Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1105789
10 MAY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME Notre Dame's 2019 Preseason Projections In three of the last four foot- ball seasons, Notre Dame has finished anywhere from No. 5 (2018) to No. 11 (2015 and 2017) in the final Associated Press poll. That is the best four-year stretch for a full four-year grad- uating class at the school since 1990-93, when it placed all four seasons in the top 15 — No. 6 in 1990, No. 13 in 1991, No. 4 in 1992 and No. 2 1993. Believe it or not, the four-year stretch from 2015-18 was also the first time since 1990-93 that the Fighting Irish placed in the final top 15 more than twice over a four-year stretch. The consensus early expecta- tions from national media out- lets is that it will expand to four out of five this year. For the 12-game regular sea- son, Las Vegas oddsmakers have put the over-under win total for Notre Dame at 9.5. A 10-2 regular season mark would likely place it among the top 10 with a Big Six Bowl invitation, while 9-3 would probably put it out- side the top 15 — and likely inside of it with a bowl victory. The lone programs projected with double-digit wins are, naturally, Clemson and Alabama with 11 apiece, while Georgia and Oklahoma are at 10.5, and Ohio State, Washing- ton and Central Florida at 10 each. Joining Notre Dame at 9.5 are Michigan, Or- egon and Texas. Notre Dame's shot at 10 regular-season wins will likely hinge on the three road games ver- sus Georgia (Sept. 21), Michigan (Oct. 26) and Stanford (Nov. 30). The Fighting Irish have not defeated a top-five team, which Georgia will likely be, on the road since 2005 (No. 3 Michigan), have lost at Michigan seven times in its last eight visits, including four straight, and have fallen at Stanford on five consecutive excursions there since 2009. Here are the rankings of seven well-recog- nized outlets, with the 2019 opponents also listed. Georgia, which Notre Dame will visit Sept. 21, is the overwhelming No. 3 pick in every poll except ESPN, where it is No. 4. SI.com: No. 5 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 7), Virginia Tech (No. 25) ESPN: No. 6 — Georgia (No. 4), Michigan (No. 9), Stanford (No. 20) Sporting News: No. 8 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 10), Stanford (No. 21) CBSSports.com: No. 9 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 10), Virginia Tech (No. 24) Athlon: No. 11 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 8), Virginia Tech (No. 21) — with Stanford and Virginia among the "15 to watch" The Athletic: No. 11 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 12), USC (No. 24) USA Today: No. 13 — Georgia (No. 3), Michigan (No. 7), USC (No. 15), Stan- ford (No. 18) Brian Kelly has led the Irish to their best four-year stretch since 1990-93, finishing between No. 5 and No. 11 in the Associated Press poll three times from 2015-18. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA 2019 NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time (ET) Sept. 2* at Louisville TBD Sept. 14 New Mexico 2:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Georgia TBD Sept. 28 Virginia 3:30 p.m. Oct. 5 Bowling Green 3:30 p.m. Oct. 12 USC 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Michigan TBD Nov. 2 Virginia Tech 2:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at Duke TBD Nov. 16 Navy 2:30 p.m. Nov. 23 Boston College 2:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Stanford TBD * Labor Day; all home games will be televised by NBC THE TRANSFER WIRE Two former Notre Dame players — safety Devin Studstill and linebacker D.J. Morgan — who will be graduating this year and be eligible to play elsewhere in 2019, have de- cided on their new schools. Sunshine State native Studstill will play for head coach Char- lie Strong at South Florida, while Morgan will line up at the University of Connecticut. Studstill started nine games at safety as a freshman on the 4-8 team in 2016, but strong reinforcements at the position, led by Navy transfer Alohi Gilman and 26-game starter Jalen Elliott, plus the tutelage of sec- ond-year safeties coach Terry Joseph, has made cracking the two deep a challenge unto itself. Morgan appeared in two games during his career (both in 2017) while graduating in three years. He will have two years of eligi- bility remaining in college football when he joins the Huskies this year. Other Notre Dame graduate transfers using their fifth years elsewhere in 2019 are quar- terback Brandon Wimbush (Central Florida) and defensive tackle Micah Dew-Treadway (Minnesota). The Fighting Irish staff had expressed some interest in Virginia Tech graduate transfer wideout Eric Kumah before cooling it. Kumah will enroll at Old Dominion University. FORMER RUNNING BACK CIERRE WOOD ARRESTED FOR MURDER Former Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood (2009-12) was arrested April 10 and charged with murder shortly thereafter in the death of a 5-year-old girl he had been accused of abusing in Las Vegas. Both he and the girl's mother, Amy Taylor, Wood's girlfriend, had first been charged with child abuse/neglect. The girl died April 9, and according to po- lice, doctor examinations revealed bruises on her legs, torso and abdomen. A report from News3 Las Vegas also revealed a liver lacera- tion. Wood, 28, and Taylor, 26, were arrested the following day. A former USA Today first-team All-Amer- ican, Woods finished his college career fol- lowing the 12-1 season in 2012 with 2,447 rushing yards (seventh highest at the time in the school record books), 5.4 yards per carry and 14 touchdowns. He led the team in rush- ing in 2010 (603) and 2011 (1,102), and was second to Theo Riddick in 2012 with 742 on 6.5 yards per carry. He went undrafted by the NFL and was mainly a practice player in the NFL for a few years before also competing in the Canadian Football League.