Congrats already in order...

[jimoats]

ND Fans,

Let's be honest with what has transpired this season and what we are about to embark on. This season has been absolutely remarkable and a joy to watch. Charlie has given new life to the program, the university, and it's collection of fans world wide. I am as happy as anyone to see the direction that the university and ND football is heading.

If someone asked you (which many people did) at the beginning of the season, "Seeing the competition that ND opens with in their first 6 games, what do you think their record will be?" Personally, I thought it would be a stretch to say, "3 wins, 3 losses." The only reason I am posting this is because I am reading a lot of banter about how we can beat USC if we do this and if we do that. It will take a perfect game from the team and a lackluster performance from USC to make that a reality. I'm not counting on it but remains a possibility. But when the day of football is over on 10/15, to think that ND's record will be NO LESS THAN 4-2 is mind-blowing to me! And beyond, I see no reason why this team will finish the regular season less than 8-3. That would rank this season as high as any championship season in my opinion. With the coaching turnover and Charlie coming in too late on any chance to make a huge impact in the recruiting season, to see what he has done with the 'previous administrations' talent pool and the need for an overhaul in the system is quite possibly the best coaching job I have ever seen.

Will I be upset if ND loses this ballgame? Absolutely. But only because this team has surpassed my wildest expectations. If the team started this season like most college pundits (especially Corso's early start of 0-6), we would all be hoping to keep the point spread under 24 points.

I just don't want all of us to lose focus and think the world is over if this game doesn't turn out like we all HOPE it does. This season has brought the shine back to the dome and allowed us to focus on what already is an extremely bright future.

Congratulations are already in order for this team. Make us even more proud of you and your magical run.

 

[TexasDomer]

Well said, Jim!

It will take a combination of excellent execution from ND and faulty execution by USC, but stranger things have happened when these two have tussled in the past.

Like you, I believe 8-3 would be very good, given my expectations at the beginning of the year and the schedule. It gives us a great foundation on which to build going forward. That said, 10-1 isn't completely out of the realm of possibility--difficult and unlikely, but not impossible, if all falls into place.

 

[jiggafini19]

Staying healthy and winning some home games are keys to the rest of this still very young season.

After SC, I think every game on the schedule is a win with a healthy squad. Tennessee doesn't really do it for me. With a week to prepare for a home game, I think ND can beat them.

One week at a time....

 

[Sir John]

All the way Jim. I think we will some how pull this off. If not cry a second or two then move on we have other games to play....

WHATS MISSING TO Y'ALL

2005 Notre dame has yet to win at home. You go chase your #1 ranking which is spit, a maybe NC in another 5-6 games? Haven't yet won on our own field...Feel that vibe yet?

 

[WeisGuy05]

It is going to be a shoot out. We will not stop them and they will not stop us on offense for both teams.

 

[Aerosmith777]

Yeah, I think everyone's pretty much in agreement that it would take a monumental collapse (knock on wood) over the last 6 games for this season to be considered a disappointment. To be honest, even if they stumbled a bit and lost to USC, Tenn, and one other team and finished in at 7-4 I could live with it, because from what we've seen already I think we can all agree that things are looking up in the future, regardless of the final record this year.

That said, while I don't think a win against USC is in the cards unfortunately, I really think this team can go 9-2. I don't see why a loss to Tennessee should be a forgone conclusion given that they beat the Vols last year at Tennessee, and given that they've had some QB issues this season. And then the other 4 games or whatever it is should all be wins...

On a side note, is anyone else itching for that Notre Dame-BC rivalrly to come back in 2 years? I really hope & think by the time that series starts up again, Weis will have this team so stream-lined and jacked that 3 years of frustration during the previous administration's tenure against BC is gonna come out all in one game...

 

[ND Lifer]

It will be nice to kick "little brothers" rearend in two years. We have a lot of "revenge" games in the next few years, i.e., MSU and their obnoxious flag, BC and kicking the hell out of Michigan every year. As long as Charlie is on board, we will be ready to take back the mantle of a Div l powerhouse and other teams will quake in their boots when they have to play us. It will be just like "the good old days". And we've been waiting for that for a very long time!