Week 11: Air Force at Notre Dame

After a stunning, historic loss to Navy, Notre Dame comes right back with another home game against a service academy.

The Fighting Irish are still recovering from last week's 46-44, three-overtime defeat, the school's first loss to Navy since 1963. It will come as some consolation that Navy is slightly better than Air Force, but not much. The Falcons are feeling good after a 30-10 pounding of Army and will welcome a national showcase opportunity.

This should be another game along the lines of Navy-Notre Dame, which was tied 28-28 after regulation. Air Force will bring its own version of the option offense, which accounted for 437 rushing yards against Army with Chad Hall posting a school-record 275 yards. Notre Dame did a reasonably good job against Navy's option, as the Midshipmen gained 235 rushing yards. But the Irish were burned for 140 passing yards and will have to be aware of AFA quarterback Shaun Carney's throwing ability.

Offensively, Notre Dame will be trying to pound the ball at the smaller Falcons, much as it did in recording 257 yards on the ground against Navy. The Irish will probably need to mix in more passing, as Evan Sharpley's short tosses accounted for only 81 yards.

More than anything, the Irish have to realize that regardless of how they have struggled this season, beating them still means a lot to teams that come into Notre Dame Stadium. Air Force is done with the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy Series and needs considerable help to gain a share of the Mountain West title, so the Falcons are playing for national recognition at this point. Beating the Irish would not be as much of a breakthrough for them as it was for Navy, but would still be meaningful.

But based on AFA's loss to Navy earlier this year, Notre Dame will have a good chance to win this game and should be eager do so.

Notre Dame by 4