Apple (AAPL) Q4 2013 Earnings Live Blog

Apple announced today that its financial earnings call with investors for Q4 2013 will be held on October 28th at 2PM PT.
AAPL shares have been slowly recovering from a recent slump after hitting a high of over $700 per share in 2012. The recent announcement that iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c sales shattered past iPhone sales records with 9 million units sold should portend good things for Apple’s earnings and the share price, but Wall Street is always pretty fickle with AAPL, so we’ll have to wait and see if the good news will be enough to get more of Wall Street on board.
Like its previous earnings calls, Apple is allowing the press and its shareholders to listen in to a live audio webcast, which is available via its website and can be accessed on iOS devices. Cult of Mac will be on hand to liveblog the results as they come in, along with any commentary from Tim and the gang.
Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/248686/apple-will-announce-its-q4-2013-earnings-on-october-28th/#pdQobvZVhlKGeGjM.99

'Battlefield 4' shoots for world dominance

Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts launches "Battlefield 4," the latest installment in its line of blockbuster military shooters, on Monday at midnight.

Electronic Arts and its Swedish subsidiary Digital Illusions CE (DICE) will fire the first shot Tuesday in the war for dominance over the next generation of video game consoles.
"Battlefield 4" is the latest installment in a long line of militaristic first-person shooters that is set to appear on both current-generation platforms and launch with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next month.
Since the series debuted in 2002 with the World War II-themed "Battlefield 1942," DICE has managed to carve out a space in the crowded marketplace for shooters by giving players an unrivaled experience of, well, a battlefield.Exploring across massive and visually stunning levels, players could do everything from fly warplanes and drive tanks to run around supporting their fellow soldiers as a medic or sniper. As "Battlefield" has grown as a franchise, the games have migrated from its origins as a WWII shooter to different locales. But the core of "Battlefield" has always remained the same—giving players larger and more epic-scaled levels than any of its competitors.
"Battlefield 4" is no exception. The game adds a number of standard features such as new weapons and vehicles to match the new setting, which is a near-future in which Russia, China and the United States are all compelled to duke it out in large destructible cities.

Battlefield 4: levolution
The most exciting new feature is something DICE calls "Levolution," a system by which individual maps will change depending on what players do during a given match. As DICE showed in a trailer that debuted over the summer at the Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany, these changes can be as small as, say, a car alarm going off when you're trying to sneak up on an opponent. Or they reach Michael Bay levels of bombast, such as when a huge skyscraper topples to the ground, or an entire city is flooded in the middle of a game.
The 'Call of Duty'-sized elephant in the roomThese are the kinds of updates to the first-person shooter experience that have left "Battlefield 4" fans chomping at the bit for months now. And judging by the enthusiastic response to 2011's "Battlefield 3," it's doubtful that EA and DICE will disappoint. But when it comes to militaristic shooters, EA faces an ominous specter that has little to do with the quality of "Battlefield 4" or how well it meets the game's high expectations. As Lewis Ward, research manager for gaming at IDC, told NBC News, anything EA puts out now will face steep competition from Activision, which is rolling out the next title in its blockbuster "Call of Duty" franchise on Nov. 5 — just a week after "Battlefield 4" hits the shelves.
"If you had to stack them up in some sort of revenue pecking order, 'Call of Duty' comes out as a clear number one," Ward said of the two franchises.
The last time the two series went head-to-head was in 2011. "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" sold more than 6.5 million units during its first day on the market, while "Battlefield 3"sold 5 million during the first week.
There's no clear explanation for why "Battlefield" was so dramatically outpaced by "Call of Duty," according to Ward. The two games are remarkably similar aesthetically; both received almost the same rankings on review site metacritic, and when it comes to multiplayer gaming "Battlefield" has always offered larger and more dynamic levels open to a greater number of players.
But for Ward and fellow industry analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities, none of that matters because "Call of Duty" has inertia on its side.
"The network effect of multiplayer is just too big for ['Call of Duty']," Pachter wrote in an email to NBC News, "and few will be willing to leave their friends behind to play a new game."
Pachter added that while he thinks "Battlefield" has "a small chance" of beating "Call of Duty: Ghosts," he expected Activision's game to outsell it by some 5 million units.
Ward, however, was more upbeat about EA's chances this time around.
"'Call of Duty' is kind of like the 'World of Warcraft' of first-person shooters on the consoles," Ward said. "They've had a great run, but they cannot afford to sit on their hands. So there are absolutely some ways that EA can break through with the right changes."

