Can Boise State upset No. 21 Notre Dame? This could be the key factor

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman hasn’t been shy about dishing out compliments to Boise State ahead of Saturday afternoon’s matchup between the two teams. Freeman has described the Broncos’ offense as having a “lot of eye candy” on multiple occasions, and said redshirt junior quarterback Maddux Madsen has the “it factor.”

But if there’s one thing that Freeman is keeping a close eye on — and a primary battle that could help swing the game the Broncos’ way — it’s Boise State’s pass rush.

“It is really fundamentally sound. They have a good system,” Freeman said Thursday morning on a conference call. “They’re not going to beat themselves; they are very in tune with what gaps they’re hitting, who’s coming, what formation, and they’re going to make you earn everything you get.”

Boise State led the nation in sacks in 2024 with 55. The Broncos have 11 sacks through four games this season, so their average of 2.75 per game is tied for 28th in the nation. If they hope to leave South Bend, Indiana, with an upset victory, they’ll have to live up to their pass-rush hype — or even exceed it, given that No. 21 Notre Dame has allowed just seven sacks of redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr.

Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said this week that he’s “extremely impressed with (Carr’s) decision-making.” The 20-year-old quarterback has thrown for 1,091 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions, and also has a rushing touchdown.

Still, Carr has just four starts to his name. As impressive as he’s been, if he can be pressured and forced into committing a turnover or two, and it’s a tight game, then the Broncos will be eager to take advantage. Both of Carr’s interceptions came in Notre Dame’s losses, and five of his seven sacks were at the hands of Miami and Texas A&M in those games.

But putting pressure on Carr could be easier said than done, and Danielson knows it.

“I look at CJ Carr as a freshman — Miami was pressuring all over the place, and they have a couple of the best front guys I’ve seen in a long time,” Danielson said. “And he would avoid, he’d get hit and get back up, never seemed rattled in the game — and still led them on a game-tying drive.”

Notre Dame fell 27-24 to Miami in the season opener, when Carr was sacked three times. He was sacked twice in a 41-40 loss at home to Texas A&M.

To even get to the point of pressuring Carr, Danielson knows his defense will have to stop the run and force throws. Carr has barely attempted 30 passes in three games, but threw only 12 in a blowout win over Purdue. That’s mostly because the Irish have junior running back Jeremiyah Love, a Heisman Trophy candidate who has 341 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, as well as 149 receiving yards and three more TDs in the passing game.

“We’ve got to stop the run and earn the right to get in passing situations,” Danielson said.

The Boise State defense has a lot of blitz packages and likes to bring pressure, but the Notre Dame offense is one of the most challenging the Broncos will face this season. Danielson’s team will have to disguise coverages and try to provide Carr with some looks he hasn’t seen on tape.

“It’s a holistic effort, and they’re going to make their plays,” Danielson said. “CJ (Carr) is going to make his throws. Love is going to get his runs. We just can’t give up explosives. We’ve got to tackle them off, line up the next down, and keep playing.”