The way too early 2013 prediction thread

[DomeLover3]

We will miss the seniors but next year return a good amount of contributors.

The 2013 schedule is:

08/31/13 Temple Owls
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

09/07/13 at Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI

09/14/13 at Purdue Boilermakers
Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN

09/21/13 Michigan State Spartans
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

09/28/13 Oklahoma Sooners
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

10/5/13 Arizona State Sun Devils
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, T

10/12/13 --- Open Date --- ---

10/19/13 USC Trojans
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

10/26/13 at Air Force Falcons
Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

11/02/13 Navy Midshipmen
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

11/09/13 at Pittsburgh Panthers
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

11/16/13 --- Open Date --- ---

11/23/13 BYU Cougars
Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

11/30/13 at Stanford Cardinal
Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA

I see no reason to not go 12-0.. I can see us being as bad as 8-4 (huge disappointment) and realistically going 12-0. I think we have gotten over the hump of dropping that one game we should win.

Worst Case: 10-2
Best Case: 12-0

What do you say?

 

[yankeeND]

I say get to work boys! The big games for me will be Michigan at their house, and USC at our house. Winning those games will be another huge step forward for our programs because of their locations. Oklahoma and Stanford are huge too but those are the games I think you have to win to keep the train moving forward.

If I'm gonna just do an early prediction my gut says 11-1. But I believe next years team will be better than this one if the team chemistry continues from this years squad! Seemed like these guys really enjoyed playing for each other and it showed!

 

[arrowryan]

The OU, Michigan, USC, and Stanford games will be the biggest ones. We should be no worse than 10-2 next year

 

[JoeyGetherall]

10-2

Wild cards:

@ Michigan
vs Oklahoma
@ Stanford

@ Stanford could be a huge game.

 

[RuntheBall]

4 Big Games:
Michigan
USC
Oklahoma
Stanford

The others could give scares, but these are four teams we will have to play very well to beat.
I could see us going 1-3 to 4-0, but probably 2-2 (Stanford + 1). But who knows nobody thought we would be 10-2 this year, let alone 12-0.

So I'd guess 10-2 but who knows.

 

[IrishinTN]

I'd guess 10-2. Almost every team on this schedule is going to be out for "revenge". Not that teams don't already get up for the Irish because we well know they do. It's just that ND going undefeated last year will really stick in the craw of all these teams.

 

[DomeLover3]

I like that last year 10-2 was considered super optimistic and this year thats about average. The culture is going to change the more we win. No more expecting to lose close games/get upset. Just expect greatness. Thats how it should be at ND

 

[IrishSteelhead]

It feels good to know a "worst case" is about 8 or 9 wins.

 

[Grahambo]

12-0 is a realistic possibility.

USC and OU will be breaking in new QBs, albeit ones that do have game experience but do lose some key contributors. Stanford is losing both TEs. Michigan is always tough but I expect ND to win that.

ND will be out for blood this season. Add in the athleticism of guys like Jaylon, Max, Butler, Anzalone, Cole Luke and another year of development for the current crop and I see more domination then in years past.

BK and Swarbrick have both been saying they have thought this upcoming season to be the break out party. They have had a plan and must see things in the current group plus with the new additions to warrant such comments. Yeah, they jumped the gun a bit this year but look out for 2013.

 

[NDhoosier]

11-1 with a loss to Stanford at the end. But 12-0 is not impossible. I see ND being just as good on defense and better on offense. How much better is the question and can the defense be more aggressive?

 

[chicago51]

I think we can win all the games on the schedule. No shame with 10-2 though. I'll say 11-1. With the loss coming to Standford, or at UM (we are better but we haven't been good in Ann Arbor lately and its a rivalry).

It is possible the 2013 team will be better than the 2012 team and not win as many games. Lou Holtz said the 1989 team was better than the 1988 team. Playing Miami at home in 88 was a big as opposed to on the road in 89.

 

[HawaiianIrish]

PASADENA: Notre Dame vs Ohio State.. Thats right i said it.


GO IRISH!!!!

 

[chicago51]

PASADENA: Notre Dame vs Ohio State.. Thats right i said it.


GO IRISH!!!!

Rose Bowl or NCG? Have to ask because I assume SEC team makes the title game. I could see a PAC 12 champ (Oregon or Standford) being undefeated playing for it all against Bama and ND taking their place to play OSU in the Rose Bowl.

Does ND beat out a 1 loss Bama in the polls after what happened this year?

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

I really like the way this schedule is set up.
There aren't any lesser teams sandwiched between big games (ala BYU this year).
It's really set up nicely for the team to be able to focus on one game at a time building for Stanford.

 

[GreenSox04]

I like that last year 10-2 was considered super optimistic and this year thats about average. The culture is going to change the more we win. No more expecting to lose close games/get upset. Just expect greatness. Thats how it should be at ND

^

i expect Sc to bounce back, OU to be there as always, michigan @ the big house is always a game. and ofcourse late in the year against standford.

best case.. Pasadena..having dreams is what makes life tolerable.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Rose Bowl or NCG? Have to ask because I assume SEC team makes the title game. I could PAC 12 champ (Oregon or Standford) being undefeated playing for it all against Bama and ND taking their place to play OSU in the Rose Bowl.

Does ND beat out a 1 loss Bama in the polls after what happened this year?