But what are the right changes, exactly? This summer, DICE delighted its console fans when it announced that, for the first time in the series history, the next-gen console versions would support 64 simultaneous players—the same level that "Battlefield" purists enjoy on the PC. That's a far cry from the 24 supported on current-generation consoles, not to mention "Call of Duty's" 18. 

Baby on board! Pregnant Olivia Wilde and fiancé Jason Sudeikis attend Kanye West gig in LA

She has just announced that she is expecting her first child with her fiancé Jason Sudeikis.
And Olivia Wilde, 29, has stepped out for the first time since she announced the happy news as she went to see Kanye West perform at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The star was accompanied by her fiancé Jason, 38, and their good friend Kristen Wiig, 40. 

Expecting: Olivia Wilde (pictured far left) and fiance Jason Sudeikis make their way into the Kanye West concert at Staples Center with good pal Kristen Wiig

It was perhaps too early for the star, who wore a casual outfit, to show any obvious signs of a baby bump.
Olivia looked radiant in a monochrome outfit of black skinny pants teamed with wedge heels, a white T-shirt, a black blazer and what appeared to be a large pendant necklace which matched the one worn by her partner.

 

She admitted earlier this year that she can’t wait to start a family and Olivia will be delighted that her wish has come true.
A source close to the couple told People: ‘They are incredibly happy. They're very excited to welcome a new member into their family.’ A spokesperson also confirmed the news.

Chic: Olivia looked slender and statuesque in her monochrome outfit

'They're incredibly happy!' Engaged couple Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis have confirmed they are expecting their first child together

IThe House actress took to Twitter to thank her fans for their messages of congratulations. 
She wrote: 'WOW. You guys are awesome. So kind. Thank you thank you thank you! PS. Babies eat mostly salsa right?'
And if Olivia has her way, this first child won’t be the only one for the pair.
She told Marie Claire magazine earlier this year, ‘I’m open-minded about how many, but three, which I love, is like a little party. I am not trying to have kids now – there's no strict plan for anything in my life.
'What happens, happens. He's so good with kids ... I've never before experienced looking at someone and thinking, “That's who I want to raise a child with.”’

So in love: The 29-year-old actress first met the 38-year-old actor on the season finale of Saturday Night Live in 2011 and they began dating six months later

The actress first met Jason on the season finale of Saturday Night Live in 2011 and they began dating six months later. 
They got engaged in January 2013 and are set to wed in New York City next spring.
The former 'House' star was previously married to Italian prince Tao Ruspoli for eight years until 2011, while Jason split from Kay Cannon, his wife of six years, in 2010.
Olivia previously revealed she was grateful for her divorce from Tao because it led her to Jason, who she calls ‘the great love of my life’.

Silver lining: Olivia previously revealed she was grateful for her divorce because it led her to Jason, who she calls 'the great love of my life'

She explained to Marie Claire, ‘I had grown up with Tao; we had just drifted. I felt I had something to prove. If you fall off a horse, you get back up. I am not a quitter. I hung on for as long as possible, until it was more hurtful to stay ... I'm so grateful for the pain and the heartbreak. It gave me the courage to leave and brought me the great love of my life.’
Meanwhile, Jason, who is sporting a slimmer physique these days, credits his impressive weight loss to a great sex life with Olivia.

A royal marriage: Olivia was previously married to Italian prince Tao Ruspoli for eight years until 2011

Asked for his slimming secrets, he told Elle magazine, ‘The truth is, I'm not getting up an hour earlier and walking on a treadmill. I have the greatest workout partner in the world. And you don't need a gym membership for that kind of workout.'
He also revealed he is happier with Olivia than he has ever been.
He said: ‘[And] a lot of it comes from tiny things, like not eating barbecue sauce with my pizza at two in the morning. I think it's all a manifestation of being happy and wanting to treat myself well.’

