Don’t let the Notre Dame football team’s 7-5 record fool you. The Fighting Irish have many playmakers who will be looking to finish the season strong against LSU in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
Here are five Notre Dame players to keep an eye on when the Tigers and Fighting Irish square off.
Everett Golson, QB
Golson enters the Music City Bowl in his first bowl appearance since the 42-14 loss against Alabama in the 2013 BCS National Championship game.
Despite losing five games in 2014, Golson showcased the same abilities that led the Irish to the national championship two years ago. Golson can stand poised in the pocket and make a wide variety of Heisman-caliber throws, and he has the footspeed to pick up yardage on the ground.
In an effort that nearly ruined Florida State’s undefeated season, Golson put up 313 passing yards with three touchdowns, but an offensive pass interference penalty on the game-ending touchdown prevented Golson and the Irish from coming out on top.
Arizona State provided the best blueprint for the Tigers to keep Golson in check during its 55-31 victory against Notre Dame. According to ESPN.com, ASU rushed five or more defenders on 73 percent of Golson’s drop backs, forcing four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
LSU’s speedy front seven, coupled with its lockdown corners, make for a good chance to follow the Sun Devils’ template.
Ronnie Stanley, LT
Stanley began the 2014 season with big shoes to fill as the replacement for first-round pick Zack Martin at left tackle, and he is finishing the season in the Music City Bowl as one of the premier offensive linemen in college football.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, Stanley’s strength is in pass blocking, but 13 starts at right tackle last season forged him into a formidable run blocker as well. In the Music City Bowl, Stanley’s main task will be suppressing LSU junior defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Stanley’s toughest test of the season was against USC junior defensive end Leonard Williams, and consensus top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft.
In limited action against Williams, Stanley got the best of the matchup and gained a significant amount of experience that may help him keep Hunter at bay.
William Fuller, WR
Fuller led Notre Dame in every receiving category with 71 catches, 1037 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.
Fuller’s 14 touchdowns equals the amount all LSU wide receivers caught in total and ties Heisman-candidate Amari Cooper for the third most in the NCAA. His receiving yards are good enough for 22nd in the nation.
The 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore faces arguably his toughest test of the season in the Music City Bowl against the No. 1 defense in the Southeastern Conference and LSU’s signature bump-and-run corners.
Fuller had a trial run against Michigan’s similarly physical corners, and he told Irish Sports Daily he felt “disrespected” by the Wolverines’ press coverage after compiling nine catches, 89 yards and one touchdown.
Jaylon Smith, ILB
The 2014 season hasn’t been an easy one for Smith. He struggled with his transition to inside linebacker after starting all 13 games at outside linebacker in his freshman season but he enters the Music City Bowl fully acclimated to his new position.
The Butkus Award finalist finished the season with 103 total tackles, eight and a half tackles for a loss and three sacks.
The Irish’s 49-39 victory against Navy and its No. 1 ranked rushing offense provided Smith valuable experience against an aggressive rushing team and may help in his quest to slow down LSU.
Smith will look to stifle LSU’s high-powered running game with his ability to get into the backfield up the gut and his athleticism to track down dynamic running backs.
Cole Luke, CB
Luke gained the opportunity to start for the Irish after NFL hopeful KeiVarae Russell was suspended for the season as a result of the school’s academic fraud investigation.
The former four-star recruit seized the opportunity, finishing the season with 46 total tackles, four interceptions and 15 passes defended.
In the Music City Bowl, Luke will be in charge of covering LSU sophomore receiver Travin Dural, the Tigers’ primary receiving threat. Opposing defenders have had a tough time guarding Dural, who exceeded 100 receiving yards three times in the 2014 season, but Luke has faced better.
In one of the biggest games of Notre Dame’s season, Luke had the tough assignment of covering Arizona State junior wide receiver Jaelen Strong.
Luke held the Bednarik Award finalist to 58 yards, his second lowest total of the season, showing he may have the ability to do the same to the speedy Dural.