Michigan game the circle game???

[ACamp1900]

Last year the big circle game for me was Pitt... if we had held that lead (Thanks Harrison Smith...lol) our season would have been much different/better IMO... and i felt honestly last year that if we win the Pitt game we are back, if we don't we can't argue when haters say we aren't... I just knew the winner would be taken seriously and the loser wouldn't... and so it is...


THIS YEAR the circle game is against Michigan to me... here's some points before you laugh...

We had OUR worst year ever two years ago and bounced back... you have to think Michigan can't do the same?? you think they will possibly be that bad again???... will they be good?? Possible,... yeah it's possible, more so than them being flat HORRIBLE again...
they, at very, least will be better... and you best believe WE will be THEIR early season get up game... AND think back to last year, if not for weather condiditons................. so circle that game

They're a gimic team, which is never good (look how many times Navy or Air Force have upset someone or come THAT CLOSE)... gimic teams of any kind are always tuff... you BEST not sleep on scUM next year or there will be a ton of upset Irish fans... they obviously need a QB... yep, that's a big need but do you HONESTLY expect them to lose ten games??? they have some athletes... they will win some games... and hear this... a win over them will look a TON better at years end than at the time of the game itself... trust me... so circle that game

Here's a question... What if we lose??? You talk about "back to the fucking drawing board"... seriously, think about what will happen if we lose that game but win every other game we are favored in... besides when your oppenent is down you break the fucking neck, this would be a major up off the ropes win for Michigan... and when you look at the UM game it is in a very weird spot for us... weeks after we start the year and weeks before the USC game... a loss there could hang us over the same way the Pitt game did with BC... circle that game

I would circle Boston College honestly... but that game won't matter nearly as much if we don't handle Michigan first... so circle that game

I am not bold enough to make our circle game SC yet... so anyway, circle that game

Honestly, just like last year with Pitt... I see the train lights coming... The Michigan game is such a "which one is legit" statement game... we will obviously be favored, but again... don't sleep on any team with athletes, a gimic and a proven coach... by years end I feel Michigan may be in a bowl game and a win over them will only add to the overall view of Notre Dame football... Why do I care about that?? Well that's a whole other thread... but I do feel changing public perception of the legitimacy of this program is vastly important to ND football success in the future, which makes a game like this very dangerous... so again, circle the Michigan game...

to me a lot hinges on it when you look at the WHOLE year




either way...






I bet you're getting pumped...lol

 

[ACamp1900]

I gues I am trying to articulate a hunch... but the Michigan game will be a whole lot bigger in retrospect at years end they a lot of fans will acknowledge leading up to the game...

 

[TDHeysus]

As I have stated before, I believe Michigan is a 'no-excuse-must-win' game. I dont expect the game to be easy, maybe somewhere between 24-10 or 31-13.

A win against Michigan is always cause for celebration, even if they are down, even if they are short at QB. I dont care if they fielded a team of High School players, beating Michigan is always a great win.

Now, if ND loses....devastating

The only way it is not devastating is if ND runs the table and finishes 12-1.

 

[jason_h537]

As I have stated before, I believe Michigan is a 'no-excuse-must-win' game. I dont expect the game to be easy, maybe somewhere between 24-10 or 31-13.

whoa thats gonna be a nail-biter

 

[Clausen2Kamara]

I do not expect Michigan 2 be that bad again but I do expect us to handle that rival with ease...Not only do we have our whole offense back with a bunch of experience but our young D also has a year of experience against their offense...I like our chances a lot. We should roll based on paper...but will we? I'll have a better answer after the Nevada game. Thats the game I'd circle right now...Its a good test to start the season and if we show up and control the game, that confidence will hopefully take us to an undefeated shootout with USC...Who I think we can actually beat this year...

 

[ACamp1900]

I do not expect Michigan 2 be that bad again but I do expect us to handle that rival with ease...Not only do we have our whole offense back with a bunch of experience but our young D also has a year of experience against their offense...I like our chances a lot. We should roll based on paper...but will we? I'll have a better answer after the Nevada game. Thats the game I'd circle right now...Its a good test to start the season and if we show up and control the game, that confidence will hopefully take us to an undefeated shootout with USC...Who I think we can actually beat this year...

Agree with everything but the last sentence... in record alone MAYBE... in truth... they won't be close to last year

 

[jason_h537]

Confidence is huge in football, perhaps one of the few sports where emotion can actually be a benifit. If we dominate the first half of the season goin into USC, your going to see a much different Irish team then we have in a loooonnng time.

 

[phork]

If we don't go to the BigHouse and thoroughly stomp their asses into the ground, I won't hold out much hope for the year. Gimmick offense or not, they'll either have a freshman QB running the offense, or their 3rd string at one time, who really doesn't fit DickRods O.
Secondly, our offense should be light years over their Defense, they lost a lot of key players. If anytime would have been a good time for DickRod to succeed it was last year, he had a damn good defense that was ruined by the D-Coordinator. You will recall if it wasn't for the 7 or 8 TOs we might have lost that game.
UM is always a circle game, for obvious reasons. But there is no reason in my mind why we can't roll them at their place and repay some IOUs from the past 5 years.

 

[Riddickulous]

From what I've heard, Michigan's defense is going to be horrible this year. As long as Clausen has time...Look out.

As long as we can manage to contain the run (our ridiculous secondary will have a field day against a freshman quarterback playing his first big game, not to mention Forcier has no help from a relatively talentless receiving corps) we should win easily.