Split: Jason split from Kay Cannon, his wife of six years, in 2010

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2478065/Pregnant-Olivia-Wilde-Jason-Sudeikis-

RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Dracula’, ‘Grimm’ Openers Solid; ‘The Carrie Diaries’ Soft In Return; ‘Shark Tank’ Hits Viewership High

Genre is working well for NBC on Fridays. New vampire drama Dracula opened with a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 at 10 PM last night, tying the third season premiere of supernatural crime drama Grimm as the two highest rated scripted programs of the night and second highest overall behind ABC‘s Shark Tank (2.0). Despite airing on the low trafficked Friday night, which is traditionally older skewing, Dracula ranked as the No.2 launch for a 10 PM drama in 18-49 this fall behind NBC’s The Blacklist (tied with CBS‘ Hostages). It logged the best 18-49 result for a Friday drama debut since Grimm in October 2011 (2.1). Grimm was even with its Friday premiere last fall (The show’s second series premiere aired on Monday to a 2.0). With Dateline at 8 PM (1.3) flat with last week, NBC won the night in 18-49.

The CW’s struggles with female soaps continue. Introducing Samantha Jones, The Carrie Diaries opened its second season with a 0.3, half of what the series debut logged on Monday in midseason and down a tenth from the finale. While they do poorly on TV, soaps like Carrie Diaries and Hart Of Dixie do well on digital platforms, so the CW, which has the Netflix and Hulu deals, will be doing a lot of number crunching in their performance evaluations. The iHeartRadio Katy Perry special did a 0.2.

ABC’s Shark Tank (2.0, 7.3 million viewers) was up a tenth from its fast national last week (even with the final) to match its season high in 18-49 and log its largest audience for a regular telecast. 20/20 (1.5, 6.6 million) was up 25% in 18-49 and 46% in viewers for its biggest audience in an year and a half. But the network aired comedy repeats in the 8 PM hour, allowing NBC (1.6) to edge it for the night in 18-49 and tying CBS for No. 2 in the demo (1.4). CBS was once again the most watched network by a mile, paced by Blue Bloods (11 million). The network’s dramas Hawaii Five-0 (1.4) and Blue Bloods (1.3) were bullet proof, holding their demo ratings from last week despite increased drama competition from Grimm and Dracula. Undercover Boss (1.6) was down 11%. Fox‘s MasterChef Jr. (1.4) was up a tenth.

 TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.

New viewing platform for giraffes

 

Zookeepers at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo are preparing to throw a housewarming party for the giraffes as they move into their brand new home - complete with custom-built, high level viewing platform.

 The exciting new Giraffe Heights exhibit includes a revamped barn and a nine foot high viewing platform which will bring visitors face-to-face with Whipsnade's giraffes for the very first time.

To celebrate the opening of Giraffe Heights, keepers will be dishing up their favourite treats in giant wicker teacups and making them their very own party food - frozen carrot and cabbage cupcakes. And as no housewarming party is complete without a gift, they will be sticking to tradition by providing the group with hanging baskets to spruce up their enclosure.

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo's brand new Giraffe Heights viewing platform opens to the public on Friday 25 October, just in time for October half term, giving visitors the chance to come face-to-face with the world's tallest mammal.

The platform will allow up to 300 people at a time to see more than ever before of the Zoo's reticulated giraffes, with views across the entire paddock and into the newly extended giraffe barn.

Daily talks on the viewing platform will give visitors an insight into the lives of the Zoo's tallest residents, revealing fun facts including why they have such long necks.

Whipsnade is home to five reticulated giraffes - one-year-old Jengo, dad Uno, mum Ijuma, Ina, and Savannah.

 

Barcelona's Neymar overshadows Gareth Bale to help defeat Real Madrid

Neymar celebrates after opening the scoring for Barcelona against Real Madrid in La Liga. Photograph: Angel Martínez/Real Madrid via Getty Images

Gareth Bale will have to await his chance to make an impact on a clásico. It was Spanish football's other big summer signing, Neymar Santos Junior, who took the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry into a new era. Bale departed on the hour, having taken another step towards full fitness but he did so having been largely frustrated; when Neymar departed 23 minutes later, he left to a thunderous ovation.

