Report: Duke left tackle Graham Barton to miss Notre Dame game

Duke will reportedly be without on of its best offensive players on Saturday night when the Blue Devils host Notre Dame. According to reports, Duke left tackle Graham Barton is out for Saturday night.

Barton, outside of perhaps quarterback Riley Leonard, is Duke’s best offensive player. His absence will potentially be pronounced, especially against a Notre Dame defense that can rush the passer and stuff up the run at a high level.

Barton was a first team All-ACC selection in 2022 and earned several preseason All-American nods coming into 2023. He has 34 career starts and has appeared in 35. It’s an absence Duke will need to overcome to stay undefeated, even against a stout, talented defense like the Irish.

Notre Dame and Duke kick off on ABC shortly after 7:30 p.m. EST.

Barton is not the only notable injury ahead of Saturday night’s matchup

Notre Dame already had a question about Jayden Thomas’ availability Saturday night against Duke, but the Fighting Irish could also be facing another absence at wide receiver. Jaden Greathouse is not expected to play, Blue and Gold’s Jack Soble reported.

Greathouse injured his hamstring during practice on Wednesday, and he’ll test it out during warmups Saturday night ahead of the primetime showdown. However, the expectation is he won’t be able to go, meaning Notre Dame could be down two of its top receivers.

Greathouse has been a key weapon for Sam Hartman and the Fighting Irish offense. He ranks third on the team with 166 receiving yards along with three touchdowns. He sits just behind Thomas, who has 195 receiving yards, on the Notre Dame roster. He was ruled “questionable/doubtful” earlier this week due to a hamstring strain that kept him out of practice this week, according to head coach Marcus Freeman.

Converted running back Chris Tyree leads the Fighting Irish with 241 yards on the season.

Jaden Greathouse was a key piece of the Notre Dame recruiting class this year. A product of Westlake (TX) High School, he was a four-star prospect and the No. 158 overall player from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Notre Dame faces another tough test following last week’s heartbreaking loss to Ohio State in the final seconds. College GameDay was once again in attendance for this week’s game against Duke, coached by former Fighting Irish assistant Mike Elko.