The Fighting Irish’ Opening Match Against Michigan Is a Must-Win

A lot is at stake in the Fighting Irish’s first match of the 2018 NCCA season, with the team taking on rival Michigan. Many experts predict that the outcome of this match will greatly affect the success of Notre Dame throughout the rest of the season.

The good news is that the Irish will have homecourt advantage in the September match. But that’s no reason for the Irish to be complacent. The Wolverines will come out in full force, especially as they look to have revenge for their embarrassing 31-0 defeat at the hands of the Irish in their last meeting in 2014.

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Moreover, Notre Dame simply cannot afford to start the season with a loss. College football history is not in favor of teams losing their initial matches: in fact, no team has gotten to the national championships after starting with a 0-1 record since the onset of the Bowl Coalition Era in 1992. And no such team has won the title since 1983.

The players to watch are transfer QB Shea Patterson, who is a hard-to-scout wild card, as well as Wolverines’ defensive line standout Rashan Gary. Also, many analysts think that despite Michigan’s tough schedule this season, the team is a likely 10-win team. And if Notre Dame is to really build a good momentum moving forward on its own challenging sked, it must not let the Wolverines claw their way into this opening game.

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Hello, my name’s Tom Colton, a student at the University of Notre Dame. I’m a huge fan of our Fighting Irish football team. For more Notre Dame football reads, visit this blog.

Fighting Irish players to watch in the upcoming season

Notre Dame’s road to glory in the next NCAA season begins in roughly two months. And if the team hopes to at least match its 10-win outing last year, it must bank on a roster of mostly new and younger talents. Yes, it’s doubtful that the Fighting Irish can get back quickly into title contention after having lost many key players. But one never knows. Hereunder are some names to watch this year.

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Miles Boykin
The senior has made a name for himself for that one-handed, 55-yard, touchdown pass in the recent Citrus Bowl. The 6’4” wide receiver should play an increased role in Notre Dame’s campaign this season, especially given his good chemistry with Brandon Wimbush.

Alohi Gilman
Former Navy standout Gilman sat out last season due to the NCAA rules on transfers, but he is expected to gain significant playing time as needed safety for the Fighting Irish. The junior has a solid record of 76 tackles in 2016, including 12 in a win over Notre Dame.

Khalid Kareem
Kareem has gone up Notre Dame’s depth chart with the transfer of Jay Hayes, especially as he has been displaying good work in both the field and the weight room. The defensive lineman should gain an increased and more active role this year, way more than the mere 20 plays he was involved in last season.

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Hello, my name isTom Colton, a student at the University of Notre Dame. I’m a huge fan of our school’s Fighting Irish football team. For similar reads, visit thisblog.

Dan Devine’s big challenge

Dan Devine had some big shoes to fill. He arrived at Notre Dame as the replacement of the great Ara Parseghian, one of the most successful coaches in Fighting Irish history. But by all accounts, Devine did what he could with what he had. He would guide Notre Dame to a 53-16-1 record with 3 bowl wins.

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One of his most memorable victories came in 1977 when he and a young Joe Montana led the Fighting Irish to a national championship. In the 1978 Cotton Bowl Classic, Notre Dame demolished Texas and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, 38-10.

Devine was also a coach of much controversy, changing the traditional navy blue and white team jerseys to Kelly green and gold in a game against the USC Trojans. Notre Dame ended up crushing the Trojans 49-19, and as a result, the Irish would wear green for Devine’s entire stay.

However, even with his achievements, many sports writers and football experts observed that Devine was never really accepted by Notre Dame. Whether it was because they had gotten used to Ara Parseghian or for other reasons, the Fighting Irish community was cold to Devine.

But any way you look at it, love him or hate him, Devine did deliver wins and titles. And that is a testament to just how competent he is as a coach.

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Hello there, my name’s Tom Colton, and I’m currently studying at the University of Notre Dame and I’m a huge fan of the Fighting Irish. For more writings on Notre Dame football, drop by this blog.