What to watch for: Game of the week, schedule for Notre Dame commits

Notre Dame has its bye week, but Fighting Irish commits in the 2023 and 2024 classes across the country have key matchups as their respective seasons progress. Below is a look at who is playing and where, a preview of this week’s top matchup and more.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Arguably the best wide receiver and top cornerback in the state of Missouri will be on opposing sides Friday night, as St. Louis De Smet (2-3) battles St. Louis University High (2-3) in a battle between two teams looking to get back to .500.

On the De Smet side, Notre Dame cornerback commit Christian Gray is the headliner. And for SLUH, top Irish receiver target Ryan Wingo is looking for a big performance. It’ll be fun to see clips of the two battling it out Friday night. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman would love nothing more than to see these high school rivals two eventually become teammates in South Bend.

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TOP PERFORMER FROM LAST WEEK

There are a few good choices here, but I’m going with Austin (Texas) Westlake’s (4-0) Jaden Greathouse, who caught 6 passes for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 35-20 victory. On the season, he’s hauled in 17 receptions for 352 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus adding two punt return scores. Greathouse has been exceptional this fall for the No. 11 team nationally by MaxPreps.

WHERE WILL MIKE SINGER BE?

I’ll be making it out to Denton (Texas) Guyer (5-0), home of Notre Dame class of 2023 five-star safety commit Peyton Bowen. It shouldn’t be a close contest as his No. 16-ranked team faces an 0-5 squad, but it’ll be a good opportunity to check in on Bowen and learn more about the status of his commitment, as Oklahoma and Texas A&M have been in hot pursuit.

Bowen’s younger brother, Eli, is a class of 2024 cornerback target for the Irish at Guyer High as well.

FULL NOTRE DAME COMMIT SCHEDULE

OL Sullivan Absher—Belmont (N.C.) South Point (5-0) at Shelby (N.C.) Crest (4-1) Sept. 29.

LB Jaiden Ausberry—Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab (2-2) at Port Allen (La.) High (2-2) Sept. 30.

CB Micah Bell—Houston The Kinkaid School (3-2) at St. Thomas Catholic (4-0) Sept. 30.

LB Drayk Bowen—Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean (4-2) vs. Munster (Ind.) High (3-4) Sept. 30.

S Peyton Bowen—Denton (Texas) Guyer (5-0) vs. McKinney (Texas) Boyd (0-5) Sept. 30.

RB Dylan Edwards—Derby (Kan.) High (3-1) at Wichita (Kan.) Haysville Campus (1-3) Sept. 30.

TE Cooper Flanagan—Concord (Calif.) De La Salle (3-2) at Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary’s (5-0) Oct. 7.

WR Rico Flores Jr.—Folsom (Calif.) High (4-1) at El Doroado Hills (Calif.) Oak Ridge (5-0) Sept. 30.

CB Christian Gray—St. Louis De Smet (2-3) vs. St. Louis University High (2-3) Sept. 30.

WR Jaden Greathouse—Austin (Texas) Westlake (4-0) at Del Valle (Texas) High (1-4) Sept. 30.

DL Devan Houstan—Hagerstown (Md.) St. James School (2-2) at Washington (D.C.) Maret (3-1) Oct. 1

OL Charles Jagusah—Rock Island (Ill.) Alleman (1-4) at Geneseo (Ill.) High (3-2) Sept. 30.

WR Braylon James—Round Rock (Texas) Stony Point (3-1) vs. Round Rock (Texas) High (4-0) Sept. 30.

RB Jayden Limar—Lake Stevens (Wash.) High (2-2) at Mill Creek (Wash.) Jackson (0-4) Sept. 30.

S Ben Minich—Cincinnati Lakota West (6-0) vs. Mason (Ohio) High (5-1) Sept. 30.

DL Armel Mukam—Woodberry Forest (Va.) High (3-1) at Richmond (Va.) Collegiate (2-2) Oct. 7.

OL Sam Pendleton—Pfafftown (N.C.) Reagan (3-2) at Mocksville (N.C.) Davie (2-3) Sept. 29.

OL Joe Otting—Topeka (Kan.) Hayden (4-0) at Perry (Kan.) Perry-Lecompton (1-3) Sept. 30.

S Adon Shuler—Irvington (N.J.) High (4-1) at Union City (N.J.) High (3-1) Sept. 30.

DL Boubacar Traore—West Roxbury (Mass.) Catholic Memorial (2-0) at Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendricken (3-1) Sept. 30.

DL Brenan Vernon—Mentor (Ohio) High (3-2) at Medina (Ohio) High (5-1) Sept. 30.

LB Preston Zinter—Lawrence (Mass.) Central Catholic (2-1) at Andover (Mass.) High (3-0) Sept. 30.

2024 Notre Dame commits

QB CJ Carr—Saline (Mich.) High (5-0) at Ann Arbor (Mich.) Pioneer (1-4) Sept. 30.

DL Brandon Davis-Swain—West Bloomfield (Mich.) High (4-1) vs. Lake Orion (Mich.) High (3-2) Oct. 1.

OL Peter Jones—Malvern (Pa.) Prep (4-0) at Wilmington (Del.) Delaware Military Academy (2-2) Oct. 7.

TE Jack Larsen—Charlotte (N.C.) Catholic (4-1) vs. Mint Hill (N.C.) Rocky River (1-4) Sept. 29.

DL Owen Wafle—Princeton (N.J.) Hun School (4-0) vs. West Toronto Prep Oct. 1.

WR Cam Williams—Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard South (5-0) at South Elgin (Ill.) High (5-0) Sept. 30.