Sep 7 | NIU

[mick2]

Has anyone been to the “tailgate” at legends? I don’t need anything crazy just somewhere to take my dad before kickoff.

Yes I've been a couple times. I think it's kind of pricey $125 I believe, they open up a banquet section of the restaurant and the backyard area and typically have someone strumming a guitar outside, buffet style typical tailgate fare, burgs and dogs, I don't think alcohol is included, but may be wrong there is a separate area cash bar I believe. They had tvs set up for the early games as well. Not a bad option for low key chilling while you wait for kickoff, if you can deal w the price.

 

[laughingirish90]

coach said in his presser today that NIU has won 7 of there last 9 games so they must be a fairly decent team that we can't overlook Saturday

 

[Rockin’Irish]

coach said in his presser today that NIU has won 7 of there last 9 games so they must be a fairly decent team that we can't overlook Saturday

I believe they have 9 starters on offense and 9 starters on defense returning from last year. ND needs to come out and break their will early.

 

[irishff1014]

coach said in his presser today that NIU has won 7 of there last 9 games so they must be a fairly decent team that we can't overlook Saturday

I have faith in this staff to have this team ready to roll. Yes it was a high intensity it win again A&M but we have some great player leadership on this team. Will they cover the 30 points that’s the true question.

 

[IrishLax]

They were 93rd in the country last year per SP+… no reason to believe they’re appreciably better. This is one of those games where you *can* lose… a la Marshall two years ago… by poor preparation and execution but on paper ND should roll. They don’t have a single guy that I’m aware of that would start for ND. They won’t be able to throw the ball, and it seems implausible that they can get more than ~17 points running the ball or getting lucky big plays. Does anyone honestly think ND isn’t going to score at least 28 points on a defense that has zero future NFL players?

 

[EvilleIrish]

They were 93rd in the country last year per SP+… no reason to believe they’re appreciably better. This is one of those games where you *can* lose… a la Marshall two years ago… by poor preparation and execution but on paper ND should roll. They don’t have a single guy that I’m aware of that would start for ND. They won’t be able to throw the ball, and it seems implausible that they can get more than ~17 points running the ball or getting lucky big plays. Does anyone honestly think ND isn’t going to score at least 28 points on a defense that has zero future NFL players?

The team total for NIU is currently 7.5 and is juiced to the under.

 

[notredomer23]

ND -28.5 and O/U is 45.5…

Idk how I feel about covering because of garbage time but I expect that over hit pretty easily

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Looking forward to seeing CJ Carr play the second half.

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

coach said in his presser today that NIU has won 7 of there last 9 games so they must be a fairly decent team that we can't overlook Saturday

They could absolutely beat us. 10% chance is pretty high

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

ND -28.5 and O/U is 45.5…

Idk how I feel about covering because of garbage time but I expect that over hit pretty easily

I have the feeling ND is going to try very hard to get the downfield passing game going.

 

[calvegas04]

I feel like we need to put up 50-60 points this weekend after the performance against A&M

 

[INLaw]

I feel like we need to put up 50-60 points this weekend after the performance against A&M

Would love to see it. Need to get offense to half match the confidence I have in the defense.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Gotta think they‘re going to insist on Leonard either passing or handing off to RB to save his legs. Duke did that last year when they played UConn & other lesser opponents knowing his running ability would be needed for the more challenging games.

 

[INLaw]

Im good with that. Got to establish some amount of down field threat with play action or drop back. Can not be an obvious stack the box against us team again

 

[T-Boone]

I don’t see freeman having another Marshall type game - it’s probably going to be a frustrating one though, 14 point win.

 

[EvilleIrish]

I feel like we need to put up 50-60 points this weekend after the performance against A&M

Point totals like this will be really difficult moving forward with the new clock rules.

 

[Irish#1]

I believe they have 9 starters on offense and 9 starters on defense returning from last year. ND needs to come out and break their will early.

They should know their offense and defense pretty well, but these aren't high level D1 players across the board.

 

[ThePiombino]

This will be a telling game for Leonard IMO. Kind of like in 2017 when we kept waiting for Wimbush prove he can be a pocket passer, but then he finished the season with a sub-50% completion percentage. Hoping for better results here, and I think he'll do exactly that.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[GowerND11]

First game since 2012 BYU game for me. Let's GO!

 

[mango4]

Western was 0-12 in FCS last year tbf. Not just a bad FCS team, but possibly the worst. They’ve won 4 games in total since 2019

Western Illinois is awful. There are D2 schools that could beat them. They haven't won a game since October 30, 2021, and all of those losses except 4 have been by double digits.

 

[arrowryan]

I don't expect an emotional letdown so bad that the game will be tight in the second half, but it is difficult to see how Notre Dame will be as dialed in as they were last weekend.

 

[stpeteirish]

I have the feeling ND is going to try very hard to get the downfield passing game going.

I'm having flashbacks to that game in 2018 (was it Ball St?) where they told Wimbush not to run, stay in the pocket and we damned near lost.

 

[GreenGemsOmally]

I'm having flashbacks to that game in 2018 (was it Ball St?) where they told Wimbush not to run, stay in the pocket and we damned near lost.

Yup it was Ball State. I was there.

The most infuriating part to me was how Kelly came out after and said "no, the game plan was definitely not to have him be a pocket passer and not run the ball at all! You're just imagining things. He was just taking what the defense is giving him!" I remember seeing a TON of situations where there were huge stretches of green grass in front of him but he sat and passed inaccurately instead, but noooooooo that was "just how the game plan went."

 

[Sureal]

I know it’s NIU and they played western Illinois but their offense put up over 700 yards.

Hope the team isn’t sleep walking and finding themselves scrambling to get into the game to start.

98-3 Notre Dame
7 pick sixes lol

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

They could absolutely beat us. 10% chance is pretty high

Where are you getting 10%? ESPN's FPI shows ND 96.2% chance of victory. Just curious.

 

[SoIll]

Looking forward to seeing CJ Carr play the second half.

So ND will have time to play all 4 QBS?

 

[NDFan8349]

Tailgating question….Who has tailgated the North lot? Is it a good place to set up?

 

[PANDFAN]

I have the feeling ND is going to try very hard to get the downfield passing game going.

like the ol miami of ohio game of a few years ago...hopefully much better results

 

[Irish du Nord]

Tailgating question….Who has tailgated the North lot? Is it a good place to set up?

It’s nice, definitely less foot traffic. It’s a pretty common spot for parents of Mod Quad/North Quad students

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Tailgating question….Who has tailgated the North lot? Is it a good place to set up?

Access in and out is pretty easy compared to other spots.