Game by game predictions....

ACamp1900

Counting my ‘bet against ND’ winnings
Messages
48,947
Reaction score
11,225
I agree that people can always come up with reasons to be optimistic. The ones I listed above are different because we haven't seen that combination since Holtz left; I don't think that's a coincidence.

You have every right to be cynical, but to say the buzz this year is just like the buzz every year isn't accurate.

I agree overall, although the buzz every year is different... and the same...

anyway i am hopefull, and will be here 12-0 or 0-12... I guess I'm too much of a realist to just buy into BCS hype at this point... I mean BGIF is one of the most tenured, respected, knowledgable, well-liked members on this board and somehow my man had us going 12-0 last year... how did that happen???

It's like this, I'm a father, I hope my wife and I do right and my daugher avoids pitfalls that often ensare even the best of kids. I hope she goes on to Notre Dame on a full ride, graduates early and hits the double whammy by becoming not only the first female President of the United States, but also the first Hispanic one as well...

but I know things must happen perfectly for anything close to that to happen, and odds are something is going to go wrong at some point becasue that's life...

I view the current Notre Dame team through those same glasses I guess. To me things are moving in the right direction, but we ain't in the oval office just yet.
 
Last edited:

Whiskeyjack

Mittens Margaritas Ante Porcos
Staff member
Messages
20,894
Reaction score
8,126
I agree overall, although the buzz every year is different... and the same...

anyway i am hopefull, and will be here 12-0 or 0-12... I guess I'm too much of a realist to just buy into BCS hype at this point... I mean BGIF is one of the most tenured, respected, knowledgable, well-liked members on this board and somehow my man had us going 12-0 last year... how did that happen???

It's like this, I'm a father, I hope my wife and I do right and my daugher avoids pitfalls that often ensare even the best of kids. I hope she goes on to Notre Dame on a full ride, graduates early and hits the double whammy by becoming not only the first female President of the United States, but also the first Hispanic one as well...

but I know things must happen perfectly for anything close to that to happen, and odds are something is going to go wrong at some point becasue that's life...

I view the current Notre Dame team through those same glasses I guess. To me things are moving in the right direction, but we ain't in the oval office just yet.

There's a big difference between 12-0/ 11-1/ NC (which seems to be what you're arguing against if I'm interpreting that analogy correct), and 9-3/10-2. I'd be very happy with 9-3 and a Champs Sports Bowl appearance, and I don't think 10-2 with an at-large BCS appearance is unrealistic if we enjoy a little good fortune with injuries and reffing.

I have a hard time seeing 11-1 or 12-0, just like I have hard time seeing 6-6; if we actually backslide after last year (and all the ridiculous crap that went against us in 2010), then Kelly's not the coach we all think he is. I don't want to entertain that possibility.
 

eNDzone

Irish to the bone!
Messages
831
Reaction score
53
Had the season started (last year) after the USC game and ND would have played the same schedule again what would be your predictions on that season. The only lose I would predict would be the Stanford game.

I don't see much difference between the 2010 and the 2011 schedules . Two of the teams ND lost to last year are starting with new coaches. I don't know how anyone could predict more than 3 losses in 2011.

How many key players did ND lose last year that they don't already have someone with time on the field to replace them. There is not one position where a freshman would need to start. I expect continuous improvement.

The good thing is so do all the coaches.
 

NDinL.A.

New member
Messages
8,121
Reaction score
1,734
I'm not doing a game by game becuase we will prob. beat at least one of Stanford/USC and lose one or two we have no buisness losing to on paper...

I'll just go with 8-4

Uh oh. I'm predicting 10-2, and I've been off by 2 games (the wrong way) 3 years in a row. So if I hold true to form, then you're right and we're effed.

And I also agree on the optimism being different but yet the same. It actually reminds me of '05 going into '06. We thought we had the coach, we thought we had the system, we thought we had the players. While that season wasn't a disaster by any means, it wasn't what we thought and we ended up sucking for 3 straight years after that.

This year we have those same expectations, myself included - big time. I think we're on the cusp of something really special, and the defense has me excited. But they only did it for 4-5 games, so we should be cautiously optimistic. But what fun is there in that??? Let's hope we're right and this team dominates in true ND fashion...
 

ND_HAS_RISEN

Banned
Messages
369
Reaction score
26
Here is my stab at it….

