Week 1 Prediction Poll (Texas @ ND)

[gkIrish]

I think ND settles for two early FGs and Texas puts it in the end zone.

ND scores a late first half TD. 13 7 at half.

Trade scores in the third quarter a few times. ND up 23 17 going into 4th.

Texas gets within 3 but does not score again. Final score ND 37 Texas 20.

 

[Blazers46]

I think it's a 7-0 game after the 1st because both teams will be shaking off the rust that comes with first games. Texas has a decent D but nothing much on offense. They will want to pound the ball and might have some success but ND can stack the box because the passing game stinks.

NDs offense will figure it out and eventually come away with a 34-17 type victory.

 

[irishfan]

I think ND settles for two early FGs and Texas puts it in the end zone.

ND scores a late first half TD. 13 7 at half.

Trade scores in the third quarter a few times. ND up 23 17 going into 4th.

Texas gets within 3 but does not score again. Final score ND 37 Texas 20.

Well. That doesn't sound nerve-wracking at all.

 

[gkIrish]

Well. That doesn't sound nerve-wracking at all.

Ha you know if we win by 17 this is how it will go.

 

[wizards8507]

Ha you know if we win by 17 this is how it will go.

Not necessarily. We could absolutely dominate Texas and then lose to Virginia on a fumbled QB kneel.

 

[Irish#1]

Like most other games this should be a blow out, but it won't be. The Longhorns will come in pumped up and they will end up with a big crowd to keep them pumped. Irish score late to make it about a 10pt win.

 

[IrishLion]

Not necessarily. We could absolutely dominate Texas and then lose to Virginia on a fumbled QB kneel.

I actually always irrationally worry about this whenever I see ND take a knee.

And after having watched Golson turn a spike into a fumble against Syracuse, it's really not irrational I guess.

 

[greyhammer90]

Waiting for Lax to explain himself...

 

[gkIrish]

Waiting for Lax to explain himself...

Waiting on Cali_domer, too

 

[Cali_domer]

Waiting on Cali_domer, too

Easy, I have little faith in Kelly. Texas has talent(And nothing to lose, dangerous combo) and we will have at least one game(Likely more) in which we will have a "what just happened moment". I expect to finish 8-5 this year(9-3 being my optimistic prediction).

 

[Irish Houstonian]

Texas has two true frosh starting on the line, a true frosh starting at Z, and a mediocre QB. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

[UPMich_NDfan]

I'm not sure what the Texas board is, and I'm too lazy to look...what's the general consensus amongst (rational) longhorn fans on this one?

 

[Irish Insanity]

I'm not sure what the Texas board is, and I'm too lazy to look...what's the general consensus amongst (rational) longhorn fans on this one?

50/50

 

[GATTACA!]

Both teams trade FGs early as they warm up and feel each other out. We score right before half to go up 7 13-6. ND gets the ball to start the second half and goes on a nice long scoring drive making it 20-6 and doesn't look back. ND will give up their typical late TD to make it look closer than it really was. Never really in doubt Irish win 30-13.

 

[IrishLax]

Notre Dame elects to receive the ball. Two timeouts later, Notre Dame goes 3-and-out and punts. Texas, given good field position, scores with their new up-tempo offense against our ill-prepared defense. Charlie Strong's comments about "controlling the clock" are nothing more than classic misdirection. Zaire throws an interception on the next drive and Texas uses a trick play to go up 14-0.

Notre Dame weathers the storm and heads into halftime down 17-10 thoroughly outplaying Texas through the second quarter. Texas gets the ball to start the second half and uses a run heavy attack to drive 70+ yards for a TD putting them up 24-10. Notre Dame's offense misfires for most of the second half on account of turnovers but adds a field goal and a touchdown halfway through the fourth to bring the score to 24-19... Zaire makes the wrong decision on a zone-read play for the 2 point conversion leaving Notre Dame down 5. The Irish defense gets a stop but turns it over on downs in the red zone leading to a final score of 24-19. Texas ends up 10-3 on the year behind a stellar defense and improved offense... it turns out that Notre Dame simply lost a close one to a top 15 team.

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE: Texas still sucks at offense, and we stuff their run-heavy attack. Notre Dame builds a 24-10 lead in in the 3rd quarter on account of consistently good field position while Texas plays musical chairs with their QBs. Zaire hits a bomb to Fuller to open up the 4th quarter and at 31-10 Notre Dame never looks back cruising to a comfortable victory.

 

[GATTACA!]

I'll be in attendance for the first time after being a lifelong fan... Go Irish.

