Big Game Hunting: Notre Dame goes to Georgia — it’s as scary as it sounds

Notre Dame’s football team piped in all the noise it could at its indoor practice facility this week. Cranked up the heat, too. Whatever it took to simulate the conditions at Georgia’s Sanford Stadium.

But there’s no simulating the Bulldogs’ monstrous talent. Alas, that can only be experienced live and in person.

Be afraid, Irish fans. No. 7 Notre Dame (+14½) at No. 3 Georgia (7 p.m., Ch. 2) — between those famous hedges — is as daunting as it gets.

“If we do a great job preparing, we can go play the game, play fast, play free and then the best team wins,” coach Brian Kelly said.

Yeah, well, therein lies the problem.

When Georgia won 20-19 in South Bend in 2017, it was the program’s first road game north of the Mason-Dixon Line in over 50 years. This time, the Dogs are in their element. A national-title-obsessed crowd will be dialed up to 11. A team that believes it’s the best in the land — and very well may be — will be looking to make an unmistakable statement.

Kelly says his own program is in “much better position,” particularly in terms of its depth, than it was two years ago. But Kirby Smart has stepped things up at Georgia, too. And that 2017 team, led defensively by future Bears linebacker Roquan Smith, came within a coverage breakdown in overtime against Alabama of winning it all.

On offense is where Georgia (2-0) looks like a world-beater. Tackle Andrew Thomas might be the next No. 1 overall NFL pick. Solomon Kindley is commonly rated as the top guard in the country. D’Andre Swift is the top running back on many a draft board — and, by the way, the Dogs have three other backs who’ve rushed for more yards this season than anyone Notre Dame (2-0) has.

It’s too early to judge the Irish defense on its stats against the run, but they’re ranked 120^th in yards allowed per game (230). The Dogs will line up — nothing fancy, folks — and try to make Daelin Hayes, Khalid Kareem, Alohi Gilman and the rest of the Irish defense miserable.

And when they throw it? Say hello to quarterback Jake Fromm, widely projected as a first-round pick himself.

The Irish are a very good team. Ian Book is a terrific QB. Talented tight end Cole Kmet, recovered from a collarbone injury, is expected to make his season debut and should make an instant impact. Wideout Chase Claypool could have a big game. It would be great to see Chris Finke get open deep over the middle — his specialty — for a big play.

The Dogs are going to score, though. And then score some more. Irish take a 41-20 pounding.

In other Week 4 action:

No. 11 Michigan (+3½) at No. 13 Wisconsin (11 a.m., Fox-32): Are the Wolverines (2-0) good enough against the run to deal with a heavy dose of Badgers (2-0) superstar running back Jonathan Taylor? Is Jim Harbaugh’s outstanding quarterback, Shea Patterson, healthy enough to play at his best? Is the whole Michigan team sick to death of hearing that it barely beat Army? Maybe, probably and definitely. Who gets to 3-0? The Maize and Blue.

No. 8 Auburn (+3½) at No. 17 Texas A&M (2:30 p.m., Ch. 2): The Aggies (2-1) couldn’t complete drives in a 24-10 season-opening loss at Clemson — shocker, right? — but that’s why the term “home-field advantage” was invented. Or something like that. Understand: There is no better environment in college football than Kyle Field. Auburn (3-0) knows a thing or two about playing in a big-game scene — and we must mention its wildly good defensive line — but it’s the Aggies’ time to shine. They win by 7.

Oklahoma State (+5½) at No. 12 Texas (6:30 p.m., Ch. 7): Let’s try to understand why the Longhorns, 2-1 with an instant-classic loss to outstanding LSU, are favored by such a slim margin against unranked OSU, which is 3-0 but hasn’t beaten anybody with a pulse. Actually, it’s simple: They’ve lost four straight to the Pokes — and five straight to the Pokes in Austin. Yikes! Hook ’Em wins and covers anyway.

My favorite favorite: Boston College (-7½) at Rutgers (11 a.m., BTN): If there’s anything left of the Eagles (2-1) after coach Steve Addazio chewed on them all week for getting blown out at home by Kansas, they’ll remember how much better they are than an opponent like the Scarlet Knights (1-1).

My favorite underdog: South Carolina (+10) at Missouri (3 p.m., SEC Network): The Gamecocks (1-2) have had a rough early go, but freshman QB Ryan Hilinski is a player and his team has plenty of talent. The Tigers (2-1) still have to prove they’re not the same team that lost its opener at Wyoming. Cocky in OT.

Last week: 3-4 straight-up, 5-2 vs. the spread.

Season to date: 13-9 straight-up, 15-7 vs. the spread.

THE LOCALS

NEBRASKA AT ILLINOIS

The facts: 7 p.m., BTN, 890-AM.

The records: Nebraska 2-1, Illinois 2-1.

The storyline: Was that loss to Eastern Michigan just a bad dream? No, it happened. Every revealing, hideous bit of it happened. What we know now is the Illini (2-1) secondary is frighteningly delicate, the defensive front isn’t as capable as its early sack numbers suggested, the offensive line still isn’t physical enough and quarterback Brandon Peters holds on to the ball far too long. Other than that, the Huskers (2-1) are in big trouble.

The line: Huskers by 13. (Believe it or not, it opened at 7½.)

Greenberg’s pick: Nebraska, 38-30.

NO. 7 NOTRE DAME AT NO. 3 GEORGIA

The facts: 7 p.m., Ch. 2, 1000-AM.

The records: Notre Dame 2-0, Georgia 3-0.

The storyline: It boils down to a simple, yet perhaps troubling, question. Is Notre Dame’s best good enough to beat an Alabama, a Clemson or a Georgia? Those three programs, and maybe Oklahoma and Ohio State, too, are the true elite of college football. The Irish made last year’s playoff, but they’re not in that group yet. Win this one, and that changes instantly.

The line: Bulldogs by 14.

Greenberg’s pick: Georgia, 41-20.

MICHIGAN STATE AT NORTHWESTERN

The facts: 11 a.m., Ch. 7, 720-AM.

The records: MSU 2-1, Northwestern 1-1.

The story line: If you love low-scoring football (it’s a nice way to say bad offense), then this one’s for you. The Spartans (2-1) are as good as it gets defensively, especially up front. The Wildcats (1-1) are pretty rugged themselves. Which quarterback will have the better (it’s a nice way to say halfway decent) game, MSU’s Brian Lewerke or NU’s Hunter Johnson? Will either team be able to run the ball in the slightest? Will Sparty try to get away with playing with 12 men on the field? Note: It didn’t work against Arizona State.

The line: Spartans by 9.

Greenberg’s pick: Northwestern, 16-10.