No. 24 Notre Dame vs. Purdue: Prediction, Odds, and Key Insights

Game Details and How to Watch

The Fighting Irish, currently at 0-2, are set to host the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday afternoon in South Bend. The game will be broadcast on NBC/Peacock. After defeating Ball State and Southern Illinois, the Boilermakers faced a tough loss against USC, 33-17. Their defense allowed 460 yards of offense, which could be an opportunity for Notre Dame to capitalize on both offense and defense.

Game Odds and Betting Trends

As of Thursday, the latest odds from DraftKings show the following:

• Moneyline: Purdue Boilermakers (+1200), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-2400)
• Spread: Notre Dame -24.5 (-108)
• Total: 54.5 points

This game opened with Notre Dame as a -26.0 favorite. For more updates on betting lines and player props, check out DraftKings.

Notre Dame Overview

Under head coach Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame has struggled through its first two games, falling to Miami and Texas A&M by just four points combined. Offensively, the Irish rank 26th in SP+ due to a strong passing attack but have been inefficient on the ground. Defensively, they rank outside the top 100 in several key areas, including efficiency and explosiveness allowed. Special teams have also been a liability.

Notre Dame Offense

Notre Dame's offense ranks 26th in SP+ thanks to a high-volume passing attack that ranks 22nd nationally in 20+ yard completions. However, their rushing game is among the worst in the country, ranking 114th in non-sack yards per carry. Despite this, the offense has shown flashes of brilliance, averaging 5.76 yards per play and scoring 40 points against Texas A&M.

Notre Dame Defense

The Irish defense has struggled in key areas, ranking 28th in SP+ but allowing 5.88 yards per play. They are one of the worst defenses in generating negative plays and have produced minimal pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The defense has also failed to create turnovers, ranking 131st in expected turnovers allowed.

Key Player: RB Jeremiyah Love

Love has been a dual-threat weapon for Notre Dame, contributing 127 yards on 33 carries and catching 8 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. His versatility in both rushing and receiving makes him a valuable asset for the offense.

Purdue Boilermakers Overview

Under head coach Barry Odom, the Boilermakers have a 2-1 record and rank 91st in SP+ offensively. Their offense shows a run-pass imbalance, with a moderately efficient passing game but some of the worst rushing metrics in the country. Defensively, they rank 70th in SP+ but have struggled against the run and have issues with creating negative plays.

Purdue Offense

Purdue's offense ranks 91st in SP+ with a passing success rate of 49.5% and an average of 7.9 yards per dropback. However, their rushing metrics are among the worst in the country, with a low yards per rush and poor red zone efficiency. The line has struggled in protection, and the unit is turnover-prone.

Purdue Defense

The Boilermakers' defense ranks 70th in SP+ but has vulnerabilities against the run, allowing a 44.1% rushing success rate. They have decent havoc metrics at the linebacker level but struggle to generate consistent disruption overall. The secondary has held up reasonably well in preventing explosive completions.

Key Player: ILB Charles Correa

Correa has been a disruptive presence in the middle of the defense, tallying 11 tackles with 5.0 havoc plays, including 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. His ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage makes him a key player for Purdue's defense.

Betting Insights

Notre Dame has gone 7-3 in its last 10 games and has covered the spread in 7 of those games. Their last four games have gone over the total. Experts suggest taking the under on the team total for Notre Dame at 39.5. While the model suggests leaning towards a play on the spread for Purdue, it recommends the under on the game total of 55.5.