The Brazilian scored one goal in the first half and helped provide the other for Alexis Sánchez to finish brilliantly late in the second and take Barcelona into what – just – proved an unassailable lead.

This was not a classic clásico. Barcelona were getting nervous when Neymar sent the substitute striker Alexis Sánchez through for a superb finish in the 79th minute. Finally, the Catalans had the cushion they needed. There was still time for Sami Khedira's late chance, saved by Víctor Valdés, and Dani Alves's nutmeg on Cristiano Ronaldo, then in the last minute Ronaldo released Jesé to score and afterwards, Madrid pointed to two penalty shouts denied.

But, ultimately, it was Neymar who decided it. For once, it was not about Leo Messi and Ronaldo. Or at least not only. This game was billed as Neymar, Barcelona's €58m striker from Santos, versus Bale, the planet's most expensive player.

After 17 clásicos in three years came an eight month hiatus. José Mourinho had departed and for the first time in a decade both clubs went into the season with new managers. There was a sense that the rivalry needed redefining; that there was a search for a new story and new identities. On the evidence of this game, for Madrid the search is still on.

Carlo Ancelotti surprised everyone, with Sergio Ramos in central midfield and Bale, Ronaldo and Ángel Di Maria up front. There was no No9 in the team and the plan did not succeed.

Bale got the first touch of the 226th clásico and his was the first shot too. But while he looked the most threatening of Madrid's players early on, the threat was fleeting. Bale did not always look comfortable, getting a yellow card just before half-time for a high foot, and nor did Madrid.

There was much dialogue and raising of hands, a hint of uncertainty in the movement and positioning as the home side, who had also left out their striker, began taking control and the lead.

Gerardo Martino had overlooked Sánchez in favour of a formation that allowed Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Cesc Fábregas to play together. And with Messi drifting right and often out of the game, Neymar stepped forward in the 18th minute. Iniesta created for Neymar in the inside-left position and he took two swift touches to control before guiding the ball into the far corner with his right foot. Less than two minutes later, Iniesta produced an even better pass, this time into the right-hand channel. Messi went racing into the area but his effort drifted wide.

For a long time, that felt like an important miss too: Madrid still struggled to get a foothold but it takes little for Madrid to score here and there was a stark warning in the last minute of the first half when Ronaldo pulled back a hard, low cross with his left foot. Khedira skidded in to make contact and Valdés saved on the goal line. The ball ran free and when Khedira got up he demanded a penalty.

The ball had hit the full-back Adriano's hand. "If he had given a penalty the game and the result would have been different," Ancelotti said.

The threat never really went away. Neymar had the best chance of the second half's opening exchanges when his shot was pushed away by Diego López after a glorious diagonal ball reached him from Iniesta but 12 minutes in Ronaldo had an opportunity to equalise.

This time Iniesta lost possession to Khedira, who found Luka Modric and his angled pass put Ronaldo in only for Valdés to save sharply at the near post.

By then, Ancelotti had removed Ramos, later admitting that he played the defender in midfield because of doubts over Asier Illaramendi's fitness, and soon after Bale departed too. "I think for the first few matches he has to find how to combine with his team-mates," Ancelotti said. "Physically, he was good. He needs to look for more combinations, to improve his movement and look for spaces. He was not bad in the hour that he played."

Madrid began to have more of the ball and only Di María's heavy touch on 65 minutes prevented him from getting in.

Then Karim Benzema, offside, headed over. There was an edginess to Barcelona now, nerves. Symbolic of that was the introduction of Alex Song for Iniesta.

"Yes," said a smiling Martino later, "it was a defensive change. We had a good first half but a difficult second."

Ronaldo appealed vociferously for a penalty, beating his hands on the floor when the referee ignored him after Javier Mascherano appeared to bring him down. Then Benzema smashed a shot off the bar from 20 yards. "It's always the same," complained the Real Madrid full-back Marcelo. "Both penalties were very clear."

At the other end, Barcelona tried to make sure. And then, Sánchez did. Racing through, he controlled, cut back, stepped away from Pepe and clipped a beautifully weighted finish over López from 20 yards.

It had been Neymar's pass. It had been Neymar's night.

