I absolutely beleive we can win!!! If we can stop their running game, that will be one of the keys to victory. ANother key to the "W" is to have a plus margin in the turnover category. If we can do those two things, I think we will win.
From the running game perspective, the thing we need to worry about, plain and simple is TACKLE, TACKLE, TACKLE!!!! If they make it thru the front 7, and our DB's dont wrap them up, they can and will break away some long runs, but if we can just go back to basic fundmentals, we CAN STOP THAT!!!
Their defense is damn good, but guess what, our OFFENSE IS THE SHIT!!! This is not the same offense that was on the field last year, and it surely isnt the same defense that they had last year. The key on offense is simple too. The offensive line is the absolute most critical part to this offense being successful. This line has improved dramitically from last year, and has improved throughout the year. If our front beats their front, we WILL WIN!!!
If we are down by a score in the fourth, is there any reason for us not to beleive that JC wont deliver again? If we keep this game close, WE WILL WIN!!! I want this victory so bad!!! I know that if I want this game this bad, I can't imagine how the players and coaches feel about it. I don't think SC has the same kind of tenacity and utter drive to win this game that team and the ND faithful have!!! I don't want a moral victrory I want a VICTORY, and I KNOW FOR CERTAIN that the team feels the exact same.
USC may be down, but lets not forget this team reloads every single year with 5star recruits. Even when they are down, they still have he god given ability to succeed. But if this team has shown me anything this year, THEY WONT GIVE ANYTHING LESS THAN 100%. They will play their fricken hearts out. This is why college football is so much better than the NFL. These kids play for the love of the game, and for ND, the taste is so sour, that I just think they will give absolutley everything to win this game.
I want this game to happen right now, I am so fricken pumped. I am glad however that we have some time to prepare, heal up, and focus on some fundementals.
I am a realist, and I know that this is going to be an up hill battle for us, but at the same time, seriously, when was the last time you have seen a team, let alone Notre Dame, find a way to win the game like ND has the last 3 games. Its one thing to do it once or twice a season, but 3 straight weeks in a row, (4 for the offense) that is just plain insane. It certainly hasnt been pretty, and we have made some serious mistakes, what people need to understand is that even though the public may not percive ND as a powerhouse anymore, these teams mark this game on their calender as one of the most important games of the season. Its easy for a team to get up and over achieve when they play Notre Dame, because its NOTRE DAME!!! Purdue has had one of the best know rivalries with ND in all of college football. Michigan, well I dont even have to say anything. Mich. St . has ALWYAS played ND like its a fricken bowl game, and Washington is a very up and coming program. I dont give two shits that they went 0-12 last year. They dominated LSU and lost just because of inexpereince, beat SC, and lost to a very good Stanford team. Our vicotries may not be blowouts, but these opponents arent in the SUn Belt conference, or D1AA schools. I thought at the beginning of the season that this was one of the easier schedules that we have had in awhile, but after seeing the frist 5 weeks, I not so sure anymore. Each and every opponent on ND's schedule are competetive. There isnt a single cupcake. Nevada might be the closet one, but at the start of the season no one could have predicted that Nevada would be as soft as they have shown, not after what they did last year. ( sorry forgot about Washinton State, they are pretty fricken bad, but still arent a D1AA schoole that Florida, Texas, Nebraska, etc, etc, etc schedule year in and year out. Nebraska might actually be the favorite to win the Sun Belt conference after going 3-0 in the first 4 weeks, but too bad they play in the Big 12. Nebraska is a good program, but cmon 3 games against Sun Belt opponents isnt even worth discussing)
One thing is for sure though, this team is a persevering, hungry, and 100% heart team. That is something we havent seen in a while in South Bend, and that is why we will win this game!!!!
GO IRISH!!!!