Enjoy it! I wish I could go back in time and experience a game at ND for the first time again. There is truly nothing like being there in person. Sometimes if I run to the concession stands or the bathroom and have to walk back out into the stadium during the game when the lights are on I still get chills.

 

[Buster Bluth]

31-13 Notre Dame.

Basically I just think that if the ND defense doesn't have it together against this OL they're in for a long season.

 

[Old Man Mike]

As to Texas board comments: almost no one I read thinks that they'll win, particularly with any sensible-sounding information. Most think that they might stay within a touchdown, as good but depressed fans should.

As for me, I'm tempted to go a bit higher than the 9.5 betting line, but will stick right about there. Reasons:

1). Malik will have an eye-popping game in terms of our feeling that we finally have a commanding QB, and his passing will more-or-less silence the critics.
2). Our running will be hard for Texas to stop, not so much because their front seven isn't stout, but because they are playing out of position --- Texas uses a 4-2-5 to cope with the BIG-12 aerial circuses, and that's what they know even if they're playing 4-3-4 against us.
3). What will hold the margin down will be that this is an opening game vs an opponent with good stout athletes, and, as Coach says, "winning is hard."
4). BVGs defense will be fine, as our DBs will turn Texas into a one-dimensional team.

 

[pumpdog20]

Going to get ugly for Texas. Why, because this is the fucking year for us, that's why.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

ND by 11-20.

ND's offense put up 31 against LSU. This offense may not be as explosive, but should still put up points. TX offense has a ways to go and I think ND's defense keeps them below 20.

ND 34 - TX 17

 

[NDALA]

Winning by less than 7 seems about right to me. Maybe it's battered fan syndrome but I just feel like Charlie Strong is a good coach who knows ND and will have his guys playing out of there minds and we may pull another one of our play down to the competition season openers like we tend to do.

I'm also not sold on the o-line. I know they have a lot of talent but we haven't seen these five perform at any great level in a real game so I'll just have to see it to believe we can really bulldoze people.

I do feel good about Zaire though he seems to be the type player that might can will a team to victory. If that turns out to be the case and the defense isn't terrible and no pile up of injuries I think this team can make the playoffs but I still don't see them blowing teams out even if they do. That said hopefully they blow out Texas and I can stop worrying. Haha

 

[arrowryan]

Winning by less than 7 seems about right to me. Maybe it's battered fan syndrome but I just feel like Charlie Strong is a good coach who knows ND and will have his guys playing out of there minds and we may pull another one of our play down to the competition season openers like we tend to do.

I'm also not sold on the o-line. I know they have a lot of talent but we haven't seen these five perform at any great level in a real game so I'll just have to see it to believe we can really bulldoze people.

I do feel good about Zaire though he seems to be the type player that might can will a team to victory. If that turns out to be the case and the defense isn't terrible and no pile up of injuries I think this team can make the playoffs but I still don't see them blowing teams out even if they do. That said hopefully they blow out Texas and I can stop worrying. Haha

I don't know if they could have played any better against LSU

 

[GrangerIrish24]

If there is one thing im not worried about it's our o-line. Veteran leaders mixed with a lot of talent.

 

[woolybug25]

Going to get ugly for Texas. Why, because this is the fucking year for us, that's why.

 

[Irish YJ]

ND 37-13

 

[Wingman Ray]

ND 35 TX 31 Much closer than it should ever be. ND just has a knack of playing down to competition and you know BK isnt going to unleash Zaire this early. He will keep it close to his vest and not let Zaire audible out much at all. TX will run 8 in the box until Zaire proves he can win with his arm instead of his legs.

Very sad to say all of this. This should be a 14+ pt win but we all know it wont be.

 

[arrowryan]

ND 35 TX 31 Much closer than it should ever be. ND just has a knack of playing down to competition and you know BK isnt going to unleash Zaire this early. He will keep it close to his vest and not let Zaire audible out much at all. TX will run 8 in the box until Zaire proves he can win with his arm instead of his legs.

Very sad to say all of this. This should be a 14+ pt win but we all know it wont be.

I think the game will be over after the first quarter if they want to put 8 in the box

 

[woolybug25]

I think the game will be over after the first quarter if they want to put 8 in the box

Please give Will Fuller a 1 on 1 with a true freshman corner... please!

 

[T Town Tommy]

Irish roll to a double digit win.

31-17

 

[tussin]

This is going to be a bloodbath. I expect ND to put up a ton of points this year... we have an elite o-line with a bunch of really good running options, couple that with great receivers for when the defense sells out to stop the run and you have an incredibly dangerous offense.

42-24 ND