Notre Dame @ Air Force Preview

Air Force Falcons head coach Troy Calhoun (center) leads out his players to the field before the start of the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame QB’s: Tommy Rees has been cleared to practice after suffering an injury in the win over the Trojans. He had played a solid game and after being injured in the third quarter, was held out for the remainder of the game. It is likely that he will start at this point. On the season, Rees has completed 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,660 yards with 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Andrew Hendrix did not complete a single pass during the time he came in for Tommy Rees against USC and has completed only 1 of 10 passes for 9 yards and has 17 rushing yards on 12 attempts for a 1.4 yard average.
Notre Dame QB’s vs. Air Force Pass Defense: Regardless of who is quarterback for the Irish against the Falcons, they will face a team that is ranked 105th in pass defense that is allowing 267.4 passing yards a game and opponents have been extremely accurate against them as well as Air Force is allowing opponents to complete 73.2 percent of their passes (lowest in Division 1-A) and have allowed 17 passing touchdowns and have only intercepted 4 passes this season. The starting quarterback at this time for the Irish is likely going to remain Tommy Rees with him being cleared to practice Tuesday, and regardless of if he or Hendrix may start, there should have no difficulty against the Air Force pass defense.
Edge: Notre Dame 
Air Force QB’s: The quarterback situation for Air Force has been rather messy with 4 different players getting in playing time. Kale Pearson was injured early in the season and is out for the year, while Jaleel Awini has been kicked off the team. Karson Roberts was in next and was injured early on in their last game, a loss to San Diego State. Nate Romine played the remainder of the game and even receiver Sam Gagliano has thrown 2 passes this season that also were completions on top of that. It is also unknown who could be starting between Roberts and Romine with Roberts having a head injury in the last game. Karson Roberts has completed 14 of 30 passes (46.7 completion percentage) for 207 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He also has 206 rushing yards on 40 attempts with a 5.2 yard average and 2 touchdowns. Nate Romine has completed 6 of 16 passes (37.5 completion percentage) for 126 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception and most of those passing yards came on a 71 yard pass. Romine has 44 rushing yards on 13 attempts and 1 touchdown with a 3.4 yard average.
Air Force QB’s vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense: The Irish are ranked 84th in pass defense and are allowing 244.9 passing yards per game and for opponents to complete 59.9 percent of their passes. Notre Dame has allowed 13 touchdowns in the air and have 6 interceptions with 3 returned for touchdowns. While the Falcons are a run-based team, they have two players with high catching averages of 19.5 and 24 yards per reception. The quarterback situation is messy for them as well, but the Irish secondary has shown signs of improvement and should be able to hold their own against Air Force.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame RB’s: George Atkinson III and Cam McDaniel have been the main running backs to carry the ball this season for the Irish. George Atkinson III leads with 363 rushing yards on 64 carries with 2 rushing touchdowns and a 5.7 yard average. Cam McDaniel averages 4.3 yards a rush on 81 attempts with 351 yards and 2 touchdowns. Amir Carlisle has 190 rushing yards on 41 attempts and averages 4.6 yards a rush while Tarean Folston has 69 rushing yards on 11 attempts to give him a 6.3 yard average.
Notre Dame RB’s vs. Air Force Rush Defense: Air Force comes into this game ranked 112th in the nation against the run and have allowed opponents to easily move the ball on the ground with the team allowing 221.3 yards per game, 4.9 yards per rush and 20 rushing touchdowns. While Notre Dame hasn’t been great at running the ball, this should easily favor the Irish who have multiple players who can carry the ball and this is a perfect time to get Tarean Folston more carries and experience.
Edge: Notre Dame
Air Force RB’s: The Falcons come in with the 12th ranked rushing offense that averages 268.6 yards per game. While no single player is dominant in terms of yards, they have 4 players with 200 or more yards (technically 5, but one is no longer on team) and 2 players with 300 or more yards. The leading rusher for Air Force is fullback Broam Hart with 386 yards on 89 attempts for an average of 4.3 yards per rush with 3 touchdowns. Jon Lee has 350 yards on 51 carries and averages 6.9 yards per rush with 3 touchdowns as well. Anthony LaCoste has 282 rushing yards on 59 attempts with 3 touchdowns and a 4.8 yard average. Devin Rushing has 114 rushing yards on 22 attempts with a 5.2 yard average per rush and 1 touchdown.
