Notre Dame football starts its march back to the national title picture at No. 6 overall. Head coach Marcus Freeman and company face renewed expectations and enthusiasm in South Bend. Especially after landing in the top 10 of the AP Top 25 rankings.
There’s not just national championship thoughts in the atmosphere on campus. Returning running back Jeremiyah Love is fueling Heisman Trophy hype. He’s one of 11 starters returning from the national runner-up to Ohio State.
Early signs indicate ND won’t stay at No. 6 very long. But that’s not a compliment.
The Fighting Irish face newer obstacles in their pursuit of a long-awaited 12th title. Plus their first since the 1988 season. These hurdles fuel the case for ND finishing worse than its initial sixth ranking. Beginning with the first reason why Notre Dame will finish worse than No. 6.
Notre Dame gets a national title contender out the gate
Plus they get the Miami Hurricanes under a sweltering southern humidity inside Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami is a trending contender with Carson Beck now behind center. Plus a loaded offensive line he’s walking into. The ‘Canes also restocked in the secondary and have edge rusher Rueben Bain generating NFL Draft hype.
The ‘Canes know Love is getting the football. Yet ND walks into the 305 without the seasoned veteran quarterback Riley Leonard. Leading to the next reason why ND isn’t lasting at No. 6.
Notre Dame has an untested QB leading the offense
Leonard left ND in a better place. But placed CJ Carr in a position where he threw on a limited basis. During mop up duty mostly.
Now Freeman and returning offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock must turn to Carr. He’ll need to show he’s capable of delivering big moments right away.
The opening opponent is unveiling a new, aggressive pressure defense under Corey Hetherman. He’s scrapping the “reactive” defense for one that plans to attack first. Best believe Miami will throw the kitchen sink at Carr. From there, Carr must prove he can handle other stout challengers that lie ahead — a la Texas A&M in the home opener then College Football Playoff team Boise State visiting five weeks later.
Pair of massive changes reside on defense
Benjamin Morrison is one significant departure. He’s bringing his ball-hawking skills to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But ND loses more than its top lockdown cornerback. Morrison isn’t even considered the biggest loss to the league.
Al Golden claims that title. Golden rose as a beloved and fiery defensive coordinator during the CFP run. The Cincinnati Bengals plucked him away and now has him running the show defensively. Chris Ash now fills for Golden. ND’s title hopes decrease if this defense takes a step back.
The schedule is brutal for Notre Dame
The Irish earn tough gauntlets annually. They manage to fill their plate with intriguing matchups and continuous rivalries even as an independent.
Yet the home schedule rises as one of the toughest yet in the Freeman era. Mike Elko and the Aggies follow the Miami opener. Followed by familiar rival Purdue now turning to Barry Odom — who won a combined 20 games in two seasons with a previously moribund UNLV program.
Boise State becomes a new challenge in South Bend. Then the next four home contests against North Carolina State, USC, Navy and Syracuse are all against bowl teams from a year ago. With the Midshipmen and Orange two 10-win teams from last season.
The Irish could face an 0-2 start by the time the Boilermakers pull into the 77,622-seat Notre Dame Stadium. That’ll leave them unranked. But ND will spark top three chatter if they scale Miami and Texas A&M early.
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