This week’s By The Numbers is in preparation for Notre Dame’s senior day against Wake Forest this weekend. With Manti Te’o being the most prominent of those seniors it is only fitting to begin with him. There are plenty more numbers below on the Irish as well as Wake Forest.
1…Linebacker in the last 11 seasons that has recorded more interceptions in a single season than the six Te’o has this year. Te’o ranks second in the FBS with his six picks this season and needs just one more to tie former Georgia linebacker Tony Taylor’s mark for linebackers set in 2006.
10…Of Notre Dame’s 20 forced turnovers have been a direct result of Te’o’s play. Along with his six interceptions Te’o has recovered two fumbles and had two quarterback hurries on plays that resulted in interceptions.
45…Consecutive starts made by Te’o. It’s the longest active streak of any linebacker in the country and the fourth-longest of any defensive player in the nation.
92…Tackles Te’o has made in 2012. He is on pace to join Bob Crable (1979-’81) as just the second Notre Dame player to hit the century mark in tackles in three seasons.
11.1…Points per game allowed by the Fighting Irish defense this season. The Irish are tied with Alabama for the best mark among FBS teams. Over the last 11 years only seven teams have had a better scoring average.
8-1…Notre Dame’s record in November games under Brian Kelly. The Irish were 1-8 in November in the nine games prior to Kelly’s arrival.
92…Percent grade for offensive lineman Zack Martin. The left tackle has allowed just one sack all season and it came against Navy in the very first offensive drive of the year. Martin leads the Fighting Irish with 123 knockdown blocks in 2012.
5…Receptions needed by ND tight end Tyler Eifert to break the 35-year-old record for career catches by an Irish tight end. Eifert has 124 career grabs and ranks second to the 128 receptions Ken MacAfee set in the 1970s. Eifert has 1,625 yards and also needs 135 yards to pass MacAfee’s career total.
31…Consecutive losses by Wake Forest against top-5 ranked teams. The Demon Deacons are 1-32 all-time vs. top-5 teams. The program’s only such win came on Oct. 26, 1949 against No. 4 Tennessee. Wake is also 0-18 all-time in games vs. top-3 teams.
29…Career pass break-ups by Demon Deacon defensive back Chibuikem Okoro, who ranks fourth in the FBS in that department. San Diego State’s Leon McFadden is the career active pass break-up leader with 37.
11…Pass break-ups this season by Wake cornerback Kevin Johnson. The sophomore leads the ACC in that department and has the second-most passes defended in the ACC with 15. Johnson also has three interceptions and has forced and recovered a fumble to go with 45 tackles in 2012.
3…Career touchdown passes by Wake Forest receiver Michael Campanaro, whose third career TD pass last week represented his team’s only touchdown in a 37-6 loss to North Carolina State. Campanaro connected with fellow receiver Terence Davis on a 39-yard score last week after taking a pitch from quarterback Tanner Price.
3…Touchdown receptions two weeks ago against Boston College by Campanaro. The redshirt junior tied a school record with 16 catches for 123 yards in that game. Combined with his five grabs in last week’s loss to NC State Campanaro’s 21 catches in consecutive games is a Wake Forest record.
53.5…Rushing yards per game Wake had allowed in a four-game stretch heading into last week’s game against NC State. Wolfpack running back Shadrack Thornton blew that average up though by rushing for 110 yards last week. He became the first back for either team to eclipse the 100 yard mark since 2005. NC State totaled 170 rushing yards in the game. The Wake Forest defense is allowing 156.9 rushing yards a game through 10 games and ranks 63rd among FBS teams.
5…Touchdown receptions this season by Deacon fullback Tommy Bohanon. The TD grabs are tied with two other running backs for the most in Wake Forest history. Bohanon has 20 catches for 182 yards this season – 16 of those catches for 126 yards have come in his last six games.
100…Yard kickoff return by NC State’s Tobias Palmer to start the second half in last week’s game. The Demon Deacons are allowing 24.9 yards per kick return this season. Palmer’s return last week is the first taken back for a score by a Wake Forest opponent in 2012.
60…Wins against 23 losses by Wake Forest under head coach Jim Grobe when his team scores 24-plus points in a game. The Deacs are just 13-49 under Grobe when they score fewer than 24 points. Wake is averaging 20.1 points this season and Notre Dame is yet to allow more than 17 points in 2012.
