The Irish will travel to historic Fenway Park to battle rival Boston College in the annual Shamrock Series game. Boston College have one of the best defenses in the country, ranking first in yards per play but also have one of the least potent offenses. The Irish have a chance to make a statement in a primetime game with Stanford coming up the following week in a hugely important clash. The Eagles will rise to the occasion versus Notre Dame so the Irish must be ready for a physical game that could be low-scoring. The following are the matchups the Irish must control to keep their playoff hopes alive:
Jaylon Smith versus Tyler Rouse
Jaylon Smith will likely put together an extensive highlight-reel versus Tyler Rouse and the atrocious Eagles offense.