The game time and television broadcast for the Notre Dame Wake Forest game next weekend was announced on Monday and Irish fans can brief a slight sigh of relief. The game will be at noon and it will be broadcast nationally on ABC saving fans from another prime time matchup.
Notre Dame has already played once in prime time this season and has three other games already set for night time – Stanford Florida State, and Navy. It would be surprising if the Virginia Tech and USC games weren’t also primetime affairs at this point as well. The noon kick-off isn’t something the Irish are overly accustomed to, but being able to get back to South Bend at a reasonable hour is a nice perk for the players.
As of now Wake Forest will have a 9 day layoff before hosting the Irish although that can change. They are set to host Boston College on Thursday night although Hurricane Florence could force that game to be postponed. If the Deacons get that game in and knock off Boston College, they will enter this game 3-0.
Notre Dame and Wake Forest last played a season ago when the Irish raced to a huge third quarter lead only to see the final score look a lot less impressive after some second half defensive lapses. New Notre Dame defensive coordinator, a former assistant at Wake under Dave Clawson, will be looking to avoid that as he faces off against his former boss.
The last noon kickoff for Notre Dame came a year ago on the road in Chestnut Hill against the same Boston College Eagles that Wake Forest is set to square off with this week. In 2016 Notre Dame played two noon kickoffs and one 11:30 AM kickoff. The Irish split the noon kickoffs (Syracuse – W, NC State – L) and lost the 11:30 to Navy.
Boston College was not a noon kickoff. Originally scheduled for noon it was moved to a 3:30 kickoff. I know, I was there, man.
Can’t beat Whole Foods.
Bummer. Have tickets for the game and will be driving from Virginia Beach. Noon was not a great choice for me.
Commence your Plan B preparations.