Official 2011 Prediction Thread

[ndcoltsfan2010]

I wish it was UCF...

Yeah me too.

 

[KPENN]

You shouldn't cloud people's judgment with facts like that, it cripples morale.

Technically there weren't any facts. Just saying

 

[TerryTate]

10-2 or 11-1.

Otherwise, anger sharks.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

10-2 or 11-1.

Otherwise, anger sharks.

I agree. I dont want to say we'll go undefeated, but I think if we stay healthy we've got a shot at winning every game. 10-2 is reasonable, but 4 losses---I'd be shocked. We SHOULD beat UM and MSU. Even SC...how good are they really?

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

Anything less than nine wins this season would be a big disappointment in my mind.

 

[phork]

BCS or bust this year. PERIOD.

 

[loomis41973]

If we lose more than two this year it will be due to a lack of a running game.

 

[ACamp1900]

If we lose more than two this year it will be due to a lack of a running game.

or QB... idk, i can see a huge jump if Danye comes together like I feel he can and if the Defense continues to play like they did at the end of the season, BCS and beyond no doubt...

but realistically, with this schedule, and the questions ALL that must be answered, I'd bet on another 8-5 type year... just beat Michigan

 

[GreatGolson]

14-0 and a national championship just so that this website never goes back to what happened during the MSU and Tulsa games

 

[IrishLax]

I don't see Manti sticking around if he has another big year. He'd be a top ten pick.

He's on record saying he will finish his degree. But who knows, I knew kids who could pull it off in 3 years.

Also, to someone else (forget who, too tired to go find the exact quote), but we're not 3-4 years away from an "Alabama" defense... people tend to forget Alabama was pretty darn woeful a mere two years before winning the national championship at 7-6 and they were not loaded yet with top to bottom with veteran 5* talent.

They started the next season 12-0 before winning the NC in '09. You can't predict how your 3*/4* players will develop and how a different scheme will affect them. ND could easily have a top 10 defense this year or a couple injuries to our secondary could completely sink the team.

 

[RallySonsOfND]

14-0 and a national championship just so that this website never goes back to what happened during the MSU and Tulsa games

Seriously +1. I had to basically not go on here for a while, things got bad.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

or QB... idk, i can see a huge jump if Danye comes together like I feel he can and if the Defense continues to play like they did at the end of the season, BCS and beyond no doubt...

but realistically, with this schedule, and the questions ALL that must be answered, I'd bet on another 8-5 type year... just beat Michigan

With this schedule? The schedule this year doesn't appear to be very difficult.

And to speak on Alabama...like another poster said, they werent very good until a few years ago. It would not be a miracle if this team had a top 15 defense, I think it's a fair prediction that theyll fall somewhere in the top 25.

The schedule sets up nicely. They have a few bumps early, but if they can start out 3-0 picking up momentum, this team can be dangerous.

I expect the offense to be very good, statistically BK's teams explode in year 2, and with the returning starters coming back, the table is set for a good season..but how good?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Our D will give up no more than 18 pts in any one game. We will go undefeated. One of our young QBs will be forced into the starting roll and explode onto the scene. In one or more games our D will score 2+ TDs. Brindza at some point will take the record for the longest punt in NCAA. Beast will eventually earn his way to a starting roll as a freshman.

 

[koonja]

These guys don't offer and predictions, but discuss where ND is or isn't headed in the future...

Notre Dame Roundtable - ESPN Video - ESPN

 

[tommyIRISH23]

I'm getting more and more excited for this team with each passing week. It's almost June, and the summer goes so fast. Football will be here before we know it.

 

[Green Goblin]

I think we have to beat MSU this year. They lost a lot and we have revenge on the mind.

I think we have to beat Michigan this year as well. They have a new system and a new coach and really I don't think they'll mix so well -- especially, early in the season, when we get them -- so I feel like we have to get them and get them good.

Stanford -- I'm doubting we can take them this year but you never know. Last game, both teams should be playing hard and injuries pile up by this time of the year so you can't really say who will be out there.

USC -- We got them. We're going to beat them again. Brian Kelly just has Kiff's number. I can just tell these things.

I'm kinda worried about USF honestly. First game, might overlook them. They can be a dangerous team when all cylinders are clicking. I'm really nervous about this one really.

So let's go with 10-2.

 

[chipride131]

I say it all depends on what happens through the halfway point, being the 7th game. if they can come out of the usc game 7-0, they will go undefeated. if they can't come out of september undefeated or that usc game, i say 10-2 with the losses being to mich/mich state and stanford. which path do i choose? i think this is the year we get out of that slump of always having a loss by the end of our 3rd game. and having tickets to the game, i dont see us losing vs usc either. i may sound crazy, but this is what im going off of: with all extremely successful coaches, they make their biggest jumps in year two, with saban in bama, meyer in florida, (i dont know if i should add jim tressel), and more i can't think off ending with a national title. i think this year is the year he adds himself to that elite group (not tressel) and pulls through. i know this sounds insane, but im sure saying saban would win a title after going 7-6 with bama sounded crazy too. we have all the talent to do it, and if injuries don't become a problem(CRIST), i say we run the table. GO IRISH!

