Week Four Prediction Poll (ND @ Wake Forest)

[RDU Irish]

Anyone worried about crowd noise at Wake Forest needs their head examined. Stadium is tiny, nowhere near sold out and WF has no football following. I mean this is as tame an away game atmosphere as you can ask for. The bigger problem is they are use to playing in front of nobody at noon while our guys haven't seen an atmosphere like this since high school.

This "worry" about crowd noise only exposes the core fear of ND fans - BW is mentally fragile. Might as well not even travel to Blacksburg then.

Tons of tickets available and price is dropping - instant download for most. Looks to be the cheapest ND game experience in forever for me.

 

[gkIrish]

Well this can't be right because they beat MSU last year on the road. Outside of that though, it's slim pickens.

I think the problem is everybody's tune changed from "@VaTech will be very hard" to "The Hokies lost a ton of talent and weren't exactly good to begin with" and is now back to "Enter Sandman is making me poop on my morning commute". Are we sure this Va Tech team is good? I'm not saying ND is a true top 10 team at all, but we at least are seeing a very good defense, that I'm not sure will shit the bed on the road. The O line needs to build off the Vandy performance and hopefully that stabilizes the running game enough to field an efficient, if not explosive, offense. If that happens, which is well within the realm of possibility, then going into Blacksburg isn't a doomsday scenario.

I was going off the ESPN schedule which doesn't list MSU as being ranked during that game Notre Dame 2017 Schedule - Fighting Irish Home and Away - ESPN

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/2017-schedule.html doesn't show MSU as being ranked then either. But I do now recall that they were ranked so I am not sure what is up with the websites I looked at. Or maybe not? https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/2017-schedule.html

 

[zelezo vlk]

I was going off the ESPN schedule which doesn't list MSU as being ranked during that game Notre Dame 2017 Schedule - Fighting Irish Home and Away - ESPN

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/2017-schedule.html doesn't show MSU as being ranked then either. But I do now recall that they were ranked so I am not sure what is up with the websites I looked at. Or maybe not? https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/2017-schedule.html

Ohhh, I thought we were going by EOY ranking. I'm not sure that MSU was ranked by that time last year, they were coming off a 3-9 year in 2016. So even though ND and MSU were clearly good football teams by EOY (finishing 11 and 15 respectively in the AP), they were dinged in the rankings at the beginning of the season.

 

[gkIrish]

Ohhh, I thought we were going by EOY ranking.

Nope--ranking at the time of the game. So I believe I am correct. Terrifying.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Well go ahead, a top 20 ranking at the time certainly doesn't mean they're good right now. We'll know more in 2 weeks though

 

[T Town Tommy]

The Irish defense is far superior to the WF defense. I expect the Irish to win this one easily - including a garbage TD for Wake at the end.

42-21 Irish

 

[Old Man Mike]

The longer Elko is gone from Wake Forest the more they will forget how to play defense. (two years ago=really good; last year=good; this year mediocre.)

 

[Valpodoc85]

suspect wake has had practice impacted by Florence. Us not so much. shit the bed factor should be low for this one

 

[notredomer23]

The longer Elko is gone from Wake Forest the more they will forget how to play defense. (two years ago=really good; last year=good; this year mediocre.)

Mediocre is being nice. They're getting shredded on defense on the ground and through the air regardless if it was BC or Towson.

 

[Irish YJ]

Didn't we also take the foot off the gas last year in the 2nd half and had backups in most of it?

Not at all IIRC during the first three Qs. That was the game they pulled Josh early 1Q when it was still close, and BW got hurt but came back in. Josh was a non factor, and many thought he was in concussion protocol. BW hurt his non-throwing hand IIRC but came back in and played all but the last couple drives where I think he aggravated it again. Book was put in late and went 8/8 with a TD. We had a huge game on O, and so did WF. It was not a good day for either D.

 

[irishff1014]

I think the rankings don't tell the whole story.

WF's ranking is bolstered by playing 3 teams with mediocre to terrible defenses. Tulane surrendered more points to a really REALLY bad UAB team than they did Wake Forest. Towson is an FCS team, so that's pretty much a throwaway game stat-wise. BC's defense just doesn't look good at all so far this year, either.

I think Hartman has been pretty mediocre so far, and ND's defense should feast. This is easily the worst defense they've played so far, and the offense has no excuse to not kick it into high gear. This game shouldn't be close. It better not be close.

It shouldn’t have been close against ball state either. And wake is much better than ball state.

 

[Black Irish]

I don't know what to expect here. I doubt the Irish lose, but it's either going to be more of the same from the last 2 weeks with a lesser team keeping it way too close. Or the offense gets it together and blows the hinges off.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

It shouldn’t have been close against ball state either. And wake is much better than ball state.

Idk, you could argue that BSU's defense is better, statistically.

 

[matman4593]

this is a game where we're REALLY going to miss Shaun Crawford. Who plays nickel here? I think their slot would give Houston Griffith nightmares at this stage in his young career and I'm not sure what the deal is with Coleman after playing zero snaps last game (not that I would have much faith in him anyway. Seems that we plan on playing Love at Nickel and Vaughn at Boundary, which I'm not sure how I feel about. Locking down their slot receiver would really handcuff their offense and help our defense get the ball out of Wake's hands and avoid longer drives. Think that position is a very important key to the game

 

[BobbyMac]

Idk, you could argue that BSU's defense is better, statistically.