 

[tgolden]

at this point, the circle game for me is Nevada... once we get past them, I'll circle UM, then Purdue, then MSU (always MSU) etc...

I know what you mean though... going up to Ann Arbor and stomping them would be a good sign. but to really, truly be back, we need to beat SC.

 

[ACamp1900]

at this point, the circle game for me is Nevada... once we get past them, I'll circle UM, then Purdue, then MSU (always MSU) etc...

I know what you mean though... going up to Ann Arbor and stomping them would be a good sign. but to really, truly be back, we need to beat SC.

I agree... I am just not ready to go there yet... personally my objective mind thinks those who claim we can win the NC and beat SC by 20 this year are beyond nuts

 

[jason_h537]

at this point, the circle game for me is Nevada... once we get past them, I'll circle UM, then Purdue, then MSU (always MSU) etc...

I hope the players think that way. Good point

 

[Dacian_Irish]

Why has it come to this? Nevada as a circle game? Um.... we better whoop Nevada. Based on who we are and the talent we have coming back the only circle game is the USC game. We will be favored in every game but the USC so we better just win. And UM as a circle game... why not circle all the games then. MSU is way better than UM. How about BC? we have not beat them since the 90's... Common guys wake up! For the first time in years we will be playing with a veteran team and veteran QB. We have no excuses this year and if we struggle against Nevada that will be devasting!! But it will not happen.

Circle the USC game!!

 

[phork]

Nevada is a circle game because of the debacle against SDSU last year.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

If we do not beat the skunkbears this year it will have absolutely nothing to do with the players. If we lose this year its all on Charlie!
I am a Weis supporter but I will not accept a loss to a team that talent and experience wise is far inferior to us. No more excuses....this is his team now, that he has built. The only logical explanation to a loss at the hands of Michigan this year is Charlie getting out coached.....PERIOD!

 

[tgolden]

Why has it come to this? Nevada as a circle game? Um.... we better whoop Nevada. Based on who we are and the talent we have coming back the only circle game is the USC game. We will be favored in every game but the USC so we better just win. And UM as a circle game... why not circle all the games then. MSU is way better than UM. How about BC? we have not beat them since the 90's... Common guys wake up! For the first time in years we will be playing with a veteran team and veteran QB. We have no excuses this year and if we struggle against Nevada that will be devasting!! But it will not happen.

Circle the USC game!!

I agree with everything you wrote. there is no excuse to struggle vs. Nevada or plenty of the teams on our schedule. but I'm also remembering SDSU last year. and Syracuse. and USC vs Stanford a few years back. and UM vs. App. St. and all the other upsets that happen when teams (and fans/crowd noise factors) overlook "pushovers."

and don't worry, I've had USC circled since the second the game ended this last year. and ever since 2002.

 

[IrishInFl]

Isn't Michigan using a 6' tall, true freshman QB? Do you seriously think they can do well with that against our DB's?

 

[TDHeysus]

whoa thats gonna be a nail-biter

31-13 close game scenario:
4qtr, 2:35 left to go - ND hanging on 17-13, michigan driving in ND terroritory. Turnover occurs, and ND is fortuneate enough to return for TD. Insuing kickoff, michigan gaffs the kick and ND gets the ball inside the mich 20, and quickly punches it in with a run play that wasnt meant to necesarily to score a TD.

24-10 close game scenario:
4qtr, 2:35 left to go - michigan is on the ND 33 yard line, driving down the field, with the score ND 17, Mich 10. A turnover occurs (INT, Fumble, or downs) and ND returns for a TD. That would be a not easy 24-10 win scenario.

In both scenarios, the score indicates a 2 TD win, but the game would be much closer than the score suggests.

I expect ND to win, but not 42-3, and I kinda expect the game to be closer than I want it to be.

Actually, I think most games this year will fall under the category, "I expect ND to win, but the game will be closer than I want it to be."

 

[notredomer23]

From everything I take in, Michigans defense is going to be terrible, there receivers bad, and their QB horrible. Offensive line should be good and runningbacks should be decent. I think they might have some success running the ball, but Clausen eats up there defense for 3 first half touchdown passes.

My prediction 38-10

Most Michigan fans are even admitting that ND will win by atleast 10

 

[Bubba]

It seems to me that every team that plays ND gets UP for that game. So, despite the fact that we should beat Michigan, there is a good chance they will want to exact revenge for last year's beatdown. We will get their best, I hope we are better. F-it, I say circle 'em all.

 

[phork]

If we don't win by 3 TDs I will be shocked.

 

[IrishInFl]

I honestly think Nevada has a better chance at beating us than Michigan (Nevada does have a pretty good QB).

 

[TDHeysus]

It seems to me that every team that plays ND gets UP for that game

This is still the case, even during/since the dreaded '07 season. This is evidence that ND is still relevent on the national scene, dispite what ppl like MArk May say. Even when ND is down, ALL teams get up to play ND, every week, and celebrate like they won the NC if they beat us.

F-it, I say circle 'em all.

This can be said at ND, every year.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Every year, every month, every day, every play.

I think everyone brings their best against ND. It's a national stage.

ND has to smash every friggen play.

Depth.

 

[irishfan]

Agree completely. We win this game, and we're 5-0 going into USC in a game that will feel similar to the 2005 USC game. If we lost to Michigan, probably going to be 3-2 going into USC and have no chance.