The Anti-Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS #16 BYU Cougars

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally made it to .500 two weeks ago with a convincing win over North Carolina on the road. While there is still a long way to go for Notre Dame to accomplish anything of merit this season, there is actual hope back on the table.

Whether or not that hope remains on the table depends upmn how Notre Dame plays against the BYU Cougars in this year’s Shamrock Series.

Let us begin.

What should you be drinking?

While I am unfamiliar with the term “Vegas Bomb,” I’m very familiar with the ingredients.

Vegas Bombs

• 1 1/4 ounces Crown Royal Whiskey
• 1/4 ounces Peach Schnapps
• 2 ounces cranberry juice
• Red Bull or other energy drink in a separate glass
• 2 - 4 ice cubes

1. Combine the Crown Royal, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with a couple of ice cubes. A Boston-style cocktail shaker is better for most cocktails.
2. Shake for about 10 seconds to combine all of the ingredients.
3. Pour the mixture into the shot glasses, using the bar strainer to keep the ice from falling in.
4. Pour your red bull into another glass, using as much or as little as you like. Make sure that the shot glass fits into this glass.
5. Serve the shot and the glass of Red Bull together. The shot should be dropped into the glass and the whole thing drunk together quickly.

What should you be eating?

When I was a kid, I remember hearing from my aunts and uncles about the crab legs in Vegas — like no where in the world are there bigger crabs. [dramatic pause for obvious built-in joke] Honestly though, people will spend an entire day smoking meat for a game. All you really need is a few minutes for luxurious crab legs. That sounds like a good deal.

What should you be wearing?

Look — I know everyone loves the white hoodie for the Shamrock Series, but after I Googled “Vegas fashion,” I just don’t understand how anyone can take a pass on this.

The Odds

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Notre Dame is now a 4 point favorite with an OVER/UNDER of 51.5. The moneyline is sitting at -180 on an Irish win.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

HAIKU

The Shamrock Series,
Better than Provo, I guess,
Te’o says hello.

Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

3 reasons to hate BYU

• In 2020, most of The Athletic staff went fucking nuts for BYU vs Coastal Carolina as the game of the year despite a certain exciting game in South Bend that saw the #1 team in the country fall.
• The whining and chest-beating about Notre Dame NOT playing in Provo is sad. Be a bigger/better program, nerds.
• Not only was the loss to BYU in 2004 an abomination — so were the Cougars uniforms that day.

Helmet Stickers

• Drew Pyne. Now I know what you’re thinking — the Irish should run all over BYU, so maybe a running back or a offensive lineman should be here. Yeah... but no. Pyne is going to have to make some throws to keep things honest, and with a completion percentage over 70% during the last two games, I think he mnakes the engine purr.
• Benjamin Morrison. Despite starting at cornerback the past two games, Morrison just got moved to CB1 on the depth chart. He gets better and better with each rep, and maybe (finally) Notre Dame can get its forst interception of the season.

At the end of the night...

Notre Dame is juiced up from a big day on the ground when they last played a game, and lean into handing the ball off to Audric Estime, Chris Tyree, and Logan Diggs. Pyne plays his part and finds Michael Mayer and Lorenzo Styles enough times to make it interesting for what I think will be a bigger day offensively than other people are predicting. Defensively, I think the Irish continue to get after the quarterback — and this is the game the Irish get multiple turnovers. It’s party time in Vegas. Irish 38, BYU 20.