Notre Dame’s football team continues to rise. The low point was the loss to Georgia in the second game of the season, then ND started to slowly improve its offense and especially its defense, now reaching its highest point in several years.

The Irish are racking up impressive wins with a pounding run game, and a defense that each week forces turnovers, and then capitalizes on them. Meanwhile, the ND passing game keeps getting better.

Last week was an important win for the Irish, defeating another ranked team, North Carolina State, 35-14. The win puts the Irish at 7-1 heading into today’s match up with an improving Wake Forest club.

This week the first rankings for the College Football Playoff were announced and the Irish landed at No. 3, behind Georgia and Alabama. That ranking is thanks to the tough schedule ND plays during the course of the season. You can’t expect to get into the title picture by not beating any ranked team during the course of a season. ND’s tough schedule gets them in the title picture but it also takes a toll on a team through a 12-game schedule.

The win last week was ND’s sixth straight win by 20 points or more, something no Irish team has done since the 1966 national championship team, and the eighth straight game to start the season that an ND opponent couldn’t breach 20 points.

Today the Irish will try to extend that streak to nine games, the first ND team to do that since Ara Parseghian’s 1973 national title team did in all 10 of their regular season games.

Last week the Irish had 318 rush yards on 54 carries against the No. 6 rush defense in the FBS. The Wolfpack had not allowed more than 133 team rushing yards in a game this season. The Irish had 136 rushing yards by halftime. Josh Adams ran for 202 yards on a career-high 27 carries, He also had another long run for a touchdown, this time 77 yards.

Irish QB Brandon Wimbush rushed for a TD and the defense didn’t allow a rushing score, giving ND a 30-1 edge on its opponents for the season in that category.

Today the Irish face a 5-3 Wake Forest Demon Deacons team that has been on the rise since the start of the season.

The Demon Deacons like to throw the football and have a fine quarterback in John Wolford. Wolford has completed 119 of 181 passes for 15 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and also rushed for 409 yards and six scores.

Wake Forest opened with a win over Presbyterian, 51-7. The other wins were over Boston College, 34-10, Utah State, 46-10, Appalachian State, 20-19 and last week over Louisville, 42-32. The losses have been to Florida State, 26-19, Clemson, 28-14, and Georgia Tech, 38-24.

ND leads the short series, 3-0. The last time the two teams played was in 2015, a 28-7 Irish win.

The game will be televised nationally by NBC-TV with a 3:40 p.m. kickoff.

IRISH NOTES ... More stats from the NC State game: Deon McIntosh finished wiht 63 yards on 11 carries, Dexter Williams 33 on eight and Wimbush 21 on seven. Wimbush completed 10 of 19 for 104 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. Receiving totals had Durham Smythe with three catches for 52 yards and a score, and Kevin Stepherson with 24 yards on three receptions and a score. Defensively Te’von Coney had nine tackles followed by Drue Tranquill with seven, Nyles Morgan six and Daelin Hayes five .... With Dexter Williams now healthy Brian Kelly has a job trying to spread the football around. It a problem most coaches would love to have. Of course, Adams will continue to get the bulk of the carries .... Wimbush’s passing efficiency rating is 133.3 and the NC State game was is his fourth straight over 130. He still has a very modest 91st standing in national statistical category .... Sophomore Stepherson started his first game. His presence on the field gives the Irish passing attack another tool that will help keep opposing defenses on their toes .... Te’von Coney and graduate student tight end Durham Smythe each receive game balls from Kelly after the NCS game .... NDs defense has forced an opposing turnover or punt on the first defensive series in all eight games this season .... Defensive coordinator Mike Elko had that same position at Wake Forest last year .... Wake Forest has been hit hard with injuries. Leading receiver Greg Dortch is out for the season; leading tackler Jessie Bates II and starting running back Cade Carney will miss today’s game due to injuries .... ND will have to go to its depth chart for tight ends today. Junior tight end Alizé Mack, the team’s second-leading receiver with 17 catches and 154 yards, has been ruled out against the Demon Deacons after suffering a concussion last Saturday against North Carolina State. Look for freshman Cole Kmet, 6-foot-6, 256-pounder, to get some more playing time along with senior Nic Weishar .... The ND sports information department began pushing Josh Adams for the Heisman Trophy consideration this week with a #33Trucking cap on sale for $26. The proceeds from the cap sales will supplement the Student Assistance Fund, which provides direct benefits to Notre Dame student-athletes and their families. The caps went on sale yesterday on campus .... The Irish are 14 point favorites today. In my preseason picks I have the Irish winning today. There is no reason to change that. ND should be able to handle the Demon Deacons for a couple of reasons. The Irish have great momentum going into the game, the new national rankings gives the Irish added incentive to keep going, and Wake Forest has suffered the loss of some key players today due to injuries. Also, Kelly won’t let the Irish think ahead for next week’s game at Miami.