NCAAF
School Soccer
Week 12
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No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 22 Pitt are dealing with off in a essential Week 12 matchup.
The sport is scoreless early within the first quarter. Comply with our writers for information, updates and evaluation.
Verify out this week’s live coverage schedule on The Athletic.
Q1 9:56 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
The struggles proceed for Notre Dame’s placekicking. Erik Schmidt hits his 46-yard discipline objective large proper.
A pleasant defensive cease for Pitt, the place cornerback Rashad Battle breaks up a third-and-10 move from CJ Carr. Pitt will restart on offense with underneath 10 minutes remaining within the first quarter.
Q1 12:27 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
Following the massive Shuler sort out on third down, Pitt goes for it on fourth-and-8. However Mason Heintschel will get sacked, leading to a turnover on downs.
Notre Dame begins on offense with favorable discipline place.
Q1 12:31 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
On third-and-8, Mason Heintschel throws over the center of the sphere to Cataurus Hicks. However Hicks will get introduced down with a monstrous sort out courtesy of Notre Dame security Adon Shuler.
What a sort out!
Q1 14:44 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
Desmond Reid is likely one of the big-play working backs within the nation. He reveals that with a 19-yard reception as he turns and runs upfield on the primary play of the sport.
Nice begin for the Pitt offense!
Q1 15:00 – Notre Dame 0, Pitt 0
We’re underway from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Pitt will get the ball to start out the sport.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman leads the Combating Irish onto the sphere to a refrain of boos. Not lengthy now till kickoff.
Get excited, soccer followers!
Which suggests it’s your final probability to ship in some sport predictions! Will the Combating Irish hold rolling to a different playoff spot, or will the Panthers choose up an enormous resume win? E-mail us your ideas: live@theathletic.com.
Each of Notre Dame's working backs earned a spot in Dane Brugler's updated 2026 NFL Draft board — Jeremiyah Love all the way in which up at No. 5; Jadarian Worth at No. 39. Right here's Dane on Love:
💬: “NFL groups trying to grow to be extra explosive on offense are going to have Love excessive on their want lists in April. His explosiveness and skill to remain afloat as a ball provider are distinctive qualities, together with the worth he provides within the passing sport.”
Love presently leads all FBS working backs with 16 complete touchdowns (13 dashing, three receiving) and ranks third with 37 performs of 10-plus yards (28 carries, 9 catches).
GO FURTHER
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No. 9 Notre Dame (-10.5) at No. 23 Pittsburgh
Pitt has gone 5-0 and emerged as a contender for the ACC title since freshman Mason Heintschel took over at quarterback. The Irish, although, are 10-3 underneath Marcus Freeman since 2021 as a highway favourite, and the Panthers are 9-13 as a house underdog underneath Pat Narduzzi since 2015. Among the Panthers’ greatest gamers have been banged up, although, together with working again Desmond Reid and linebacker Rasheem Biles. Notre Dame’s protection shuts down Pitt’s working sport (lower than 100 yards) and forces Heintschel into a few mistakes to win by two scores and cover the spread.
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He’ll most likely take some needling from former West Virginia kicker Pat McAfee, however count on Pitt legend Aaron Donald — who went onto grow to be one of many biggest defensive linemen in trendy NFL historical past with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams — to get the group fired up as he returns to Pittsburgh because the visitor picker on “School GameDay” in the present day.
Pitt was included within the Prime 25 on this week’s School Soccer Playoff rankings. The Panthers had been twenty second.
Right here is our Ralph D. Russo on the significance of this week’s Notre Dame-Pitt sport:
💬 “The Panthers will doubtless play three CFP-relevant video games between now and the top of the common season. The one query is whether or not they’re contenders or simply spoilers by Thanksgiving weekend. A Pitt victory this weekend just about eliminates Notre Dame and breathes life into all the ACC by clearing out an at-large spot and giving the convention some transitive-property credit score.”
The second School Soccer Playoff rankings had been unveiled on Tuesday. Notre Dame slotted at No. 9.
How will Combating Irish followers cheer this weekend with a whole lot of pivotal video games on faucet?
Our Notre Dame author, Pete Sampson, has all the main points under.
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Notre Dame throttled Navy final week to enhance to 7-2. So what can the Combating Irish study from such a dominant efficiency?
Right here is Notre Dame author Pete Sampson following the team’s rout against Navy:
💬“If each nice staff is player-led, Notre Dame felt prefer it nonetheless wanted the top coach to carry its collective hand coming into November. That may nonetheless be the case, however Freeman could possibly loosen his grip if the Irish can stack Saturdays like this one collectively.”
Here’s a statistical comparability for the 2 quarterbacks taking part in in the present day:
It’s been one other implausible season for Jeremiyah Love. The Notre Dame working again has 988 dashing yards on 154 carries. His 13 dashing touchdowns lead the nation.
Love is likely one of the causes for Notre Dame's resurgence. He shall be an element in the present day towards Pitt.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi didn't wish to add additional pressure on his team forward of dealing with Notre Dame. He downplayed the magnitude of the matchup and its playoff implications.
💬 “Completely not,” Narduzzi mentioned when requested whether or not in the present day’s sport is a must-win. “I’m glad you introduced that up. It’s not an ACC sport. I’d gladly get beat 103 or 110 to 10 in that sport. They may put up 100 on us so long as we win the following two after that.”
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Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi not targeted on Notre Dame: ‘They may put up 100 on us’
Per our Austin Mock, Notre Dame has a 93 p.c probability to make the School Soccer Playoff. Pitt's probabilities of making the CFP are slimmer.
The Panthers have a 12 p.c probability to make the School Soccer Playoff and win the ACC.
Pitt is tied for first place within the ACC. The Panthers are even with Georgia Tech and Virginia, whereas SMU is a half-game again.
However Pitt sits third within the ACC based mostly on general document this season at 7-2. The Panthers sit one again of chief Georgia Tech however co-lead in level differential with Miami (161).
Pitt is correct there, which makes this sport towards Notre Dame large.
No. 3 Notre Dame (7-2) at No. 22 Pittsburgh (7-2), Midday, ABC
Permit us to introduce the most influential team in the CFP rat race: Pitt! Winners of 5 straight and the highest scoring offense within the ACC (39.7 factors per sport), the Panthers have Notre Dame, at No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 15 Miami the remainder of the way in which. Pitt’s greatest probability to make the CFP is profitable the ACC crown, which has nothing to do with Saturday’s non-conference showdown, as Pat Narduzzi (hilariously) acknowledged this week. Nevertheless, taking down Notre Dame widens the trail for the ACC and everybody else — the Irish are a close to lock for the Playoff with a win, however their odds drop to 30 p.c with a 3rd loss, in accordance with our mannequin.
Line: Notre Dame -12.5
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