2012 or 2018 which season did you enjoy more as a fan?

[Circa]

2012 was fun but it felt like it was a little smoke and mirrors to me sometimes. 2018 shows that 2012 wasn’t some kind of fluke that won’t happen again. Take the $hitshow of 2016 out and this program is trending the right way since. I’d take 2018 because it doesn’t feel nearly impossible now.

Yea, since 2016 was Kizer and, 'I promised your mom the year before QB; we had more displacement than encouragement. I'm happy we have some young white boys coming through the ranks of QB. It may seem racial but I'm not. I've seen two ends of this fence and we should be able to work together regardless. 2012 was great. I, as I've stated before attended the Stanford game and I know I was cheering before anyone on the goalline stands. I believe I had an impact on the officiating in that game, believe it or not.

2018 was a year that started a little apprehensively. I know we could have beaten Clemson had some chips fallen our way and It's a great way to go about the offseason. Love leaving Is the biggest downfall of my Irish this past year. He needed another year and comes from a family that doesn't need the million just yet. He Is my biggest disappointment of an early entry since Clausen. He's going to be of little help to that league and could have changed us tremendously.

 

[ACamp1900]

Still can’t believe Chocolate didn’t make it in the league,... when Houston drafted him I thought it was a no brainer beastly D Line.

 

[Irish YJ]

Stil can’t believe Choclate didn’t make it in the league,... when Houston drafted him I thought it was a no brainer beastly D Line.

Yup, thought he would do more. Not sure it was lingering health or motivation issues creeping back up, but thought he would have done more at the next level. Regardless, loved him as a ND player.

 

[Rudy89]

Honestly, and yall make think I'm stupid my favorite BK season so far has been 2013.

I know we had some stinging loses UM and the chicken dance game, Pitt destroying our BCS hopes, as well as OU/Stanford seemingly reminding us that despite going to the natty the year before we still weren't and upper tier program yet.

That being said there was a certain charm about 2013 that brings a smile to my face. Keeping MSU out of the natty, beating USC, winning the Pinstripe Bowl to send a great group of seniors out as Bowl Champions (with an O-Lineman being MVP of a bowl game no less) was awesome. It's a shame that in the record books this season didnt happen but at least the memories are still there.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Funny that most posters here are using the same criterion (the innocent optimism of 2012 v. the jaded realism of 2018), and still coming to different conclusions.

My issue with 2012 was that we squeaked by so many of those teams, some of which shouldn't have even been close. So when we got hosed by 'Bama, it really did feel like the haters were right, we were rightfully exposed, etc. And then came Te'o's scandal, Kelly's dalliance with the NFL, our 2013 recruiting class falling far short of it's potential, etc.

In 2018, most of our games were won before half-time. That sort of a season is just so much more fun to watch. And as RDU and wiz mentioned, even after the Clemson loss, this team felt more real. We deserved that playoff spot, and I expect we'll challenge for another again soon.

So it's 2018 for me, hands down.

 

[Rack Em]

Funny that most posters here are using the same criterion (the innocent optimism of 2012 v. the jaded realism of 2018), and still coming to different conclusions.

My issue with 2012 was that we squeaked by so many of those teams, some of which shouldn't have even been close. So when we got hosed by 'Bama, it really did feel like the haters were right, we were rightfully exposed, etc. And then came Te'o's scandal, Kelly's dalliance with the NFL, our 2013 recruiting class falling far short of it's potential, etc.

In 2018, most of our games were won before half-time. That sort of a season is just so much more fun to watch. And as RDU and wiz mentioned, even after the Clemson loss, this team felt more real. We deserved that playoff spot, and I expect we'll challenge for another again soon.

So it's 2018 for me, hands down.

Is it a coincidence that Tommy Rees bailed ND out both years? I think not....

 

[ulukinatme]

2012 was more entertaining as a fan, if for no other reason that it gave us the 2012 Michigan pep rally /w the Bike Seat story and Troy's "Love the pain" rant. I think I enjoyed 2018 more simply because the team felt more complete. We had a decent offense, we had a decent defense, and even special teams wasn't as bad as usual. That 2012 team just had a ton of luck backed by a good defense, offensively we weren't at all scary.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Honestly, and yall make think I'm stupid my favorite BK season so far has been 2013.

I know we had some stinging loses UM and the chicken dance game, Pitt destroying our BCS hopes, as well as OU/Stanford seemingly reminding us that despite going to the natty the year before we still weren't and upper tier program yet.

That being said there was a certain charm about 2013 that brings a smile to my face. Keeping MSU out of the natty, beating USC, winning the Pinstripe Bowl to send a great group of seniors out as Bowl Champions (with an O-Lineman being MVP of a bowl game no less) was awesome. It's a shame that in the record books this season didnt happen but at least the memories are still there.

I definitely think you're crazy lol, but to each their own.

We got beat by scUM, which is a non-starter: season already sucks at that point, Oklahoma pounded us on our own turf, lost to two more rivals in Pitt and Stanford, and your aforementioned bowl victory was over freakin' Rutgers.

 

[Rudy89]

I definitely think you're crazy lol, but to each their own.