Air Force RB’s vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense: As in most option-based offenses, the fullback gets the bulk of the carries and stopping Broam Hart is as important as stopping the other backs who get the ball on the ground, and while the rushing yard averages are down compared to recent seasons (Air Force averaged 307, 315, and 316 yards in 2010, 2011, and 2012). The Irish are ranked 24th in the nation in run defense and have allowed 123.3 yards per game, 4 rushing touchdowns, and for opponents to average 3.9 yards per rush. The Irish have done well in the last couple of seasons in handling option-based teams and should be able to keep things up here.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame WR’s: TJ Jones leads the way for a strong and deep Notre Dame receiving unit and Jones could potentially be the first Notre Dame player to have a 1,000 yard receiving season since Michael Floyd did it in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011. TJ Jones currently has 37 catches for 527 yards and averages 14.2 yards a catch with 5 touchdowns. DaVaris Daniels has 28 receptions for 429 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns with an average of 15.3 yards per reception. Troy Niklas is continuing to have a strong season as starter at tight end for the Irish with 18 receptions for 308 yards (17.1 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns. Chris Brown has 8 catches for 133 yards and averages 16.6 yards a reception. Corey Robinson has 4 catches for 66 yards (16.5 per catch), William Fuller has 3 catches for 53 yards (17.7 per reception), and CJ Prosise has 4 receptions for 34 yards with 8.5 yards per catch.
Notre Dame WR’s vs. Air Force DB’s: The play of Notre Dame’s receivers might be impacted on who winds up starting at quarterback for the Irish with the status of Tommy Rees up in the air. Air Force has been weak against the pass defensively this season and have allowed many passing touchdowns as well. While the Irish can lean on the running game too, both can be used for a balanced effort on offense. Regardless of who is quarterback, targeting TJ Jones and Troy Niklas in the end zone especially wise as both have been sure things in catching touchdowns as of late. However, making use of the deep receiving unit also works well too and this is a good time for Corey Robinson and William Fuller to get more playing time as well.
Edge: Notre Dame 
Air Force WR’s: Sam Gagliano leads Air Force with 215 receiving yards on 11 receptions and has 2 touchdowns on a 19.5 yard average, and in terms of rushing yards, he has 119 rushing yards on 13 attempts for a 9.2 yard average. Jalen Robinette has 7 catches for 168 yards with a 24 yard average per reception and 2 touchdowns. Ty MacArthur has 7 catches for 99 yards (14.1 yard average), while Garrett Griffin has 7 catches for 79 yards for a 11.3 yard average.
Air Force WR’s vs. Notre Dame DB’s: The main playmakers for the Irish secondary to account for are Sam Gagliano and Jalen Robinette. Gagliano is versatile with a couple of pass completions, rushing yards and catching the ball. Accounting for him on offense is important, but Robinette is important considering he averages 24 yards per catch. The Irish should be able to contain them both, but being prepared is important and not allow big gains.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame OL: The offense line has allowed 6 sacks so far this season along with 34 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hurries as well. They allow for the ground game to average 4.1 yards per rush and 135.3 yards per game. Pass blocking has been the stronger area of the two for the line and having a strong left side always helps as well. However, Christian Lombard has been lost for the season, which will hurt, but Steve Elmer has shown versatility and solid play, which will help get him ready as he will most likely be a multi-year starter in his career with the Irish.
Notre Dame OL vs. Air Force DL: Air Force has been weak in terms of getting to the quarterback this season as they have only 6 sacks and 7 quarterback hurries. Tackles for loss hasn’t been a strong area as well with only 21 in 7 games this season. The Irish should be able to keep whoever at quarterback protected since Air Force has had difficulty in garnering pressure or getting sacks.
Edge: Notre Dame 
Air Force OL: The Falcons have been pretty good at run blocking to allow Air Force to rush for 268.6 yards per game and exactly 5 yards per rush. They haven’t allowed much pressure on their quarterbacks or for them to be sacked either. In total, only 5 sacks have been allowed and 6 quarterback hurries as well. They have let opponents get into the backfield with 32 tackles for loss allowed, however.
