Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1508769
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM OCT. 7, 2023 13 UNDER THE DOME "Last year, we didn't really keep our confidence as much and after that [season-opening loss to Ohio State], we lost to Marshall. But this year, we know we're a really good football team. We're a very confident group, and we're confident we're going to go out there and play to the best of our abilities and reach our full potential." — Notre Dame graduate student center Zeke Correll "I want every person on our team to take this loss personally. It hurts you physically, you're sick when you lose. But in the midst of that pain, you got to own it. And you've got to face it, you've got to attack it, you've got to go back to work." — Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman on the gut-punch loss to Ohio State "Now Freeman must remind the Irish that they weren't outclassed against an elite opponent. They played well enough to win but made enough mis- takes to lose. And when Freeman describes what the Irish must do, it's clear he's talking to himself as well." — On3's Andy Staples on Freeman re- grouping his team following its loss to Ohio State "Every human there loved football. That was a football university. And then how they showed up for us and how they showed up for 'GameDay.' … Bravo to Notre Dame. That place was much cooler and better than I could have ever imagined in my entire life. So, I'm very thankful for them and I'm appreciative of the 'Notre Dame thing' now, and I understand it a lot more I think." — Pat McAfee on the trip that "ESPN College GameDay" made to South Bend for the Notre Dame-Ohio State game "I had to draw the line somewhere and I had to draw it above Notre Dame. And the reason was that, as positively as I feel about Notre Dame coming out of the game against Ohio State — and I really do, I was impressed with them, I think that they have a quarterback who is a real quarterback now, their ceiling is so much higher than it has been over the last few years. They're talented — and yet they had the home field advantage, they had the momentum on their side in the second half, they had it right there for the taking and still got beat. So, it's like, all of the ghosts for Notre Dame are still there. They still haven't done it." — FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt on ranking the Irish below the cutline for who he thinks can win the national championship (Georgia, Washington, Texas, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, USC, Utah and Florida State were above the line) "Notre Dame's not getting back in this thing. You can't lose a home game, and you also can't be Notre Dame and have the arrogance of that institution and say, 'We don't need a conference.' Well, how nice would a conference be right now if you were in the ACC and you would have a shot at perhaps Florida State at the end of the year to get you back in." — ESPN's Paul Finebaum on Notre Dame's College Football Playoff chances after its loss to Ohio State THEY SAID IT THEY SAID IT "In a wide-open running back class, Estimé is making his case to be near the top of it. He leads all backs in the nation with a 92.0 grade and 591 rushing yards. The junior won't win many foot races, but he will win with his muscular 227-pound frame and outstanding vision." — Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus on including Notre Dame running back Audric Estimé on his list of five 2024 NFL Draft prospects to watch for the rest of the college football season PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER TOP TWEETS