Irish welcoming pressure of national stage against Syracuse

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - With all the fanfare surrounding Notre Dame football's matchup against Syracuse, head coach Brian Kelly insists his team won't be playing tourist as they visit Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

This Top-15 matchup is still nearly a must-win for the No. 3 Irish, just two wins away from completing an undefeated regular season and all but ensuring a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

For many teams, this stretch of playing a high-profile game in New York then finishing with a rivalry game against USC in Los Angeles could be a bit too much pressure. However, Kelly believes the way his team approaches the big stage bodes well for finishing the job.

“Winning here at Notre Dame should not be one where you feel pressure," he said Thursday. "It’s why you come here. It’s to win football games. It’s part of our tradition. It’s part of the privilege of playing at Notre Dame.”