Air Force OL vs. Notre Dame DL: The Irish have been pretty impressive this season at quarterback pressure and in the last couple games in particular as well. Notre Dame has 12 sacks, 25 quarterback hurries, and 35 tackles for loss. Stephon Tuitt has been quite dominant lately and has a team-leading 5 sacks and ties for first in quarterback hurries with Prince Shembo at 9 each. Notre Dame has also been able to well against option-based teams the last couple seasons and should be able to contain Air Force. Losing Louis Nix III for this game will hurt the depth for the Irish, but having an experienced player in Kona Schwenke in his place will help, in comparison to an inexperienced player.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame DL: Having Sheldon Day back in the starting lineup was a major benefit to the Irish defensive line that was a key part in the 2nd half shutout of USC. Stephon Tuitt leads all defensive lineman in various categories this season with 25 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 interception (returned for touchdown), 1 pass breakup, 9 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Louis Nix III has 22 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 pass breakups this season, but the Irish will be without him due to injury. Sheldon Day has 9 tackles and 2 tackles for loss while Kona Schwenke has 7 tackles and 1 quarterback hurry and will be stepping in for the injured Louis Nix III this week.
Notre Dame DL vs. Air Force OL: The Irish defensive line is a more talented unit that Air Force faces and one being at full strength with Sheldon Day back is a huge boost. While getting to the quarterback is important, they will be tasked even more with stopping the run and not allowing consistent first downs, as Air Force having an impressive 5 yards per rush is important to stop. The Irish have been great at stopping the run this season with the 24th ranked run defense and have made adjustments to preparing for option-based teams the last couple of seasons as well. However, the loss of Louis Nix III will hurt for this game, but having Kona Schwenke who has some experience over the years is at least a plus.
Edge: Notre Dame
Air Force DL: The Falcons have 6 sacks, 7 quarterback hurries, and 21 tackles for loss as a team. Alex Hansen has 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 forced fumble. Nick Fitzgerald has 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, and 1 forced fumble. Dana Luebbe has 13 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks, while Ryan Watson has 9 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.
Air Force DL vs. Notre Dame OL: Considering that Air Force has had difficulty in getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and bringing them down, the Irish should be able to keep whomever starts at quarterback protected with little difficulty. Getting into the backfield hasn’t happened much with an average of 3 tackles for loss per game, so the Irish should be able to consistently move the ball and avoid plays with lost yards.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame LB’s: The loss of Jarrett Grace for the season has been a big loss, but the linebackers did a solid job in their first game without him against USC. Carlo Calabrese leads the team in tackles with 48 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery. Considering that he his strong against the run, it is likely that he will be used extensively against Air Force. Dan Fox has 41 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 interception (returned for touchdown), and 1 fumble recovery. Jaylon Smith continues to have a great freshman season for Notre Dame and had his first career interception against the Trojans. On the season he has 31 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. Prince Shembo has been a strong force in the last couple of games and has 23 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 9 quarterback hurries.
Notre Dame LB’s vs. Air Force: The linebackers will be mainly in run support against an option offense, which means that Prince Shembo and Jaylon Smith will be involved heavily in stopping the run game as well. In addition, this appears to be a solid opportunity to get in backups for playing time as well. The loss of Jarrett Grace will likely continue to be noticed, but Carlo Calabrese has been a strong player in stopping the run as well.
Edge: Notre Dame
Air Force LB’s: Joey Nichol has been one of the better players for Air Force with 68 tackles to lead the team. He has been one of the few players to do well at getting into the backfield with 6.5 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry. Spencer Proctor has 47 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. Reggie Barnes has 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup. Kristov George has 20 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 interception.