South Florida- I actually think this is a very dangerous game… USF played well last year, they have a very good transferred RB in Scott, and Skip Holtz is a very good coach IMO. I am very confident that BK has the boys ready to play, but still, for a first game, this one is as big a “trap” game as I have seen. ND- 31- USF- 21

Michigan- Surprisingly, a lot of people have just written this game off as a “W”. I however know that Michigan actually still has some playmakers, ala Denard Robinson... I am not really familiar with Brady Hoke, but all signs point to him being a fairly decent coach, and if recruiting is any correlation, then I assume all signs are correct. Night game @ the BIG HOUSE!!! This game will be HUGE. This is the game we absolutely have to WIN IMO. ND-35 Mich-27

Michigan St. – Still yet again another very quality opponent. The way we lost in overtime last year, no way we lose this game…. ND-31 – Mich. St.- 20

Pitt- I know this is always usually a good game, but Pitt just isn’t very good IMO. Losing Baldwin is going to hurt them a lot. ND- 34 – Pitt- 14

Purdue – Marve is a decent QB, but the speed we have at the OLB should contain his scrambling abilities, and we should easily breeze past the Boilermakers. ND-38 – Purdue- 14

Air Force- The first of the academies… This will give our defense the much needed prep against the option that I think can only help every single team that faces the triple option attack. Its prolly gonna be a low scoring game just cause of the clock running, but the Irish put on a whooping here. ND- 30 – AF- 10

USC- This is the second biggest game IMO. Barkley is a really good QB, and I can only imagine his INT mistakes are going to be much less than before. Key to this game is going to be the running game. If we can control the ball and sustain drives, I think we finally get home redemption from the Bush Push. ND- 24 – USC-20

Navy- We better handle this team… Last year was just a complete embarrassment, and with the triple option prep 2 weeks prior, our boys should be ready to renew the trusted academy BEATDOWN!! ND- 38 – NAVY- 17

Wake Forest- Easiest game on the schedule IMO. ND- 45 – WF- 20

Maryland- This could be our second “trap” game of the year. Maryland is a damn good team, and coming off of two “patsie” wins could put the focus a little out of perspective. Ideally I think we win this game so long as the focus is true, but I wouldn’t be completely surprised to see this as one of the games that we should win, that we lose. Ill stay optimistic!! ND- 28- MD- 24

Boston College- Battle of the Catholics… Depending on how the team fares against Maryland, this game should be a fairly easy “W”. ND- 31 – BC-17

Stanford- Geez, I have the Irish going undefeated so far, so I have to think they will go undefeated right??? Sorry guys, I just don’t see us winning this game. Andrew Luck is far and away the best QB in college football, and the Cardinals are the best team the Irish will probably play all year. ND-21 – Stanford – 28

That puts us at 11-1 or at worst 10-2. I know , I KNOW, we always want to put these huge expectations on the IRISH, but I feel better about this prediction than I did looking at the 2005 schedule. The first 4 games are going to make or make the prediction. If we come out unscathed, I have no doubt in my mind that we will be 11-1 or 10-2 at the worst. I am just so excited to see how this season plays out!! I say BRING IT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO IRISH!!!!
 

NankerPhelge

WANKER
Messages
805
Reaction score
126
I am saving up my vBucks. When the opportunity arises, I will put them all on ND being undefeated in the regular season. The bowl will be a toss-up. Not Kool-Aid. Not stated as fact. But, if I had as many real bucks as I have vBucks, I would bet the same way. I've got a feeling.
 

Who'saWildManNow

Bald Prick
Messages
3,863
Reaction score
485
It will be a 10 win season and we will NOT lose to USC. Stanford and a random.

I do really believe we will be better but ACAMP has a point in saying the optimists will always find the positives to outweigh the negatives.

I was at that NAVY game last year. It was mind-boggling to watch. Both the offense and defense were absolutely pitiful.

The toughest job the coaches will have is keeping the kids intensity levels up EVERY week.. They did not show up for that NAVY game. You do not win championships unless your playing with focused rage on every play.
 

eNDzone

Irish to the bone!
Messages
831
Reaction score
53
I am saving up my vBucks. When the opportunity arises, I will put them all on ND being undefeated in the regular season. The bowl will be a toss-up. Not Kool-Aid. Not stated as fact. But, if I had as many real bucks as I have vBucks, I would bet the same way. I've got a feeling.

Optimists of the world unite!!!!
 

Blaise

Well-known member
Messages
2,233
Reaction score
88
USF 24-21
Michigan 31-20
Michigan State 28-17
Pitt 38-10
Purdue 31-13
Air Force 31-35 (ND looks ahead and Air Force is a very very hard scheme to game plan for)
USC 31-28
Navy 41-17
Wake Forest 41-3
Maryland 24-17
Boston College 35-17
Stanford 10-31

10-2
 
Top