It's almost SEC like - close. I'm not saying everything below is going to happen - getting to rest guys 2nd half, Patsy, etc., but it looks like an SEC schedule. ND plays 3 real games, maybe 4. Before every real game, they either have a bye or a Patsy. If they take care of the Patsy's - they are 8 - 0, with 4 real games.
And of the 4 - one of them will turn out to be not any good (probably USC), another will be average (either Stanford or Michigan), One will be top ten (either Stanford or Michigan), and one will be really good (Georgia).
If they really have turned the corner on being an up and down program - They should be 10 - 0 with two games that matter. They need to start blowing out the Patsy's 50 - 10, so guys do get to rest 2nd half. The only thing I don't like is 3 of those 4 are on the road, and if "SC turns out to be the "not any good" team. All 3 real games are away.
But scheduling is finally getting close.
Mon, Sep 2 @ Louisville - Start off with a game that looks good but really isn't (2 -8 in 2018)
Sat, Sept 7 week off - Bye after first game
Sat, Sep 14 New Mexico - play a patsy and starters only play half the game (3 - 9 in 2018)
Sat, Sep 21 @ Georgia - Real game
Sat, Sep 28 Virginia - average team (8 - 5 2018)
Sat, Oct 5 Bowling Green - another patsy (3 - 9 2018)
Sat, Oct 12 USC - Real game (maybe)
Sat, Oct 19 week off
Sat, Oct 26 @ Michigan Real Game
Sat, Nov 2 Virginia Tech - another Louisville (looks good - really isn't)
Sat, Nov 9 @ Duke - another Patsy
Sat, Nov 16 Navy - another Patsy
Sat, Nov 23 Boston College - another Patsy
Sat, Nov 30 @ Stanford - Real game
If you think USC is a patsy you are nuts. At Louisville home game for them. Not a patsy. Virginia Tech, played us and beat us at home when we jumped to 14 point leads twice, Duke , Cutcliffe a great coach of offenses, Navy, are you kidding, never a patsy, BC hates our guts and will play us tough and they are improving.
Funny thing is I am very confident we handle Stanford on road.
Scheduled off weeks for most of their teams preceding the ND game. That is huge. For them to be in full throttle maniac mode, with nothing to lose, against a brand name team is immeasurable. Many great teams have lost with better scenarios, just coming off a hard fought game and having a let down the next week. Plus, add in the apx 10,000 miles the team travels during November and you have plenty of possible slip ups. Nothing at all easy about our schedule.
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We need to be able to get some young guys , esp at linebacker , cb, and wr into the games more this year. We have the athleticism but experience is definitely a hindrance. I believe we will have a pretty good year, but feel like it will be a springboard to next year. What do you guys think? I know we lose some DE’s next year but we will still be deep with top shelf ends. The DT’s will be outstanding next year, as well as, the LB’s I believe. We will have to see about safety but still looks pretty strong up the middle. Our offense should be even better next year with a group that should be pretty explosive. We will see lol.
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I believe they have some underlying talent. This game might be closer than you think.
Bur mostly because it puts a bye week in front of New Mexico rather than Georgia...which is where it should be.
Exactly!
If ND is not a lot better than Louisville, Virginia Tech, Duke, Navy, BC, and a reeling USC program......then ND has not returned yet.
If they are starting to approach a year in and year out playoff contender - then these teams should be Patsy's I hope you are incorrect.
I agree - one of these Patsys competing with ND is normal in a "down game" or a "trap game", but if you have ND on the same field as Duke, Navy, BC........then the program isn't approaching where I hope/think it is.
Georgia, and Ohio State have those.
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