College Football!!!!!!!!!
The greatest thing in all the world is finally coming back to our lives. This offseason has been a ridiculous one to say the least. Plenty of arrests as always, which you can see tracked on EDSBS in the illustrious Fulmer Cup (Congrats Auburn!). A&M’s little brother complex culminated today with their declaration of getting the hell out of dodge, and likely giving the death blow to the Big XII-X-IX-VII whatever. But finally, the games are back. You all know I have a love for making gratuitous predictions, so if you follow after the jump, I’ll give you my run down of how I think Notre Dame’s year will go, and some general predictions. It’s worth noting, as always, that I’m a moron. I’ll also be making weekly picks and tracking the picks of anyone who wants to play along in replies/comments below. Last year I missed some weeks because of school, but that is no longer an issue. So now, FOOBAW
NOTRE DAME GAME BY GAME PREDICTIONS:
Season Prediction: 11-2, (10-2 regular season, non BCS bowl win)
- 9/3 SOUTH FLORIDA 3:30pm NBC
Prediction: ND Win (17-21)
This is an interesting opener for a few reasons. First, you have Skip Holtz, son of LOUUUU, coming in as head coach of the Bulls. Skip, having worked as an assistant at ND and given his lineage, knows all about ND. Because of this, he will surely know how to get his guys ready to avoid whatever “mystique, aura, what have you” that teams can get a little mesmerized by. Second, USF has a mobile quarterback in BJ Daniels. While BJ can have a tendency to spray it all around the field wildly (teehee), mobile QBs have had success against the Irish over the years. That being said, the Notre Dame defense of 2k11 is a whole different breed from what many are used to. There is speed and talent all around the defensive side of the field for ND, something we haven’t seen in a long time. Hopefully this will cut down on things like dual-threat QBs running willy nilly. Third, how will Dayne Crist look in his first game back from injury? Dayne won the starting QB job through camp. Personally, I think if he was healthy enough for it, the competition was a moot point. Regardless of whether Rees was in it or not, it will be up to Crist to put #s up to keep last year’s fill-in that led ND to wins in their last 4 games. I see this game having a slow, and somewhat frustrating 1st half with ND holding a slight lead that will feel far too close. In the end I see ND winning by around 17-21. - 9/10 @ Michigan 8pm ABC/ESPN
Prediction: ND close win
Ah the Under the Lights game. This is the 1st night game the Big House has hosted, and hard to think of a better matchup. This will be a back and forth game with Denard Robinson causing problems for the Irish, but finding that he can’t do it all on his own. Michigan has dealt with 3 players leaving in the last month or so and will be dealing with a whole new system. As ND well knows, it takes time to get the kinks worked out. They won’t be for this won. ND win a fun game. - 9/17 MICHIGAN STATE 3:30pm NBC
Prediction: Insanely aggravating ND Loss
Looking through the regular season schedule I see ND going 10-2. One loss will be to Stanford at the end of the year, assuming Luck stays healthy. Going down the list, this game pops up as the one that ND will drop every time for some reason. Maybe it’s MSU’s recent run in South Bend. Maybe it’s the fact that ND hasn’t beaten both since what, 04? Maybe it’s their excellent RB Baker. Or maybe it’s the fact that since I’ll be there I’m terrified it will happen and I’m trying to reverse jinx it. Either way, this is the one I see going poorly. - 9/24 @ Pittsburgh Noon ABC/ESPN
Prediction: ND Win
ND should get back on point against a Pitt team that saw plenty of turmoil after hiring, and firing, former ND Asst. Coach Mike Haywood after some domestic violence charges. With a weak O-Line and a new coach in Todd Graham, along with a questionable D, I think ND wins this comfortably. - 10/1 @ Purdue 8pm ABC/ESPN
Prediction: Bloodshed
ND will murrrrrrrder Purdue. They are not Purdue’s King, they will not take their time, Purdue will not enjoy this. - 10/8 AIR FORCE 3:30pm NBC
Prediction: ND Win
Again, I think ND will just have too much talent for AF to compete. - 10/22 SOUTHERN CAL 7:30pm NBC
Prediction: ND close win
Notre Dame needs to begin a streak of their own. USC has a great QB in Barkley, but I’m pretty sure that Manti Te’o is ready for some murder. Further, I think ND’s offense will be able to put more points up if it turns into a shootout. Plus, this is a night game at Notre Dame Stadium….can you imagine how loud that place is gonna be? It will be nuts! And I’ll be there for that one, then victoriously walk straight to the Backer. - 10/29 NAVY 3:30pm NBC
Prediction: ND Win
This may be the game Kelly wants more than any other. ND has the speed on D finally to shut down the option, and should be able to take this one somewhat comfortably. - 11/5 @ Wake Forest TBA
Prediction: ND Blowout
In football? Wake Forest? That’s adorable. - 11/12 MARYLAND (FedEx) 7:30pm NBC
Prediction: ND Blowout
See above. We do not fear turtles. - 11/19 BOSTON COLLEGE 4pm NBC
Prediction: ND Win
BC doesn’t have anywhere near the talent this year the Irish do, this should be very similar to last year’s game. - 11/26 @ Stanford 8pm ABC/ESPN
Prediction: ND Loss
If things go according to how I see them, ND could have a BCS birth on the line with one loss. However that also sees Stanford in a similar spot with Andrew Luck also in a tight battle with Trent Richardson for the Heisman. This may not make sense, but work with me. If ND comes into this game undefeated, they win. Otherwise, it’s a loss. - Because ND loses it’s 2nd game in the last week of the year, I worry this will knock them out of a BCS game and lead to the Gator or Champ Sports or whatever. Now, don’t get me wrong, ND could still make it to a BCS here depending on how the rest of the footballverse is, I’m just guessing the last week loss will hurt too much. ND will win the random bowl they get and finish a great 11-2.
How about the world at large? I see the title game as Oklahoma vs Alabama. I know, that’s a boring pick, but Alabama might give up 35 points all year, and I think Trent Richardson is gonna make Bama fans laugh at the fact Ingram ever played above him. Oklahoma has lost some talent on defense in the offseason due to injury and, tragically, a death. Their Offense looks great, and with their old rival Texas likely going to have another down year in the corpse of the Big XII, their biggest test may be early on against Florida St. Stanford and Oregon could both provide some fun out west, and God knows what Les Miles will pull out at LSU.
I’ve got Nebraska winning the Big TenLevenWelve, FSU in the ACC, OU for the Big XII-X-IX, Bama for the SEC, Oregon for Pac12, and who gives a damn in the Big East. Trent Richardson will run all over the SEC for the Heisman.
So there it is kids. As always I’d love to hear your thoughts and predictions. Be sure to come back tomorrow for my Week 1 picks. Missed you football. Love you football.
Remember: College Football never locked you out, Mark May is a douche, and Craig James killed those 5 hookers at SMU* back in the day.
