Blue and Gold Illustrated

January 2018

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JANUARY 2018 37 be essential is regaining the Dr. Je- kyll persona from the first two months before becoming Mr. Hyde in November. "We really had to bring our guys back from a confidence standpoint," Kelly said of the 2014 team. "I re- member vividly talking to them about that they were a better foot- ball team than how we finished, and to bring that confidence to the LSU game. I thought they played with a lot of confidence in that game. "So confidence, physicality — a lot of the things that we've kind of relied on this year — were kind of the sa- lient points in that game in '14." The 31-28 victory over LSU in 2014 didn't elevate the Irish into the top 25, but it provided a template and impetus toward a 10-1 start in 2015. This year it's more about prov- ing the 8-1 start was not a fluke and not diminishing it with a 1-3 finish. "This team has changed so much from last year to this year that it will make it a special season to win 10 games," Kelly said. "… I feel really good about what they accomplished. I don't think it was anything disap- pointing, other than the fact that ev- erybody has higher goals. … I don't think there is any narrative that would let me use the word 'disappointing.'" "I don't think it's going to make or break or define our season," senior rover Drue Tranquill echoed. With all due respect to Kelly and Tranquill, that is where they are in- correct. There would be a dramatic chasm between 10-3 or 9-4. An Irish victory would mark the third time in six seasons they achieved at least 10 wins and likely finished among the top dozen teams in the country. Ten wins is not the benchmark at Notre Dame, but it gains more credibility in consistency. Conversely, 9-4 with a 1-3 finish would reaffirm to many that Kelly is an 8-5/9-4 coach who wilts late in the season and cannot take the operation to a higher level. SAME RECORD; DIFFERENT PATHS In the final College Football Playoff rankings of the regular season, 9-3 Notre Dame finished No. 14 while 9-3 LSU came in at No. 17. Whereas Notre Dame started the season strong the first two months and sputtered at the end with two defeats in three contests, the Tigers were in a tumultuous state in Sep- tember before finishing with a flour- ish in November under head coach Ed Orgeron, who was LSU's interim head coach the final eight games of 2016 after Les Miles was fired. This September it appeared Org- eron might be the second straight LSU head coach deposed prior to the end of the season. LSU was crushed 37-7 at Mississippi State Sept. 16, and two weeks later Troy of the Sun Belt Conference pulled off a stunning 24-21 upset in Tiger Stadium. Rumors of Orgeron's job security were rampant, but the Tigers bounced back the next two weeks with a vic- tory at No. 21 Florida (17-16) and then rallied to defeat No. 10 Auburn (27-23). LSU won six of its final seven contests, with the lone defeat com- ing at then-No. 2 Alabama (24-10) Nov. 4. The Tigers and Crimson Tide are No. 1 nationally with fewest turn- overs committed (eight). LSU's final three games and vic- tories came against teams whose head coaches would be fired this season: Nov. 11 versus Arkansas (33- 10), Nov. 18 at Tennessee (30-10) and Nov. 25 at home against Texas A&M (45-21). ✦ GAME PREVIEW: LSU Head coach Ed Orgeron, who was USC's interim coach in a 14-10 loss at Notre Dame in 2013, had a rocky start to the 2017 season before finishing strong. PHOTO BY CHRIS PARENT/LSU ATHLETICS Predictions Corey Bodden: Notre Dame 28, LSU 27 The Tigers have a strong running game and boast a good secondary, which will challenge Notre Dame. The X factor for both is at quar- terback with Brandon Wimbush and Danny Etling. Bryan Driskell: Notre Dame 27, LSU 20 LSU's vaunted defense will give Notre Dame problems early on, but the Irish defense will keep the game tight until the offense can get on track. David McKinney: LSU 27, Notre Dame 21 They're both 9-3, but LSU is riding a hot streak coming into this game while Notre Dame has been limping to the finish line. I'm going to go with the hot hand this time. Lou Somogyi: LSU 27, Notre Dame 23 After being too emotionally invested in picking the Irish versus Miami and Stanford, which I felt would be a split, it's time for some reverse psychology. Notre Dame often fares better when I don't pick them.

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