 

[IrishMoore1]

When's the last time ND beat BOTH Michigan and Michigan St. in the same season? I can't think of one.

I do expect to see a big jump from year one to year two tho. Stanford finished 8-5 year before last with a bowl win at the SUN BOWL. Hmm sounds familiar to another team.

We certainly have a chance to make a big run, that's for sure.

 

[NDOM]

WHY WHY WHY WHY is everyone looking past Navy? Seems like that's a guaranteed loss every year. I'm still gonna say we go 8-4 and possibly 7-5 again. They have not proved enough for me yet to start thinking BCS.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

9-3, losses to UM, USC, and Stanford. Crist is the starting QB for the first 5 games before hurting his knee and having Andrew Hendrix take the job. Defense is top 10 in the nation but the running game and QB change end up hurting the team too much to make a BCS Bowl.

 

[woolybug25]

WHY WHY WHY WHY is everyone looking past Navy? Seems like that's a guaranteed loss every year. I'm still gonna say we go 8-4 and possibly 7-5 again. They have not proved enough for me yet to start thinking BCS.

If we go 8-4/7-5 then you are pretty much saying that our team will be regressing. Our schedule plays much better than last years and our team is more experienced. We also dont have an entire team trying to learn a new system this year. Add a top 10 recruiting class and that makes you feel we will be worse?

I'm not all for getting slammed drunk off of the green kool-aid or anything, but saying we are only going to win 7 games is as unsubstantiated as saying we are going undefeated. There is simply not enough relevant information to back up a claim like that. But I get it, its a "gut" feeling. If you end up being right.... I am going to neg rep you. jk


As far as USF, I really dont get the worry. I understand respecting Holtz as a coach, but his team will be in their first game under a new regime. A game played far away from home, against a historic team on national tv. I have seen this movie before (sans the new regime part):

September 5th, 2009

Notre Dame 35 - Nevada 0

I fully expect us to crush USF.

 

[JughedJones]

WHY WHY WHY WHY is everyone looking past Navy? Seems like that's a guaranteed loss every year. I'm still gonna say we go 8-4 and possibly 7-5 again. They have not proved enough for me yet to start thinking BCS.

I'm with Wooly on this, this is just as ridiculous as saying you think we win the National Championship.

 

[Gencdaddy]

WHY WHY WHY WHY is everyone looking past Navy?

Bro I'm completely with you on this. I'm also a little scared of Boston College every year because they always take their happy pills and get themselves up to play us. I think we'll go 9-3/12-0 with losses to either BC Stanford and/or Navy. I think everyone is giving U of M too much credit. On paper we made Denard look like an all star, but realistically after that 87 yard touchdown run we had him on lock down. Same thing with MSU. We held them to only 4 rushing yards in the ENTIRE forth quarter. That's one b-e-a-utiful thing about Kelly is he comes out slow in the beginning and then his changes in the second half are golden. Also, look at the difference in the 2 games of Navy and Army. Both run basically the same game plan. Kelly said he had them 'practicing for it all season' or whatever, but once we had our asses handed to us against Navy he completely turned it around and contained Army entirely. Also the reason I either have us going 9-3 or 12-0 is either that we'll get a demoralizing loss/injury and lose our momentum entirely and fall like Utah last season, or we'll keep rolling through to the national championship because Kelly is quite possibly one of the best 'on the fly' coaches I have every seen.

As far as USF, I really dont get the worry. I understand respecting Holtz as a coach, but his team will be in their first game under a new regime. A game played far away from home, against a historic team on national tv. I have seen this movie before (sans the new regime part):

September 5th, 2009

Notre Dame 35 - Nevada 0

I fully expect us to crush USF.

^I agree as well. The name Skip is just a little scary when it comes before the name HOLTZ.

 

[IrishLax]

This Navy talk is downright stupid. The end.

 

[johnnykillz]

This Navy talk is downright stupid. The end.

I wish it weren't warranted.

Teich will be their only threat, with their QB gone.

Cut blockin' bass turds.

 

[woolybug25]

This Navy talk is downright stupid. The end.

Its gonna be another 40something years before they beat us again.

 

[Gencdaddy]

I wish it weren't warranted.

Teich will be their only threat, with their QB gone.

Cut blockin' bass turds.

LAWLZ! to the last part because it's so true, and thank you!

 

[Riddickulous]

When's the last time ND beat BOTH Michigan and Michigan St. in the same season? I can't think of one.

I do expect to see a big jump from year one to year two tho. Stanford finished 8-5 year before last with a bowl win at the SUN BOWL. Hmm sounds familiar to another team.

We certainly have a chance to make a big run, that's for sure.

2004.

After a season-opening loss to BYU, we beat Rose Bowl bound Michigan 28-20, then Michigan State 31-24 the next week.

I wish it weren't warranted.

Teich will be their only threat, with their QB gone.

Cut blockin' bass turds.

There's new cut block rules.

Its gonna be another 40something years before they beat us again.

I wouldn't go that far.

 

[phork]

Navy will never beat us again. Mark that.

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

This season will be all about our QB play. The running game will do what it needs to and the defense... ohhhh the defense in Diaco's second year will be really fun to watch. However Kelly utilizes his talents at the QB position will determine how this season goes. I honestly don't see Dayne manning the front the whole way.