2007 Fighting Irish Predictions

I have long lamented the kicking situation at ND, wondering why we can't find some kid on campus who can kick the ball 70 yards off a tee and get a touchback on every kickoff. Given our opponents' average starting field position -- ie, outside the 20 -- this seems like an easy solution. Moving the kickoffs back five yards this year, combined with our quite unproven kickers, will make field position (not to mention field goals) an adventure. Would that that is my biggest concern this year. We'll see some growing pains on both sides of the ball that will relegate special teams to an afterthought. Nonetheless, I wouldn't be surprised if we won 10 games. As for what I really think...

GT: If ever we had the element of surprise, it will be in this game. A surprise QB (well, hopefully a surprise to Tenuta & co. -- my money's on Sharpley), any number of unknown running backs (remember how we wore down their defense last year), and a new QB for them going against a defense that he'll have little information on. It might take a score from Zibby (punt return or pick six) to push us out in front, but our defense will play well enough against what could be a one-dimensional Tech offense (that being Tashard Choice) to cement a 20-10 victory.

PSU: They return their QB and top four receivers, but Morelli is such a dope that against our defense that is able to show some new wrinkles after GT (because the Jackets are so one-dimensional...ah...) he'll be good for at least two huge plays (INT, sack, wrong checkdown, etc.) in our favor. I am a little worried about the revenge factor and the hostile environment, but otherwise this game shapes up like the '05 Pitt game (right down to the numbskull opposing QB). A back and forth affair goes the Irish' way, 24-18.

UM: I am tempted to bet with the trend and say that ND, as the underdog who lost this matchup last year, will pull out a victory, but this year that might just be wishful thinking. Whereas GT has the defensive coaching and PSU has the defensive talent, UM has both ingredients that could combine to make a long day for our offense. (Plus the horrors of what they did to our vaunted offense last year still burn in my memory.) Our only hope will be to pound at a somewhat inexperienced defensive line to try to play ball control and keep it close, but in the end UM will pull away, Jones will get a series or two under center, and we drop a 31-14 decision.

MSU: Like us, they've lost their all-everything QB and top three receivers. The meltdown that started at about 10:43 pm EST last September 23 cost their coach his job, and while Sparty always plays their best against us, Charlie is out to prove that he can beat them for 60 minutes. An ugly home losing streak ends, 24-17.

PU: Their entire offense is back and they return nine starters on defense. So what. Nothing about Purdue scares me, because Charlie has played Tiller like a tuba the last two years. If we need to score every two minutes, we will. If we need to play ball control and let their offense wear down, so be it. I think this year's game will tend toward the latter, as the Irish win 21-10.

UCLA: Now this game scares me. People say that Karl Dorrell is an idiot, but he looked pretty damn smart for 58 minutes last year. The Bruins also return everyone -- everyone -- as in some scrub who got one rush last year and a kid who caught a couple dozen passes are the only two skill players to graduate, and their top eight defenders all return. Also going against us is the fact that Jim Colletto is no longer on their coaching staff. We take a few more lumps on the road, losing 28-10.

BC: I wish I wasn't so worried about this game. Most other years they would be a Purdue-like blip on our schedule, but with a talented senior quarterback, experienced skill players, and a stacked defense all returning, they match up with us too well this year. The only thing we'll have a decided advantage in is coaching, but their new staff will have three glorified scrimmages against Army, UMass, and Bowling Green leading into our game. I just don't see us getting closer than 27-17.

USC: I don't think there has been a truer embodiment of the axiom "they don't rebuild, they reload" since the late 80's Miami teams than the USC squads of the past six years. Let's face it, at times this year we will be pining for Quinn, Samardzija, McKnight, Stovall, Walker, et.al. Yet Trojan fans, even with all their recent success, are saying Reggie who? and remember those Carson and Leinart fellows? We need the ghosts of Montana, MacAfee, Ferguson, Heavens, Browner, Bradley, and company -- not just their replica green jerseys -- to have a prayer in this one. USC in a laugher, 38-20.

Navy: I think the 3-4 will actually look better against the option than our defense did for stretches last year. More snaps for Jones, as Clausen, having not seen any action thus far, will officially redshirt. The downhill run begins with a 31-10 win.

Air Force: A new coach wants to phase out the wishbone option and implement a spread out passing attack. Well, goody for him. This will be the Falcons' 11th game in 11 weeks -- as if we wouldn't have enough of an advantage anyway. Look for USAFA to run a ton of shotgun with their 5'10" QB, but look for our D to nonetheless get a handful of sacks, knockdowns, tipped passes, and the like. Another 35-14 romp.

Duke: These guys lost to Richmond last year. At home. And got shut out! Senior day done right -- a 52-9 farewell.

Stanford: Having a full season under our belt, having everyone learn their roles in the offense, and having the likes of one of the worst defenses in I-A to compare it against, this game will put a nice bow on the season, showing us how far the new guys have come and what we can expect the next couple of years. Big win, 57-10 (because Jim Harbaugh is that much better of a coach than Buddy Teevens).

That makes us 9-3 and headed to the Gator Bowl, where for the first time since the '96 Orange Bowl we will be favored in a bowl game. We should come through with a victory, thus immediately sparking debate as to whether Clausen will be able to overtake Sharpley in spring practice.