No. 8 Notre Dame brings maturing Golson and blooming offense into matchup with Syracuse

In this Sept. 13, 2014, photo, Notre Dame running back Greg Bryant runs against Purdue during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Indianapolis. While he is fourth on the team in carries, Bryant leads the eighth-ranked Irish in rushing with 119 yards, averaging 5.4 yards a carry. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (The Associated Press)

Syracuse’s Terrel Hunt, left, grabs the face mask of Maryland’s Roman Braglio in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. Maryland won 34-20. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) (The Associated Press)

NEW YORK – The offense Brian Kelly ran when he was coach at Cincinnati, the one that pushed the pace and regularly rung up 30-point games, has finally arrived at Notre Dame.

The return of quarterback Everett Golson and his development from game-manager to playmaker has allowed Kelly to unleash his spread attack. The result is an offense on pace to be the most productive in the coach's five-year tenure in South Bend, Indiana.

The eighth-ranked Fighting Irish (3-0) have reached 30 points in each of their first three games. They'll try to make it 4 for 4 on Saturday night against Syracuse at MetLife Stadium, the New Jersey home of the NFL's Giants and Jets.

The last time a Notre Dame team scored at least 30 in the first four games of the season was 1943.