Can Notre Dame Run the Table?

[Emcee77]

I think we can run the table, but I just don't know whether we will. Landry Jones and Matt Barkley are both capable of picking us apart, if they get the protection they need to do it. On the other hand, both have looked average at times this season.

If both QBs and O-lines play as well as they are capable of playing, then they will score some TDs and our offense will have to show a lot of improvement in order to keep up. But if Golson and our O-line play as well as they are capable of playing, I think we can roll up a lot of points. So who knows. There's still a lot of growing left to do this season.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Yes we can, and personally I believe we are better than any team left on our schedule, but that doesn't mean we are going undefeated. Oklahoma will be tough. Tuitt, Nix, KLM, Day, Ishaq, Shembo, Springmann, all those guys will need to bring their A+ game.

 

[arrowryan]

Question #1. Can we beat BYU


When you're walking through a mine field, if your number one focus isn't your very next step, you're as good as dead.

Thank You!!!!!!!

 

[loomis41973]

Can't see us beating Oklahoma and USC will be a toss up unless injuries pile up one way or the other.

11-1 or 10-2 and BCS bound.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Question #1. Can we beat BYU


When you're walking through a mine field, if your number one focus isn't your very next step, you're as good as dead.

Well good thing we're in the chopper 2500 feet above, watching the team walk through the minefield.. We can focus on anything in the future.

 

[notredomer23]

yes, yes we can. There is probably a 15% chance we beat both Oklahoma and USC though. Decent chance we beat one, but it's gonna be damn tough to beat both on the road.

Don't think just because they smacked Texas means they are some unstoppable juggernaut. Texas is supremely overrated(come on, they struggled with Wyoming), and Oklahoma's forte in their past few games has been their run game(20th in the nation), which is what we are designed to stop. Not too impressed with their offensive line this year either. Stanford beat USC. We can beat USC.

I feel like just everything points to this being our year. Everything that has happened to Manti Te'o, everyone predicting 7-5 or 8-4, all that irrelevant garbage from Rick Reilly, and just an overall negative feeling around the program. I feel like the team united around that this year and has been playing their hearts out.

 

[Patulski]

If we're going to run the table, it would help if some of these things would happen.

1. We have to stop killing ourselves with stupid procedure penalties and turnovers.

2. Golson must recognize coverages quicker, stay in the pocket longer and deliver the ball quicker.

3. We have to develop more of our run option with Golson. Our O-line is simply not good enough to control the line of scrimmage against better defenses running strictly zone read running plays.

4. When our linemen and TE's we are getting beat in the passing game by quicker defenses, Kelly must find a way to capitalize on their aggressiveness by using screens passes.

5. We must continue to be able to get a strong pass rush mainly with 4 rushing linemen.

 

[BobD]

Well good thing we're in the chopper 2500 feet above, watching the team walk through the minefield.. We can focus on anything in the future.

I'm not on a chopper, I'm on a boat in San Francisco Bay getting ready for the NLCS game 1.

 

[BMT]

I bet they play well against BYU as it was pretty sloppy against Stanford on offense, penalties, fumbles, etc. granted the weather probably played a little part. they should be on the rebound offensively. By the way, anybody else think ND seems to play better on the road over past few years????

 

[texbender]

Yes, we can do it; however, the odds are against us. Best to take 'em week by week. That means BYU on Saturday.

 

[anarin]

Before the season started, most of us (including me) didn't expect N.D. to be 6-0 at this point. In July, I wrote a blog fantasy piece, "What Would It Take for Notre Dame to Win It All?" And people asked me what I was smoking or drinking (it was Kessler's Kentucky whiskey). I'm curious on what the folks here think now: Can we run the table with BYU, OU, Pitt, B.C., Wake Forest and USC ahead?

My preseason prediction is currently spot on.

BOOM

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I still think that Oklahoma could very well be hugely overrated, but that's just me. I can't believe Landry Jones can do anything against a great defense.

 

[Black Irish]

I say the Irish have as good a chance as anyone. Other teams are falling to earth (S. Carolina & WVU this week) while teams like Alabama and Oregon are coasting. Sure, ND can drop games like anyone, but the effort so far this season has been fantastic. The D has been phenomenal and the offense, despite its inconsistency, has stepped up and played clutch when the game calls for it. If the offense gets it together, Notre Dame is definitely a contender.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

I'm not on a chopper, I'm on a boat in San Francisco Bay getting ready for the NLCS game 1.

Nice dude! Hope you grab a few HRs.

 

[Cogs]

We can and will run the table. I'm a fortune teller.

 

[dshans]

I'm not on a chopper, I'm on a boat in San Francisco Bay getting ready for the NLCS game 1.

