Duke vs. Notre Dame: Game Preview, Prediction and Players to Watch

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will attempt to regroup on Saturday, when the Duke Blue Devils come to South Bend for an afternoon clash.

Just three games into the 2016 season, Notre Dame has watched its College Football Playoff dream slip away. Brian Kelly's team is a disappointing 1-2 following a loss to Michigan State.

But Duke provides the Irish with a bounce-back opportunity, as the Blue Devils have also dropped two of their first three games.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, and NBC will broadcast the tilt. Odds Shark lists Notre Dame as a 21.5-point favorite. 

Duke Keys to Victory

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Don't Waste Scoring Chances

Against Northwestern, five of Duke's 15 possessions reached Northwestern's 35-yard line. Two resulted in a touchdown, while others ended with an interception, fumble or missed field goal. Another drive ended inside the 40 after a turnover on downs.

"We have shown flashes, which is not what you want in Game 3, of at times being a really good football team," head coach David Cutcliffe said, per Joe Wilkinson of the News & Observer. "There's a lot of parts, and we have to find and fix those parts."

Failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities is one major part the Blue Devils need to correct.

Disrupt the Offense's Timing

For three quarters, Michigan State's four-man pressure disrupted DeShone Kizer. The quarterback saw open receivers, but throwing windows closed because he needed to evade defenders.

Once the Irish started protecting Kizer, however, he began shredding the Spartans and put up 21 second-half points in an attempted comeback.

Through three games, Duke has accumulated 16 hurries and ranks third in the country with 14 sacks. Pressuring Kizer is paramount for the Blue Devils and their goal of an upset.

Notre Dame Keys to Victory

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Build a Big Lead Immediately

Notre Dame will probably avoid a Michigan State hangover. Still, the sooner that bitter memory is forgotten, the better.

The Irish scored first against Texas but didn't lead again until the fourth quarter—which feels like a loss. Against the Spartans, Notre Dame struck first but surrendered 36 straight.

Kizer has twice guided the Irish out of a three-possession hole, but the offense needs to strike first and keep scoring.

Stop the Run Without Extra Help

As expected, Notre Dame's front seven is a problem. The defense has allowed 198.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 99th nationally. 

But after shredding an outmatched North Carolina Central defense, Duke has mustered just 154 yards on 64 carries. The Blue Devils won't quickly abandon the running game, though.

Anthony Nash, Johnathan Lloyd and T.J. Rahming are fine receivers, and the trio could give a thin secondary some problems. If the Irish are forced to commit extra defenders to stop the run, they're in trouble.

Duke Players to Watch

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Daniel Jones, Quarterback

Traveling to Northwestern was nothing compared to what looms on Saturday. Daniel Jones is about to enter a different type of environment with Notre Dame Stadium.

How will the freshman hold up?

Jones collected 611 passing yards against Wake Forest and Northwestern, which seems superb. However, he committed five turnovers (three fumbles, two interceptions) during the losses.

Production only matters when mistakes are avoided. Jones must overcome the massive and loud stadium while protecting the ball and finishing scoring chances with touchdowns. That's an enormous task.

A.J. Wolf, Defensive Tackle

Duke has no chance to steal a victory without constant interior pressure, and A.J. Wolf might be the person to supply it.

But after recording three sacks during the season opener, the senior hasn't finished off another one. Plus, at Northwestern, Wolf failed to record a single tackle for the first time since November 2014.

The Blue Devils need their veteran and captain to provide a constant impact throughout the difficult matchup.

Notre Dame Players to Watch

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C.J. Sanders, Wide Receiver

Notre Dame might be playing the "what if" game for the rest of 2016. For example, what if C.J. Sanders' kickoff-return touchdown hadn't been called back against Michigan State?

Regardless, the sophomore is an explosive player who should occupy a large offensive role because of Duke's talent in the secondary.

Sanders has 10 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and those numbers may increase considerably on Saturday. Kizer should find an uncovered Sanders on quick-hitting routes all game long.

The Entire Defense, Really

The Spartans struggled to run early, so they passed for two scores during the first half. After the break, Michigan State notched three touchdowns on the ground yet sealed the victory through the air.

Kelly is looking for improvement everywhere on defense, and that includes the coaching staff.

"Those are the guys we have," Kelly said, according to Tom Coyne of the Associated Press. "We can't trade them. They're not getting cut. We recruited them, so I don't want to hear anybody. ... I told our staff, 'Those are our guys, so we've got to get them better.' We've got to put them in better position to make plays."

Saturday should be a game in which the offense is capable of a blowout, but the margin of victory depends on the defense's performance.

What They're Saying

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Duke

Cutcliffe has a proven track record of developing quarterbacks, but he understands having patience is part of the process. According to Sam Turken of the Duke Chronicle, Cutcliffe sees the flaws in Jones' game but believes in the freshman.

"Very typical of most young quarterbacks is that you confuse quick and hurry," Cutcliffe said. "He does look hurried at times. You also have to manage the mental parts of moving the chains, and he can do that. ... It's going to come. I trust him."

Notre Dame

With two losses, the Irish are basically eliminated from the College Football Playoff conversation. Scott DeCamp of MLive notes Kelly said Notre Dame needs to narrow its focus on Duke.

"

They want to win. I mean, everybody is a competitor. The focus just becomes on what I just talked about: each individual getting better, each individual improving from week and week. The focus being really much more smaller in a sense. All we're looking for is to find a way to win and beat Duke. That's really the goal that's in front of us.

"

Prediction

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The Fighting Irish are in desperate need of a victory. And as three-touchdown favorites, they're not going to disappoint.

Kizer accounts for three touchdowns in the first half, helping Notre Dame build a 24-3 advantage heading into the locker room. Jones commits a pair of turnovers that both lead to scores.

Although the Blue Devils finally reach the end zone during the third quarter, Kizer responds with his fourth touchdown of the contest. Notre Dame adds 10 more points to retain the blowout and ultimately improves to 2-2 on the season.

Duke scores the final touchdown, but the loss sends Cutcliffe's team to 1-3 and further complicates its trek toward bowl eligibility.

Oh, and the Irish finally record their first sack of the season.

Prediction: Notre Dame 41, Duke 17

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All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report College Football Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.