Or just plain better. Ball U played 2 P5's and held it's cupcake to 6 points. Wake's played just one P5, giving up 40+ to BC and let G5 Tulane and FCS Towson score 20+ each.

 

[gkIrish]

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

 

[EvilleIrish]

this is a game where we're REALLY going to miss Shaun Crawford. Who plays nickel here? I think their slot would give Houston Griffith nightmares at this stage in his young career and I'm not sure what the deal is with Coleman after playing zero snaps last game (not that I would have much faith in him anyway. Seems that we plan on playing Love at Nickel and Vaughn at Boundary, which I'm not sure how I feel about. Locking down their slot receiver would really handcuff their offense and help our defense get the ball out of Wake's hands and avoid longer drives. Think that position is a very important key to the game

I wonder if there is any chance we will see Love slide inside for this game and Vaughn come in on the outside??

 

[Ndaccountant]

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

At this point, this is going to be the norm until ND proves them wrong. The last two games have done nothing to suggest that ND will easily take care of business. On top of that, it is the first road game of the year, ND under BK has been underwhelming.

2010 - Lost, MSU
2011 - Lost, Michigan
2012 - Won, MSU
2013 - Lost, Michigan
2014 - Lost, FSU
2015 - Win, UVA
2016 - Lost, Texas
2017 - Won, BC

Yes, the quality of opponent has usually been much higher than Wake. But in true road games, here is BK's performance at ND....

2010 - 3-1
2011 - 3-2
2012 - 4-0
2013 - 2-3
2014 - 0-3
2015 - 3-2
2016 - 0-3
2017 - 3-2
Total - 18-16
Since 2013 - 8-13

If I were in their shoes and trying to make a click worthy pick, ND on the road would certainly be something I look at every time.

 

[arrowryan]

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

Besides Ball State, has Mandel predicted Notre Dame to win at all this season? Sounds like he just doesn't like Notre Dame

 

[ThePiombino]

It's either click bait or straight hatorade. ND to lose out right?? This is still WF we're playing, right?

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[GowerND11]

At this point, this is going to be the norm until ND proves them wrong. The last two games have done nothing to suggest that ND will easily take care of business. On top of that, it is the first road game of the year, ND under BK has been underwhelming.

2010 - Lost, MSU
2011 - Lost, Michigan
2012 - Won, MSU
2013 - Lost, Michigan
2014 - Lost, FSU
2015 - Win, UVA
2016 - Lost, Texas
2017 - Won, BC

Yes, the quality of opponent has usually been much higher than Wake. But in true road games, here is BK's performance at ND....

2010 - 3-1
2011 - 3-2
2012 - 4-0
2013 - 2-3
2014 - 0-3
2015 - 3-2
2016 - 0-3
2017 - 3-2
Total - 18-16
Since 2013 - 8-13

If I were in their shoes and trying to make a click worthy pick, ND on the road would certainly be something I look at every time.

Alabama:

2010: 3-2
2011: 5-0
2012: 4-0
2013: 3-1
2014: 3-1
2015: 4-0
2016: 4-0
2017: 3-1
Total: 29-5

Clemson:

2010: 1-4
2011: 2-3
2012: 3-1
2013: 4-1
2014: 2-3
2015: 5-0
2016: 5-0
2017: 4-1
Total: 26-13

Georgia:

2010: 1-4
2011: 4-0
2012: 3-1
2013: 2-3
2014: 3-1
2015: 3-1
2016: 3-1
2017: 4-1
Total: 23-12

Ohio St.:

2010: 3-1
2011: 1-4
2012: 4-0
2013: 5-0
2014: 4-0
2015: 5-0
2016: 4-1
2017: 4-1
Total: 30-7

 

[BabyIrish]

Besides Ball State, has Mandel predicted Notre Dame to win at all this season? Sounds like he just doesn't like Notre Dame

He picked ND to win last week against Vandy

 

[snoopdog]

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

Feldman actually predicted that Wake Forest would hold the Irish to 14 points...in print

 

[BabyIrish]

Feldman actually predicted that Wake Forest would hold the Irish to 14 points...in print

Don't know what he is thinking. If anything this will be a high scoring game

 

[stlnd01]

Feldman actually predicted that Wake Forest would hold the Irish to 14 points...in print

They both seem to be overestimating Wake’s defense, and the road game element. Wake Forest might be the least intimidating road environment in the P5.

 

[Irishize]

Every national writer seems to be picking WF as their “Upset Special” which begs the question: “If everyone is picking the same upset, is it truly an upset special?”

Funny though that every local writer of the current & last two opponents that I’ve heard/read have picked ND by double digits.

 

[Irishize]

FWIW both Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic predicted that Wake would win outright.

So did Ralph Russo of AP. And I haven’t looked, but you know Pat Forde has WF as his pick.

 

[arrowryan]

Every national writer seems to be picking WF as their “Upset Special” which begs the question: “If everyone is picking the same upset, is it truly an upset special?”

Funny though that every local writer of the current & last two opponents that I’ve heard/read have picked ND by double digits.

Does this mean that if Notre Dame wins, it'll be an upset?

 

[stlnd01]

If Wake had a good defense that upset pick would make more sense.
But their defense is pretty weak. We should be able to score plenty if we can close out drives a little better. Meanwhile our defense has bottled up every running game we’ve played. I’m sure this Dorch kid is dangerous but unless our offense totally craps the bed, we’re not going to lose to a slot receiver.
People are projecting the Vanderbilt game to Wake, but it feels like we match up way better this week.

 

[arrowryan]

Book is playing? 63-0 Irish