Blue and Gold Illustrated

June July 2018

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

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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2018 7 FAN FORUM always look forward to and enjoy — I am dismayed to find you repeated the error. Frank Carideo (1929-30 All-Amer- ican for Knute Rockne's national champions) was not from Vernon, N.Y., my neck of the woods, but rather Mount Vernon. Vernon is here in Oneida County, in Central New York. Mount Vernon is in Westches- ter County, downstate. I am a longtime active member and past President of our Clinton His- torical Society, and revisionist history really bothers me. Please correct this fake news. John P. Burdick '59 Clinton, N.Y. Mr. Burdick, thank you for the clari- fication. The summer is when dreams begin anew about Notre Dame winning its first national title in what would be now 30 years. Nevertheless, the Novem- ber meltdowns in recent years keep most Fighting Irish faithful guarded when it comes to optimism. A mid-May survey on BlueandGold.com asked at what percentage would you put Notre Dame's chances of making the four-team College Football Playoff in 2018, starting at 75 percent or higher to 50, 25, 10 and 0. Here is a sample of the more than 100 responses the first couple of days: KWSUSMC: If Brandon Wimbush and the receiving corps can improve his/ their completion percentage 10 points and ND can rush for 210 yards per game, I'm 75 percent confident ND is a playoff team. If Wimbush and the receiving corps can only improve five percent on completion percentage with 210 yards rushing per game, I put the playoffs at less than 40 percent. Spenna: If they lose the Michigan opener I think it will be a long season — like after the Texas game in 2016. GoldenJudge: My variable is significant injuries. Others might pick QB play or turnover ratios, etc. If ND has a lot of luck in the injury department, it would have a 50/50 chance of making the playoffs … or falling just short. Thomasna: 25 percent. I always start the season hoping for 12-0. I would have put ND's chances at 50 percent if Mike Elko was still here. KevinPS: 50 percent-plus. We'll win at least 10 in the regular season. We need to win at least 11. FightinMike87: 10 percent. I don't think I'd ever say over 25 percent until ND is off to an 8-0 start and some of the conferences have started to eat their own. The good part is if they beat Michigan, the hot start should be there. The bad part is midseason has Stanford/at Virginia Tech back to back — and then what would have set up nicely as a back half of the season was mangled by a money grab and extra travel (vs. Syracuse at Yankee Stadium) between FSU at home and the trip to USC. This is a 10-win team, but I think it's at least a 2-loss-in-the-regular-season team. CharlestonIrish25: There are five games, in my estimation, that are in the 40/60 to 60/40 range for ND to win. If you simply ran probability on them going 4-1 in those five, with those individual probabilities, we're down below 10 percent, before taking into account the chances of losing to someone else or not getting in at 11-1. Marcsmooks: Less than 25 percent. The defense will be good but there are enough questions on offense to keep me from voting otherwise. Chamgel: 10 percent. I think the roster is ready for a playoff run, and we've been close, but Brian Kelly hasn't proven he can win in November. The last 5 years we are 9-12 overall and 0-6 vs the top 25 in the month of November. EPdoc: Hoping, praying, expecting 12-0. With this schedule and Kelly's his- tory and the losses on offense … we're looking right down the barrel at 7-5. IndyIrish88: Probable losses: USC, Virginia Tech. Very tough games: Michigan, FSU, Stanford. For me, everything depends on U-M. If we lose that first game, the season could go south. If we win, I predict 10-2. No way we are a Playoff team. Too much uncertainty at QB, RB & TE. TheBigMontana: 10 percent at best. My gut reaction is 8-9 wins, which will be enough to ensure another season of mediocrity in 2019. BigHoss28: Realistically, only one team is "likely" to make the Playoff, meaning 50%+, and that's Alabama. I'd put ND's chances around 5 percent, which would still be top 20. Irish2x: Here's the November schedule this year: at Northwestern, FSU, Syracuse in Yankee Stadium, at USC. I see 2 losses there. AegontheConqueror: 10 percent. What are the odds for many teams out- side of Bama, Clemson and Ohio State the past few years? This team has a lot of talent, but it takes luck too. JCrone031: I don't think, regardless of who we have, who's on the schedule and what is going on in the rest of college football, I could ever feel better than 25% at us making the playoffs. FROM THE WEBSITE Another challenging schedule in November awaits head coach Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish in 2018, with road contests versus Northwestern, Syracuse and USC, plus a home matchup versus Florida State. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND

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