Notre Dame football score predictions: Fighting Irish vs. Florida State national picks

Predictions for Florida State (1-8) vs. Notre Dame (7-1) are tough to come by. That's when you know prognosticators are overlooking the matchup. Can you blame them? Why wouldn't they? On paper, it's one of the worst of the week.

Notre Dame has one loss. Florida State has one win. These two programs could hardly be any further away from each other in terms of the vibes of what has transpired to this point in the season and the possibilities of what could be to come.

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame has everything to play for — a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff and subsequently a shot at the national championship. Mike Norvell and Florida State, meanwhile, couldn't even qualify for a bowl game if it won the rest of its games. That's been over for a while now. The Seminoles will not play in the postseason for the third time in five years under Norvell.

You've still got to play the games, though, and the Fighting Irish will host the Seminoles in South Bend on primetime on NBC, true to schedule. Blue & Gold found 11 individual picks from employees at four different media outlets. Every one of them picked the Irish to win, just like everyone at Blue & Gold's staff .

Here's what the "experts" are saying about Saturday night's matchup.

The Sporting News: Notre Dame 42, Florida State 16

Bill Bender : "The Seminoles are 1-8, and Mike Norvell 's job security is up in the air now. The Irish had a bye week to prepare, and they rank fourth in the FBS in scoring defense (12.2 ppg.). Florida State quarterbacks have combined for a 49.6% completion percentage, and they were out-rushed 289-42 by North Carolina last week. The Seminoles have not lost a game by more than 26 points this season. How much fight does Florida State have left?"

Bleacher Report: Notre Dame 42, Florida State 10

David Kenyon : "Initially circled on the calendar as a crucial late-season matchup, this has instead become an expected rout. Florida State has trudged to 14.4 points per game—the second-worst mark in the country—while Notre Dame is fourth nationally at 12.1 points allowed per outing."

USA TODAY

Scooby Axson: Fighting Irish Jordan Mendoza: Fighting Irish Paul Myerberg: Fighting Irish Erick Smith: Fighting Irish Eddie Timanus : Fighting Irish Dan Wolken: Fighting Irish

Athlon Sports