherson can stretch the field, it can better open up the run lanes for Josh Adams, Tony Jones Jr., and Dexter Williams.

Drue Tranquill. N.C. State like to do a whole bunch of things pre-snap, like motion and formation shifts. I think this is a game that we are really thankful for a steady tackler like Drue Tranquill. The Wolfpack does a lot of quick passes, and it will be important for Notre Dame to keep everything in front of them. Tranquill helps with this with his instinct and ability to be really physical.

AT THE END OF THE DAY...

Three things really worry me about this game.

1. Ryan Finley getting hot.
2. Bradley Chubb getting hot.
3. N.C. State’s bye week prep.

The Wolfpack and Finley don’t turn the ball over. Finley has ZERO interceptions, and they have only lost 3 fumbles. Basically, he’s the Anti-Darnold. Chubb and his buddies on the defensive line have the ability to take over a game, and it could alter what the Irish do on offense. They are fresh and healthy, and we saw what ND could do when they were fresh and healthy.

At any rate, Notre Dame is playing at a level that we haven’t seen in South Bend in a couple of decades. I think Notre Dame will show up to this game like it has been; hungry and well prepared. Irish 35, Wolfpack 23