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Saturday's matchup: BYU at Notre Dame

By Brian Hamilton, Tribune reporter

11:43 PM EDT, October 19, 2012

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TV/radio: 2:30 p.m. Saturday; WMAQ-Ch. 5, WLS-AM 890.

Line: Notre Dame by 13.

Records: BYU 4-3; Notre Dame 6-0.

Last meeting: Notre Dame won 49-23 on Oct. 22, 2005 in the Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas.

ON THE OFFENSIVE: BYU has the nation's No. 3 run defense, allowing just 2.23 yards per carry, and averages 7.7 tackles-for-loss per game. But who have the Cougars played? Coach Brian Kelly says it will be a game-time decision on whether to start Tommy Rees or Everett Golson (concussion) at quarterback.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: If senior QB Riley Nelson rediscovers his form, the Irish may encounter trouble. Otherwise he will give DBs Bennett Jackson and Matthias Farley chances to make game-turning plays on mistake throws.

THE NUMBER: 10. Number of TE Tyler Eifert's 15 receptions that have produced a first down or touchdown for Notre Dame.

THE TALK: It might be the sternest test of Notre Dame's focus and energy yet. A game sandwiched between an emotional victory and a mammoth road showdown at Oklahoma, at the end of a week with no classes and no one around, has letdown potential.

BRIAN HAMILTON'S PICK: Maybe the fifth-ranked Irish get off to a sluggish start. Maybe it's not aesthetically pleasing at certain points. But it won't be a trap Notre Dame falls into, stunting BCS hopes.

Notre Dame 27-10