Notre Dame football's Week 5 game against the Duke Blue Devils is one that could hold a lot of interest for those who follow college football closely. The No. 11 Fighting Irish have to make their way to Durham, NC in what will be a top-25 matchup.

*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Notre Dame, of course, is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State. Now the Fighting Irish have to prove that there are no lingering hangovers of any sort and take on a highly competitive Duke team that won't lay down for anybody. In fact, they'll face the same Duke football team that beat Clemson in the Labor Day opener by three touchdowns.

This is a game that feels must-win for second-year head coach Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame football program now. Most pundits believe their last-second loss to Ohio State was the dagger to their entire season and that now all hope is lost of regaining their way back into the College Football Playoff. But that may not be the case.

Facing a top-20 Duke team can only do the Irish favors coming off a loss like they did. The more ranked teams that Notre Dame faces to finish out the year, the better they look… that is if they win, of course. The fact that the Blue Devils are usually a basketball school is irrelevant in this scenario. Beating a ranked team should count significantly in Notre Dame's favor should they walk out with a W. Good news for the Irish is that they've won their last 29 straight regular seasons games against ACC opponents. Can they keep that streak alive this week? Let's delve into some Notre Dame Week 5 predictions.

4. Sam Hartman throws for 280 yards and three touchdowns

Sam Hartman is very familiar with the ACC, as he had 46 starts in the conference playing for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. However, he only faced Duke twice and is 1-1 against them during his career. He has a much better team surrounding him now, although this is a much better Duke team he's facing as well.

Hartman will most likely be looking for a bit of a revenge game after the loss to Ohio State. This isn't an easy defense to go against, though. He'll have his work cut out for him, as Duke is seventh-best in the country in passing yards allowed (162). If Hartman can protect the ball and keep it out of the hands of the Duke defensive backs, he'll have a productive day, throwing for 280 yards and three touchdowns, which will be much better than the 175 yards and one touchdown he had against Ohio State.

3. Notre Dame football's defense records two sacks

It's staggering how many statistical categories Duke football ranks highly in. That just shows you how well the Blue Devils are under Mike Elko. One of those statistics is sacks allowed. Their offensive line has only allowed Riley Leonard to get sacked twice in four games. Part of that is probably because Leonard is an elusive dual-threat quarterback. Notre Dame has five sacks all year. That will definitely need to increase against Duke, as getting to Leonard and applying pressure up front will be key.

2. Audric Estime returns to 100-plus rushing yards

Last week against the Buckeyes was only the second game that Audric Estime hasn't rushed for 100 yards this season. The other was against Navy where he had 95. Estime is a big-bodied running back that can plow through defensive lines; he's a massive asset to the Notre Dame offense. Duke is allowing 135.3 yards per game on the ground to their opponents. Look for Estime to return to his 100 yard-plus rushing games.

1. Notre Dame football wins and beats the spread, keeps record against ACC opponents alive

Oddsmakers currently have Duke as a 5.5 point underdog, which, honestly, is still surprising to see. No doubt Dukes outmatching of Clemson was a massive win for the program, but it's been easy pickings since that point. I just feel like this game is one of those where Notre Dame needs to make a statement. They need to prove that they're better than Clemson, who they will face later in the season. They need to prove they still belong in playoff contention.

As noted, this is a stout team that's tough on both sides of the ball, on the lines especially. But I feel confident that Hartman has a stellar game, and that he and Notre Dame beat Duke 32-14. But boy is this one scary is you're a Notre Dame fan.