Barry Bond's Bay?

Don't drink the water ...

 

[ALLGATOR]

Yes ND has two teams left on their schedule that even have a chance to beat them. If Texas could tackle that Oklahoma game would look a lot different. Oklahoma's DT did look better than earlier in the season but Texas whole team is soft.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Can they? Yes. They have a great defense and enough weapons on offense to have a tremendously high upside when they are playing well.

But it's going to be a tall order beating OK. They are a Tier 1, non-rival who is not gimmicky and playing with a tremendous home feild advantage.

My odds are:
BYU: .80
OK: .33
Pitt: .75
BC: .75
WF: .80
USC: .50

So I'd say 10-2 is the most likely, 9-3 and 11-1are both very possible, but 12-0 or 8-4 seems unlikely.

 

[PerthDomer]

We have 0% chance of losing to Wake or BC. They are both utterly incompetent FB teams. I'd move Pitt to 90% as well as BYU. Others look right though I'd favor us over USC slightly.

 

[Domina Nostra]

We have 0% chance of losing to Wake or BC. They are both utterly incompetent FB teams. I'd move Pitt to 90% as well as BYU. Others look right though I'd favor us over USC slightly.

To me, BC and USC are rivalry games and, thus, more even than they should be.

 

[stlnd01]

To me, BC and USC are rivalry games and, thus, more even than they should be.

BC might agree with you. But they're a long way from any good this year.

 

[jerboski]

They can do it but I expect them to drop at least one to either OU or USC, I truly believe OU is going to be our toughest game. It's in Norman and they can really throw the ball so I expect the offense will have to be efficient if we are going to win. The defense will keep us in it but I dont expect us to keep them from scoring a few td's like all of the other games.

 

[RDU Irish]

Better ball protection + no offensive improvement = defense has to win them all - I give us a 1/5 or 1/6 chance in this scenario of running the table.

Now if the offense can show some life with EG having 250+ yards passing with some regularity then I think we bump those odds to 1/3 to 1/2.

Any way I slice it, best odds since the earlly 90s. The Ty and Charlie's flashes in the pan did not feel anything like this. Every game felt like 40/60 which does not add up to 100% wins without Powerballesqe luck.

 

[rocket66]

The offense just faced the best defense they'll face all year, easily. I fully expect offensive growth and maturity throughout the rest of the season. If the Irish can escape Norman with a win..look out.

 

[Mr. Larson]

If you haven't seen this picture yet- take a look and tell me this team can't run the table.

Bring on BYU!

 

[Fbolt]

I'd give ND a 72.0367% chance of running the table.

 

[irishfan]

ESPN's College GameDay research genius Chris Fallica has put together a formula that calculates a team's chances of finishing the regular season undefeated. Please don't ask me how to explain it. I'm still learning long division.

Notre Dame -- 17.7 percent (Fallica says if ND beats Oklahoma on Saturday, the percentage instantly improves to about 53 percent).

BMOC salutes Texas Tech Red Raiders, Heisman race, Jeff Driskel and more - ESPN

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

Kid at ND, spouse USC grad.
Beating USC out here is going to be tough.
We hope so - but don't think so.

We're not Stanford, but the way we have been playing at home this year in coparrison to our away games, I like our chances a lot more than some. Sure USC is spinning on all cylinders, beating up on the likes of Colorado, I love how they made such a big deal about how great of a game Barkley had and broke these records at USC, against Colorado. Can't wait to see Oregon just demoralize USC's season, this year it's USC's turn to give up after they get beat up hard against our D.

 

[JadeBrecks]

Our D can easily win out the rest of the games. The problem is we need an offense to win the game. Unfortunately OU and USC will score on us but i think our D will keep it manageable. Here's to hoping the O comes through.

 

[IrishLax]

BMOC salutes Texas Tech Red Raiders, Heisman race, Jeff Driskel and more - ESPN

Yeah.... he's wrong. And it's simple math. Like basic probability proves him wrong immediately. I don't even understand how he can feign that as accurate.

Based on test Vegas probabilities, ND has a 20% chance of winning this week... does anyone actually think we'll be a favorite over USC on the road even if we're 11-0? Well, for argument's sake let's say we're a 7 point favorite at USC (lol)... we'd have a 70% chance of winning. Even if you assume 100% chance of victory over Wake, BC, and Pitt (ridiculous, but for argument's sake let's be as generous as possible here)... the fact is that all games are independent events so our odds look like:

.2*.7*1*1*1=14%.... and that's assuming we're a heavy favorite over USC to end the season. More accurate odds of us running the table are more like 7%.