FanSided Top 25 Preview Countdown: No. 25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This is the first of a 25-part series previewing all 25 teams in the FanSided Top 25, in a countdown to opening Saturday. So with 25 days until September 1st, we begin with 25th-ranked Notre Dame.
Notre Dame comes into 2012 fresh off of consecutive eight-win seasons under head coach Brian Kelly. Despite returning 1,186-yard back Cierre Wood, the Irish offense is in limbo heading into the season, given the off-the-field struggles of Tommy Rees, who has been suspended for the season opener after a May arrest. Rees’s play on the field has left much to be desired for the Irish, but his experience is something that the Irish could use.
Heading into the season, the quarterback competition includes redshirt sophomore Andrew Hendrix, redshirt freshman Everett Golson and freshman wunderkind Gunner Kiel. Hendrix is the only one of the bunch with his experience, with 37 pass attempts in 2011. He’s the best all-around quarterback, while Golson is a dual-threat signal caller that brings the most explosiveness. As for Kiel? Look for him to redshirt. Kelly expects to make his decision rather quickly, and it’s unsure how Rees will factor into the decision come Week 2.
Defensively, the Irish return the best linebacker in the country, Manti Te’o, but break-in three new starters in the secondary. Considering that Notre Dame really struggled a year ago defending the pass, giving up 265 yards per game, the Irish could be vulnerable, with Landry Jones and Matt Barkley looming on their schedule.
Key Returners: LB Manti Te’o, RB Cierre Wood, TE Tyler Eifert
Key Losses: WR Michael Floyd, RB Jonas Gray, QB Dayne Crist, K David Ruffer, S Harrison Smith
Make or break game: at Michigan State, September 15th
The Irish have the toughest schedule in the nation, hands down. With trips to Oklahoma and USC looming late in the season, and a neutral site game against Miami in Week 6, sandwiched between home tilts with Michigan and Stanford, the Irish need to to build early season momentum if they want to have a strong season. In Week 3, the Irish head to East Lansing to play one of the best defenses in the nation in Michigan State, and a win could put Notre Dame at 3-0 heading into the meat of their schedule, while a loss would set them back heading into the game with Michigan.
Full Schedule:
Sept. 1 vs. Navy (Dublin)
Sept. 8 vs. Purdue
Sept. 15 at Michigan State
Sept. 22 vs. Michigan
Oct. 6 vs. Miami (Chicago)
Oct. 13 vs. Stanford
Oct. 20 vs. BYU
Oct. 27 at Oklahoma
Nov. 3 vs. Pittsburgh
Nov. 10 at Boston College
Nov. 17 vs. Wake Forest
Nov. 24 at USC
Season Outlook: While the Irish have plenty of returning skill players on offense despite a quarterback change, they should only be favored in six or seven games this season, which is more of a testament to their schedule than an indictment of their talent. If Notre Dame can start the season on the right foot in Dublin, they could make a run to finish with nine wins. Though that’s got to be the favorable outlook for fans in South Bend, it’s not inconceivable that the Irish could finish with six or seven wins, scrapping for bowl eligibility. Because of their schedule and the uncertainty at quarterback, Notre Dame will be so unpredicable this season, at least until they kickoff in Dublin on September 1st.