SEC team isn't guaranteed the title game (although they probably should be).
If KState or Oregon win out Bama's left out this year.

 

[chubler]

After that game, i'm worried about our O-line...
who's gonna step in??
with that said, if this class holds together, 2015 should be terrifying to our opponents.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I don't believe that there was anything "strategic" or prescient about the hints long ago that 2013 would be a break-out year. I believe that it was just Kelly's common sense that the 2012 schedule looked outrageous beforehand, and that it would probably take till 2013 to get QB straightened out. Assumption #1 turned out to be somewhat wrong [though the CUMULATIVE wear of a schedule like that doesn't give room to relax and heal up and try a few new things and get the offense into a good zone with a patsy or two.] Assumption #2 was very much in play all this year.

As to 2013: I expect the defense to be better mainly due to the common occurrence of rookie D-Backs making huge improvements from one year to another. I believe that Russell will be at near-AA quality. I believe that Jackson will be "Blanton-solid". If this is true, then MAYBE Diaco will let the dogs out, because we need to be less conservative. I am still waiting to see if Bobby-the-D has this creative aggression in him.

Offense? I don't know. Our receivers will be very good even if none of them are AAs. They are REALLY solid players. Three linemen will be good [ZMart, Watt, Lombard]. Will the other two? Will Niklas learn to block the correct man? Will Koyack block at all? Who will run the ball and catch out of the backfield? Will Carlisle really [still post-injury] be as good as we hope? Can he block? Will, instead, it be Will Mahone as a physical blaster? Or do the freshmen take over? And can THEY block? And QB... Golson or Kiel or both? I believe that this is a VERY unclear offense coming into Spring. A "sort-of-OK" offense will lay everything on the defense again, which is a bad way to gamble --- i.e. win every game close.

And one other thing: can ANYONE PUNT under the pressure of a real game?

I am usually a mildly optimistic supporter of my teams. In ND Football's case, I am a little TOO supportive because I have such faith in what I've seen so far from Kelly. He gets a lot of very non-ideal circumstances.

So, 10-2 with a bowl win added. One of the two losses to be the famous "WTF?" game.



Got to get by those b@stards at Michigan. [Michigan, by the way managed to screw up the entire season {psychologically} for the whole country --- blown out by Alabama to set the tone, playing us tough ugly; and looking like goofs in their bowl game. I'm a LOT angrier at Michigan than I am at ND or Alabama. Pitt's various performances didn't help either.]

 

[OrlaNDomer]

12-1.

Beat Oklahoma in a classic 38-30.

Beat SC at home (Spoiler alert: You WILL want to be on campus for the after party/Riot).


Only loss to Stanford.

I feel like we will blow out some teams with an improved offense, but will also give up many more points.

Win a BCS game, my guess would be Fiesta Bowl v Texas (Yes, Texas--before you judge did you pick us to go to NCG this year).

Good news is at 11-0 going to Stanford we will be on College Gameday for the 3rd time in the 2013 season and will be in the NCG talk all year long.

 

[drayer54]

Preseason: (By my guess)
1- Bama
2- Ohio State
3- Florida
4- Oregon
5- Texas A&M
6-LSU
7- Florida State
8- Notre Dame
9- Louisville
10- Oklahoma

Anything over a loss in the regular season is a disappointment next year. I don't see where they won't be favored.

 

[drayer54]

Ohh yeah, why all the Stanford game fear already?! Really people?!

 

[chicago51]

Ohh yeah, why all the Stanford game fear already?! Really people?!

We have more athletic talent than Stanford. The Stanford OL is stacked but so is our D-Line. I know they got better with Hogan but our D only gave 2 FGs to them. With a better offense we could win by 2 TDs.

 

[Grahambo]

We have more athletic talent than Stanford. The Stanford OL is stacked but so is our D-Line. I know they got better with Hogan but our D only gave to FGs to them. With a better offense we could win by 2 TDs.

They are also losing both TEs and Terrance Brown, their CB just declared for the draft too.

 

[drayer54]

F the Cardinal. That will be a big win.

 

[ThePiombino]

F the Cardinal. That will be a big win.

Hopefully they take care of their field this time...

 

[koonja]

How much of Stanford's team is back?

 

[chicago51]

Prediction: Much more dominant at home next year. Home winning streak continues. Not so many close games at home either.

 

[DomeLover3]

How much of Stanford's team is back?

I just went on their athletic site and they have 32 SRs/Redshirt SRs. Couple that with the small class they have coming in, and they have very little depth. That could be key late in the season after fatigue, injuries, etc

 

[connor_in]

Prediction for 2013

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[RDU Irish]

We need to score more points for me to believe we can run the table again. Stanford to finish the year could be epic.

I'll play the game though, 11-1 is my prediction. Not sure where that loss falls but I think we will be a better team across the board with the exception of TE and LB as a unit. All other units should be better with a chance for big improvements.

TE will be a big drop off, I don't see the combo of 2013 Niklas/Koyack matching the combo of 2012 Niklas/Eifert maybe in 2014 though if one develops into a bigger receiving threat.

LB unit losing T'eo is obviously huge but the other three spots look to be better with one year of maturation. Spond can get it done. Grace, Moore, Councel and Okwara look the real deal while Jaylon and Anzalone can add the depth necessary to make this a very good unit that COULD add up to being better than this year even though you lose T'eo. Two years and I think it is elite but 2013 will have growing pains.