Notre Dame at Wake Forest: 5 Questions the Irish Must Answer in Winston-Salem

Notre Dame football travels to the heart of ACC territory against Wake Forest on Saturday.  When the Irish take on the Demon Deacons, they'll have to address questions that have plagued them all season.

It's been an up-and-down ride for Notre Dame from the first snap of the 2011 season, but the Irish have a chance to show they've put all of the pieces together and are ready for a winning run into the postseason. 

How will the Irish perform during an 8pm game?

So far, the Irish have a record of 1-2 for night games this season.  They lost in the last seconds of the Michigan game and stumbled through the USC loss.  However, Notre Dame did defeat Purdue handily in West Lafayette, Indiana at night.

Is this a future conference matchup?

If the landscape of college football shifts so dramatically that Notre Dame has to join a different conference in football, the ACC would be considered a top pick of the Irish.  If they join the Atlantic Coast Conference, Notre Dame could easily play Wake Forest in an annual matchup.

How will the Irish travel?

This is the first test for the Irish more than five hours from home.  How will Notre Dame perform after a much more significant weekend of traveling?  North Carolina's climate should be a bit better than South Bend's current weather, so the Irish should get a mental boost from the warmth. 

Can the Irish play with the same passion they exhibited against Navy?

Notre Dame dominated Navy in every aspect of the game, in part, because the Irish felt they had something to prove.  Can the Irish continue to play with the same fire and chip on their shoulder against Wake Forest?  If so, the Demon Deacons will be no match for an inspired Irish team, so long as Notre Dame protects the ball.

If the Irish win, will they move into the Top 25?

USC proved it isn't the slouch everyone thought it was when the Trojans played undefeated Stanford to three overtimes.  The Irish have only one bad loss, which was a turnover-laden affair against South Florida.  If Notre Dame successfully defeats Wake Forest by a large margin on Saturday, will the voters show the Irish some love?

Notre Dame still has a lot of work ahead, especially in the area of consistency.  If Notre Dame can protect the ball and play with fire, everything else should fall into place.  If not, look for another let down against a very average Wake Forest team.