Poll: 2021 Regular Season Losses

[Irish YJ]

Pick all games (multiple choice) you believe ND will lose in the regular season. Votes are public.

I used ESPN's "way too early" top 25 (link below). ND is ranked #15.

2021's schedule includes 4 top 25 teams, including 2 top 10. None are "away", but Wisconsin is a neutral site (Soldier Field).

Many are predicting FSU to be noticeably better with QB transfer McKenzie Milton from UCF. Will be a fun road kick off to the season for whatever QB is under center. Hope the D is up to it.



https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ollege-football-top-25-teams-make-playoff-run

 

[IrishLax]

I'll vote in this poll after spring ball. I could see anything from 7-5 to 12-0. I think UNC, Cinci, and Wisconsin are all worse than they're ranked. I think FSU and Virginia Tech have the potential to be VERY good if a couple positions pan out.

The biggest question mark though is whether ND is hot garbage on offense. I think the defense will be fine by midseason at the latest, but the offense could be legitimately terrible if all the question marks end up failing.

 

[Irish YJ]

The only game I think we lose is FSU, and it's only because it's game one, on the road, and I think Milton will get off against our reloading front 7. It'll be close.

After that, I think Wiscy will be tough, but I don't see them being able to score enough to keep up. Cinci might also be tough, but I like the Irish at home. Might be too big of game for Cinci. Playing USC and UNC at home back to back will be a tough test too, but I like our chances, and I think we're fully confident and clicking by then. At Stanford at the end of the season could be a tricky one. The whole year though IMO will depend a lot on the QB position. Coan playing against Wiscy will be a great backstory.

 

[Irish YJ]

I'll vote in this poll after spring ball. I could see anything from 7-5 to 12-0. I think UNC, Cinci, and Wisconsin are all worse than they're ranked. I think FSU and Virginia Tech have the potential to be VERY good if a couple positions pan out.

The biggest question mark though is whether ND is hot garbage on offense. I think the defense will be fine by midseason at the latest, but the offense could be legitimately terrible if all the question marks end up failing.

I was going to do a post spring game version too, to gauge peoples changes of opinion, so feel free to vote now.

 

[Irish YJ]

https://www.tomahawknation.com/flor...terback-milton-travis-purdy-norvell-rodemaker

 

[Irishize]

FSU has athletes and adding Milton has me initially thinking ND loses in Tallahassee in the opener. I know UNC has their QB returning but aren’t all their skill players moving on to the NFL? Wisky doesn’t worry me on paper but if Coan/OL can’t hold up, it’s a toss up. SC’s QB will be an early season Heisman favorite & they’re overdue to finally take down the Irish but do they have the defense or will it be enough to outscore ND? I think ND’s season will depend on the OL which is a huge ?

 

[Dale]

It’s interesting the FSU scare seems to be popular, I’ve heard multiple national and FSU people talk about them for next year and I think a lot would expect ND boat races FSU before FSU wins that game. They seem to be kind of resigned to losing most of the bigger games without much of an argument

FSUs recruiting talent is not what you’d expect if you don’t look it up and the transfers are band aids not difference makers besides Milton

EDIT: some quick blurbs from Danny Kanell and Bud Elliott both of which would go full homer if they wanted to.

“... I don’t think they’re gonna win that game”

“No, no”

“I don’t think they can block ND”

“I think 6-6 is a good year”

Not saying they’re right but that’s the FSU POV

 

[Irish YJ]

FSU has athletes and adding Milton has me initially thinking ND loses in Tallahassee in the opener. I know UNC has their QB returning but aren’t all their skill players moving on to the NFL? Wisky doesn’t worry me on paper but if Coan/OL can’t hold up, it’s a toss up. SC’s QB will be an early season Heisman favorite & they’re overdue to finally take down the Irish but do they have the defense or will it be enough to outscore ND? I think ND’s season will depend on the OL which is a huge ?

We have two Heisman candidate QBs (UNC and USC), but luckily both are at home. I like our chances with both as our DBs and DL should have time to gel by the time we play both.

Wiscy just doesn't have the O. As long as our front 7 can stop the run, they don't worry me much. Now if their QB takes a step forward, that's another story.

It’s interesting the FSU scare seems to be popular, I’ve heard multiple national and FSU people talk about them for next year and I think a lot would expect ND boat races FSU before FSU wins that game. They seem to be kind of resigned to losing most of the bigger games without much of an argument

FSUs recruiting talent is not what you’d expect if you don’t look it up and the transfers are band aids not difference makers besides Milton

EDIT: some quick blurbs from Danny Kanell and Bud Elliott both of which would go full homer if they wanted to.

“... I don’t think they’re gonna win that game”

“No, no”

“I don’t think they can block ND”

“I think 6-6 is a good year”

Not saying they’re right but that’s the FSU POV

I have a few FSU fans as pals. They are all pretty optimistic for this season.

Personally, looking at our OL and DL, I'm just concerned for week 1. Both teams have a new QB, but have to give the nod to Milton since he'll be starting at home at least. Our RBs are good, but only go as far as the OL takes them. And I have zero clue what to expect of our passing game early in the season. That goes for both QB and WR.

 

[Dale]

Their RBs are solid talent wise but WRs, especially if Travis is backup QB and not used outside, they have as much WR ???s as us.

NDs DL will be miles ahead of FSU’s OL still and FSU defensively will be going through a scheme change, best player gone and transfers (who didn’t exactly light it up at their previous stops) expected to take major roles. I think the floor of our OL still bullies their DL.

 

[IrishLion]

I've got just USC for now.

I think Cincinnati could cause some problems, especially coming off of an early test against Indiana and then getting a bye to prep for ND, but it depends on how quickly Fickell and Tressel can get some replacement pieces on defense up to speed. It also depends on Denbrock getting his shit together and taking advantage of a great QB with a pretty good supporting cast. He needs to be a better play-caller, rely less on Ridder to bail him out in 3rd-and-long situations, and he needs to get the whole offense to clean up their operation... you know, the same shit that plagued ND when he was here. UC's OL will also need some time to settle in, but idk if 3 games will be enough to get them ready for everything Freeman will throw at them. UC will be jacked up to play in South Bend, and Ridder will be a handful even if Freeman throws all kinds of stuff at the UC OL, but I think ND has enough to win the game regardless. (Worst case scenario: Ridder starts the season on fire and Jerome Ford is a revelation as a full-time RB, while the UC defense doesn't skip a beat without Freeman because of Fickell's influence and tees off on ND's new starters on offense.)

UNC lost a lot of production on offense, but they return Howell, so that will be a tough game... but I expect ND to be settled in on offense by then.

I fully expect one of Virginia or Georgia Tech to be one of those boring, slow, late-season struggle games. But again, I think ND is in too good of a place as a program to actually lose one of them (famous last words!).

Surprisingly unconcerned about Wisconsin, and no longer concerned with Stanford as a program based on their current trend.

 

[notredomer23]

I picked at Virginia just because it feels like a trap and we are always beaten up after Navy. I picked UNC but that one could go either way and I could also see UNC taking a step back despite Howell being better next year.

 

[Irish YJ]

ND is +3500 to win the ship.

USC +4000
UNC +5000
Wiscy +5000
Cinci +8000
FSU +12500
Purdue +25000
Stanford +25000
VT - +25000
Navy +50000