The Irish have broken out of a recent slump and now get to help escort Mark Gottfried to the plank. The N.C. State coach is jobless at the end of the season after losing his last three games by a combined 78 points. If the troops could not rally around him amid the rumors before this week’s announcement, they won’t now. Notre Dame is decent on the road (5-2-1 ATS in the last eight) and as a favorite (9-4-1 through the last 14). N.D. has won three in a row straight-up; N.C. State has dropped seven of eight, most by hefty margins. Case closed.