NOTRE DAME -- Question: What do you get when you combine the nation's top pass rush and its seventh-leading rusher?
Answer: You get Pittsburgh. And if you're Notre Dame, that means you've got trouble.
The Irish, who play the eighth-ranked Panthers Saturday night at Heinz Field, have tough matchups on both sides of the ball, starting with Pitt's defense, which has more sacks -- 38, for an average of 4.2 per game -- than anyone in the country.
The Panthers don't use exotic blitzes. They've been able to rack up sacks by simply rushing their front four, which is how USC had success against Notre Dame earlier this season. But there's a difference between Pitt and the Trojans, according to Irish center Eric Olsen: Pitt is better.
"Not to slight anyone else that we've played against, but Pitt's front four might be the best we've gone against all year," Olsen said. "They're tremendous athletes across the board, whether it's the defensive ends or the guys inside -- even some of the guys that are the fifth or sixth defensive lineman into the game."
Pittsburgh's starting defensive linemen -- junior ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard and senior tackles Gus Mustakas and Mick Williams -- have all shown the ability to get to the quarterback this season, which means a sack could come from anywhere.
"They just tell those big, bad muchachos up front to get after the quarterback," coach Charlie Weis said. "They all have production."
But it's not just the defensive line that's been productive. In all, 14 different Panthers have been in on sacks this season -- Notre Dame has 19 sacks total in nine games -- and middle linebacker Adam Gunn has five of them, ranking him fourth in the country in that statistic among linebackers.
On offense, freshman running back Dion Lewis reached the 1,000-yard mark faster than any running back in Pitt history, including Tony Dorsett. He's averaging 126.6 yards per game, which makes him the most prolific back the Irish have faced so far.
Notre Dame co-defensive coordinator Corwin Brown said Lewis might be faster, and is definitely quicker, than former Pitt standout LeSean McCoy, who burned the Irish for 169 yards last season.
"He seems to make all of the right cuts, so as a defense, you've got to make sure that you're closing and pursuing with proper angles," Brown said.
Lewis, who is 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds, has said he patterns his game after Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who is 5-7.
"He's not a real big guy, but for his size, he runs with a whole heck of a lot of power and has great balance and shiftiness to his running," Irish safety Kyle McCarthy said of Lewis. "He certainly doesn't look like a freshman."
The rest of the country has noticed. Lewis was named Thursday as one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back.
INJURY UPDATE
Halfback Armando Allen and offensive lineman Trevor Robinson will both start Saturday night after missing last week's game with ankle injuries.
"They couldn't have come back at a better time," Weis said. "We need them."
Even with Allen back, Robert Hughes and Theo Riddick will be in the mix for carries, Weis said. Allen will start, and then the Irish will "go with the hot hand."
TEMPER, TEMPER
Weis said he spoke to Brown after Brown criticized Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo Wednesday for his postgame comments about Notre Dame's defensive game plan. Brown also said the Midshipmen used "malicious" illegal cut blocks.
Weis wouldn't reveal what he told Brown.
"I had a chat with him this morning and we moved on to Pittsburgh," Weis said.
GOOD SIGN?
Notre Dame had the best Thursday practice it's had in long time, Weis said.
"Let's see if Thursday pays off on Saturday," Weis said. "But I know I feel a lot more comfortable sitting down tomorrow morning early, writing openers, knowing what I saw out there in practice today."