Notre Dame has 4th highest chance of making Playoff according to ESPN
August 8th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
I think even more shocking, and I am not trying to talk shit here, is that they have had little to no players suspended this year. Usually at about this time, the star QB is listed as ineligible due to academic fraud. Or someone gets busted with drugs or a gun or something.
I mean they lost their best receiver that would've returned this off season for breaking team rules. Dexter Williams the projected starting RB this year won't even play against Michigan, he's suspended according to a ton of ND insiders
Ahh, well, there ya go! Thanks for the informative insight.
August 8th, 2018 at 10:53 PM ^
That Dexter Williams thing might just be a rumor. Though, he's been in trouble before.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
Pretty understandable. It's not because they're that good, but rather their schedule. They're probably favored in every game right now save for USC. And USC lost a ton from last year's team so ND may be favored in that one too. Their three other toughest games, us, Stanford and FSU, are all at home. FSU has a first year HC, our offense is still completely unproven, and while Stanford is a proven team, this game is probably still a toss-up. And home teams usually have the edge in toss-ups.
They'd probably get punked by an Alabama or Clemson if they got that far. But I don't think its unreasonable hear about them being in the playoff conversation in late October or early November.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
They have, at minimum, five tossup games this season - Michigan, Stanford, @Virginia Tech, Florida St and @USC. I think you could even make the argument for Pitt and N’W to be on that list. I just can’t see Notre Dame going 4-1 in those games, which is what they’d need to do IMO. A 2 loss ND isn’t going to get in the playoffs with no conference championship game.
August 8th, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^
Michigan fans who think any game in South Bend is a sure-thing gimme haven't watched enough Michigan-Notre Dame games in South Bend.
Win the first game...period.
Yeah but this team is stacked this year Donald. Notra Dame will be dominated. Jim and staff have been sizing this game up for months. Outmatched they are in South Bend. The green fig things will feel the sting baby!
I'll have what you're having. Guess you forgot Michigan hasn't beaten a ranked team in a true road environment in over 10 years.
More curious than anything ...
What's a "true road environment" and what "fake road environments" has Michigan won in that should be discounted?
Northwestern in 2013, apparently. We were underdogs there and won going away. (In the 3rd OT)
"Yeah but this team is stacked this year Donald. Notra Dame will be dominated. Jim and staff have been sizing this game up for months. Outmatched they are in South Bend."
I recognize that past history does not guarantee future results, but I've heard a variation of this optimistic sentiment before every one of the 10 losses in South Bend since the series resumed in '78, with the sole exception of '08.
From Bo to Mo to Lloyd to RR, we've gone 5-10-1 down in South Bend, and six of those Michigan teams that lost down there ended up winning or tying for the conference championship.
August 10th, 2018 at 9:15 AM ^
I know Don, Ive been around long enough to know that Notre Dame is not an easy game anywhere, but in South Bend we dont always fare too well. These youngins dont get that, I dont know why because last time we were there we had one of our worst losses to them. Overconfidence maybe?
A QB that can’t even complete 50 percent of his throws that lost his top RB and top Two receivers is supposed to lead them to the playoffs. ESPN has been a joke the past 3-4 years
Damn, I guess I didn't realize Wimbush was that mediocre. I suspect our defense to be leaps and bounds better than last year. Should be fun!
August 8th, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
Wimbush is on the Maxwell Award watch list. Ah, but he's a ND QB. LIke, Derek Jeter is one of the greatest players of all time, because he's a Yankee.
can we stop complaining about osu/msu thing
yes scheduling nd on the road this year was dumb. and the playing wisco 6 years in a row is bad luck. but enough of the complaining. just win.
No, we were given Wisconsin because it looked in 2013 like Nebraska was going to be the stronger team going forward, so they got OSU. This whining and paranoia on the part of Michigan fans gets old.
I'd rather play MSU and OSU away the same year, rather than PSU and OSU. I'd rather PSU and MSU than OSU and MSU, but I won't whine about getting the compromise position.
August 8th, 2018 at 11:03 PM ^
I wonder if Alabama would like to have LSU and Auburn both away every other year.
ESPN...
Predictions. You're doing them wrong.
Fuck Notre Dame
Even if ND does go 11-1 (I'll believe that when I see it. 8-4 seems more likely), I'm still not entirely sure an 11-1 Notre Dame team would make the playoff over an 11-2 conference Champion.
That lack of an extra game (and the risk attendant with that game) could bite Notre Dame.
One thing for sure. If that DID happen, the crying out of South Bend would be immense.
Depends on if they lose at home, to whom, and by how much.
True.
They're likely in at 11-1 last year (and tough luck Alabama & Ohio State).
The year before, if they went 11-1 (instead of 4-8, LOL), I think they're out. They're theoretical "best win" is against USC. Not an overall strong schedule and I think you still need to take the 1-loss ACC, SEC and Pac-12 Champions, with both 11-1 OSU (win over Oklahoma) and 11-2 PSU (2 losses but also a conference Champ) still having a better case than ND.
Your standard ND playoff prediction every year....then they poop on themselves some how
Lol is this a joke? Come on Notre Lame won’t be the playoffs. Is today April fools day...
August 8th, 2018 at 10:15 PM ^
Well, it's ESPN, so I expect them to be inaccurate about sports.
The ND love by the writers is sickening, What have they done to be in that place the beginning of the year?? Another team I love to hate!!!
Listen, I'm a Notre Dame fan, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, but I find it astonishing how confident you guys are.
After watching both of our schools over the past 10 years, I'm not sure how you get past the self-deprecation and crying stage.
I won't even be confident vs. Ball State. You guys could very well come in and blow the doors off, but as others in this thread have suggested, history doesn't really support that.
Notre Dame was a 10 win team last year that still returns quite a bit of talent and we've recruited well. It will be interesting to see if Dexter Williams plays, in limited carries he averaged over 9 yards per carry. Wimbush was a glorified RB last year with a decent long ball. He struggled with the short to medium game, rumor has it that this has improved, but we will see. If he struggles early, you might see Ian Book. WR's will still be strong. Boykin is an absolute monster. Defense has talent and a lot of returning players. They won't be on Michigan's level, but they should be pretty decent.
I think it will be a close game, within 1 score either way.
I think we are probably a 9 win team this year, give or take a game.
Our schedule was ranked 16th toughest, Michigan is ranked 24th... so not sure I understand the schedule hate.
Meh, who knows, we'll see. I usually refrain from making bold predictions. Under promise, over deliver in my industry.