No. 10 Notre Dame makes a return trip home to South Bend, Indiana after last week's loss to No. 3 Georgia finding itself with yet another another tough test. The Irish's opponent Saturday, the No. 18 Virginia Cavaliers, brings a 4-0 record with them and will be aiming to add a major win to their resume. This will mark the first time these two schools have met since 2015. Virginia stormed back in that game from a 12-point deficit after three quarters only to see DeShone Kizer -- who was filling in for an injured Malik Zaire -- hit Will Fuller for a 39-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left to give the Irish a win.
That game marked only the second time in history Notre Dame and Virginia have met. The first meeting came in 1989, with Notre Dame winning 36-13. The Irish enter this game having won six straight regular-season meetings against ACC opponents.
Storylines
Notre Dame: While the Irish lost at Georgia last week, they still played pretty well. In fact, it's not hard to imagine that the national opinion of the Irish might be higher following the loss than it was before. Notre Dame entered the game as a two-touchdown underdog and had a chance to win at the end. Still, the loss is a loss, and it leaves the Irish with no room for error if they want to get back to the College Football Playoff. This home game against a ranked and unbeaten Virginia team presents them with an opportunity to add to their resume.
Virginia: Virginia was picked to win the ACC Coastal in the preseason, and thus far, it's met unusually high expectations. The Cavs are already 2-0 in ACC play with wins over both Pitt and Florida State. Last week, Virginia struggled with Old Dominion for a while before rallying to win 28-17. You have to wonder if Virginia might not have been looking ahead to this matchup and past the Monarchs last week.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium -- South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Game prediction, picks
To be honest, I prefer betting the total in this game than the spread, and I like the under. If I'm taking a side, I lean toward Virginia. The Cavaliers defense has done a terrific job of limiting explosion plays from opposing offenses, and chunk plays are something the Irish offense has struggled with against teams not named New Mexico. So while Notre Dame's talent advantage will likely win out in the end, I think the Cavaliers are more likely to keep this within the number than not. Pick: Virginia (+11.5)
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