We got beat by scUM, which is a non-starter: season already sucks at that point, Oklahoma pounded us on our own turf, lost to two more rivals in Pitt and Stanford, and your aforementioned bowl victory was over freakin' Rutgers.

Yeah it was over Rutgers but I went from Kindergarden to High School graduation without seeing a single bowl win so bowl wins are still special to me. Also beat our biggest rival, kept our second biggest rival (arguably but ever since the flag incident in 05 I have hated them the most only second to USC) and ruined their chances of playing for a national title, beat a pretty good Arizona State team, and as stated above saw off a damn fine bunch of seniors with a victory. TJ Jones, Martin, and of course Touchdown Tommy all got to end their ND careers in a nice way so overall I smile the most thinking of 2013.

 

[ulukinatme]

Yeah it was over Rutgers but I went from Kindergarden to High School graduation without seeing a single bowl win so bowl wins are still special to me. Also beat our biggest rival, kept our second biggest rival (arguably but ever since the flag incident in 05 I have hated them the most only second to USC) and ruined their chances of playing for a national title, beat a pretty good Arizona State team, and as stated above saw off a damn fine bunch of seniors with a victory. TJ Jones, Martin, and of course Touchdown Tommy all got to end their ND careers in a nice way so overall I smile the most thinking of 2013.

2013 wasn't my favorite season, but it was enjoyable for me as well. Tommy took a lot of crap from fans, but he played through it and was part of the winningest class since the '93 team. He was a big part of helping turn around the football program imo, and he continues to be a part of that as a coach now. Without Tommy to bail us out in 2010, 2012, and 2013 (Crist getting hurt, Golson struggling, and then Golson having to sit out) I think BK would have been fired and who knows how bad off the program would be now. Andrew Hendrix wouldn't have been able to navigate those seasons as backup.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

2012 for me. 2018 just seemed so artificial and by that, I think we all didnt think ND as really being 1 of the 4 best teams in the country despite being undefeated. The playoffs just kind of proved that (even though ND lost by less than Bama did).

This take is awful, which is consistent with all of your other posts.

 

[pumpdog20]

2012 involved a fake girlfriend. Seriously, the BMOC had a fake freaking girlfriend.

Give me 2018 all day every day.

 

[nd_fan]

Definitely 2012. I thought we had a great chance to be a National Champion.

2018 I knew once we make the playoffs, it will be over because we were facing Clemson.

 

[NorthDakota]

2012...I felt like it was a team of destiny. Obviously that was wrong.

2018...I will go to my deathbed thinking ND was a top 3 team. Really was just a high end quarterback away from being the best team in the country.

 

[Circa]

2013 wasn't my favorite season, but it was enjoyable for me as well. Tommy took a lot of crap from fans, but he played through it and was part of the winningest class since the '93 team. He was a big part of helping turn around the football program imo, and he continues to be a part of that as a coach now. Without Tommy to bail us out in 2010, 2012, and 2013 (Crist getting hurt, Golson struggling, and then Golson having to sit out) I think BK would have been fired and who knows how bad off the program would be now. Andrew Hendrix wouldn't have been able to navigate those seasons as backup.

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[Irish YJ]

2012...I felt like it was a team of destiny. Obviously that was wrong.

2018...I will go to my deathbed thinking ND was a top 3 team. Really was just a high end quarterback away from being the best team in the country.

2012 was way too fluke-ish for me, but I bought into the hype late in the season. I was not shocked at all of the outcome.

2018 felt much better by mid season. we were more well rounded. i do think we are one of the best 4. and i'd say we were more a good OL away from competing, than a high end QB. Both would have been nice though.

 

[Rudy89]

2012 was more of a fluke and took a lot of luck. So it was probably more exciting. 2018 was more enjoyable and real to me. I'm much happier after the loss this year, and much more optimistic about direction, than I was after the 2012.

I actually felt more optimistic (ok as optimistic as I can be) after 2012. I lost my that shred of optimism after Golson was out for 2013. I felt that we were moreso on the rise after 2012. Now I feel like we have seen the peak of what this program is capable of. We are good enough to make it and not good enough to win it (in regards to a nattie).

I almost forgot about 2017 the humiliating loses at the end of the season keep it from being my favorite overall season but my favorite bowl win of my entire life came from that season!

 

[NorthDakota]

I actually felt more optimistic (ok as optimistic as I can be) after 2012. I lost my that shred of optimism after Golson was out for 2013. I felt that we were moreso on the rise after 2012. Now I feel like we have seen the peak of what this program is capable of. We are good enough to make it and not good enough to win it (in regards to a nattie).

I almost forgot about 2017 the humiliating loses at the end of the season keep it from being my favorite overall season but my favorite bowl win of my entire life came from that season!

We have a lot of college football talk around the office. My favorite is anytime anyone brings up SEC vs. Notre Dame.

Random SEC Fan - "When was the last time the Irish beat a blueblood SEC squad?"

North Dakota - "Well...why don't we ask (insert LSU fan here)? How have those past couple games gone?"

LSU Fan - "They ain't so bad...beat us the last couple times."

North Dakota - "That's what's up fam."