Air Force LB’s vs. Notre Dame: The Falcons have been pretty solid at linebacker this season with Joey Nichol being the best player in the group, especially at getting into the backfield. Keeping him out of the backfield is important for Notre Dame as well. Air Force will need to worry about tight end Troy Niklas as well, who continues to be a great playmaker for the Irish this season.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame DB’s: Bennett Jackson has been good in run support and coverage for the Irish this season and shows a solid amount of versatility in his play by recording something in nearly every defensive statistical area. He leads the defensive backs in tackles with 42 tackles, 4 tackles for loss (third most on team and leads all defensive backs), 1 sack, 1 interception (returned for touchdown), 2 pass breakups, 1 quarterback hurry, and 1 forced fumble. Matthias Farley has 28 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 interceptions, and 2 pass breakups while KeiVarae Russell has 26 tackles and 5 pass breakups. Elijah Shumate had a hamstring injury and was out against USC and might not be back until after a couple of games to rest that injury. Austin Collinsworth has 19 tackles and 2 quarterback hurries, while Cole Luke has 7 tackles and 1 pass breakup.
Notre Dame DB’s vs. Air Force WR’s: The defensive backs will be used in run support in addition to covering receivers. Accounting for Sam Gagliano and Jalen Robinette will be most important, as both have high yards per catch and Gagliano can make plays in the ground and air. With Bennett Jackson making plays in the backfield and in coverage, expect to see a lot of plays out of him as well.
Edge: Notre Dame
Air Force DB’s: Christian Spears has 52 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups, while Stephon Batts has 48 tackles, 4 pass breakups, and 1 quarterback hurry. Dexter Walker has 44 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 quarterback hurries. Gavin McHenry has 36 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Jamal Byrd has 31 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup.
Air Force DB’s vs. Notre Dame WR’s: The Falcons have quite a few playmakers to cover in this game. TJ Jones has been quite consistent and is a major target in the end zone as well. In addition to TJ Jones is DaVaris Daniels who has been a big play receiver, and tight end Troy Niklas will easily have to be accounted for as well as he is a matchup nightmare with his height and can make plays in the end zone as well.
Edge: Notre Dame
Notre Dame Kicking Game: Kyle Brindza is 8 for 11 on field goals with a long of 53 and is 3 of 4 when it is between 40 and 49 yards. Kyle Brindza also is the primary punter with a 40.4 yard average on 28 punts with a long of 55 yards, 10 fair caught, 4 inside the 20, 5 of 50 or more yards, and 1 blocked punt. Alex Wulfeck also makes appearances at the punting area with 7 punts this season and has an average of 33.7 yards per punt with a long of 49, 1 touchback, 3 fair caught, and 6 inside the 20. Kyle Brindza handles kickoff duties with a 64.3 yard average on 37 kickoffs with 21 touchbacks.
Air Force Kicking Game: Will Conant has been accurate with 9 field goals made out of 11 with a long of 52 and has misses of 44 and 50 yards. David Baska is averaging 41.9 yards per punt on 26 punts with a long of 57 yards, 3 touchbacks, 12 fair caught, and 8 inside the 20. Briceton Cannada is the primary kickoff specialist with a 62.4 yard average on 33 kickoffs with 21 touchdowns.
Stronger Unit: Even
Notre Dame Return Game: George Atkinson III is averaging 26.7 yards per return on 15 returns with a long of 50 yards while Cam McDaniel is averaging 16.6 yards on 5 returns with a long of 22 yards. TJ Jones has 76 punt return yards on 8 punts for an average of 9.5 yards per return with a long of 27 yards.
Air Force Return Game: Anthony Lacoste has 8 returns for 177 yards for an average of 22.1 yards per return with a long of 33. 3 other players have each returned a kickoff with the longest being for 42 yards. Punt Returns are basically a non-factor with a total of 4 returns for 7 yards between 2 players
Stronger Unit: Notre Dame
Everything Else: The Irish are coming off back-to-back wins over a pair of Pac-12 teams and head out west to Colorado to face Air Force for the first time at Air Force since 2006. The Irish last faced Air Force in 2011 and blew out the Falcons 59 to 33. Tommy Rees was injured against USC in the third quarter, but has practiced and should be good to go for Air Force. As Air Force is weak against the pass and run, a balanced effort is an ideal way to go and it is also a great opportunity to play backups like Tarean Folston and the freshmen receivers. Keeping Tommy Rees healthy is quite important along with stopping the option offense of Air Force. Look for the Irish to keep up momentum after winning against Arizona St. and USC.