Story: https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-clemson-the-most-watch-college-football-game-of-2020

The Irish are 11-4, most recently defeating Army 44-6 in 2016 for its final win of a miserable 4-8 season.

Bronze Medal, 1949: With Notre Dame-Army having ended their series that was played mostly in New York City (especially Yankee Stadium) from 1913-47, North Carolina agrees to fill in for this season at NYC. Led by Heisman runner-up Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice, the Tar Heels take an early 6-0 lead before Heisman winner Leon Hart and the No. 1 Irish record their 35th straight game without a loss, 42-6. It is the first meeting with the Tar Heels.

Silver Medal, 1938: For the first time since the AP poll began two years earlier, 7-0 Notre Dame moves to No. 1 following a 19-0 shutout at home of that year's Big 10 champ, Minnesota, a superpower back then under Bernie Bierman with national titles in 1936, 1940 and 1941. It also is the last meeting with the Golden Gophers, the longest current ND drought with any Big Ten foe.

Gold Medal, 1977: In my opinion, this is one of the five most underrated or overshadowed victories in Notre Dame history. En route to the national title, the No. 5-ranked Green Machine enters the fourth quarter at Death Valley trailing 17-7 in its first meeting ever with Clemson, ranked No. 15. The Irish overcome some shady officiating, driving about 110 yards while overcoming calls to cut it to 17-14, and then win 21-17 on a second sneak in for a TD by QB Joe Montana. Clemson had ND on the ropes at 17-7 before fumbling at the Irish 15. An earlier Clemson TD on fourth down was aided by an official's "block" that is included in this video.
Login to view embedded media

Thread that shows the team comparisons for ND vs BC? Has the rosters and stats ec?

We've seen that after a first week surprise that Mississippi state has fallen flat and the offense has been neutered. Does Leach and his offense not translate to the SEC, or is it just having his kind of guys on the roster?

I've heard that there has been a bit of a mutiny and kids are leaving or given up. I dont buy the defenses are different in the SEC line. Seems like you get the right type of players and the scheme could do well.

having to beat Clemson twice, Ohio St. and Alabama, let alone get through the rest of the regular season. If ND can do it, it will be a much deserved National Championship, but that's a tall order for any school. What does everyone think of our chances? I believe it's our best team yet to do it, but that's a tough gauntlet.

Here are tonight's Lucky Charms...

*** I posted an article this morning on four-star 2022 offensive tackle Ty Chan, which you can read by clicking here. Notre Dame of course plays Boston College this weekend, a school that Chan is also highly considering. I'm told that Notre Dame offensive line coach Jeff Quinn had a very productive call on Wednesday night with Chan, and you can bet that they spoke about the game this Saturday between BC and ND. I already have a FutureCast pick in for Notre Dame to land Chan, and a statement win on Saturday could go a long ways in him landing in South Bend.

*** Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian class of 2022 offensive tackle Zach Rice, a five-star recruit, will cut his list down to eight schools on Saturday. He holds over 30 scholarship offers. I can all but guarantee that Notre Dame will make the cut. Other schools that I feel pretty confident that will be in his top group are Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio State.

*** Staying with a 2022 offensive line theme, Rivals.com midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt had an update today on four-star Billy Schrauth from Wisconsin. Click here to read the full article. Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin are the top four schools for Schrauth. He plans to visit all four schools after the dead period, but with the NCAA extending it through April, Schrauth could push up his timeline.

Here's what he had to say about Notre Dame with Helmholdt: “The coaches have been great. They made me a priority since the beginning, and that all helps. Just the culture, when I first stepped on the campus for a visit, you could just feel it. All the players, all the coaches, it’s just a cool scene to be around. It was definitely a school that stood out to me when I visited.”

*** A top Notre Dame target out west is Pleasant Grove (Utah) high wide receiver Darrius Clemons, a Midwest native and four-star prospect. In an interview with Rivals.com's Adam Gorney, Clemons mentioned Arizona State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Oregon as schools on his mind the most.

Here's what Clemons had to say about Notre Dame's win over Clemson: “That was huge. A lot of people were saying Clemson didn’t have their quarterback or whatever but they’ll probably end up playing again so we’ll see.”

Yesterday, Notre Dame extended a preferred walk-on offer to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy offensive tackle Will Jones.
Rivals ranks Jones as a three-star talent and he is definitely a player to watch as Notre Dame finishes up this 2021 class.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

I wish they could Mic up the defensive front this week so I could hear all the trash talk that will be going on during this game. Please God! 🙏🏽 No repeat of 93!

BlueandGold.com's Mike Singer and former Fighting Irish linebacker Mike Goolsby give their final thoughts and predictions ahead of Notre Dame's matchup with Boston College on Saturday.

Goolsby tells a story about Boston College and discusses the top rivalries for the Fighting Irish football program. Watch it all in this latest episode of Blue & Gold TV!

Login to view embedded media

Logan Diggs, Prince Kollie and Lorenzo Styles among the top performers for the on Friday.

Notre Dame is 5th nationally with a 24.73 opponent third-down conversion rate. It's not possible without first-down success, though. A dive into the numbers on first down (they're very impressive):

Everyone's talking about how Michigan should fire Jim Harbaugh. They're a disaster and are 1-2 after beating a crappy Minnesota team and losing to MSU and Indiana. They're probably going to lose to Ohio State and Wisconsin, and if it weren't for the fact that PSU is falling apart at the seams, they'd lose to them as well. All told, don't be surprised if they're 3-5 by the end of the year. They've had five different Offensive Coordinators in the six and a half years he's been there and it's produced a grand total of one NFL first-round draft pick. They've had shitty quarterback play, and this is after Harbaugh came from the NFL and produced the likes of Andrew Luck at Stanford. Worse yet, little by little the notion of them being a physical, tough run-first team has eroded away. They recruit well on the offensive side of the ball, but it doesn't look like they get much in terms of player development.

As for defense, they've had critical misses in recruiting that led to massive gaps at corner and defensive tackle. Greg Mattison blew town to OSU. You look at 2020 and it's been a disaster for the defense, but 2019 was no picnic either. OSU almost dropped 60 on them. Don Brown's squad is known for bullying weaker big ten teams in the conference and then getting their asses kicked by anyone with a pulse.

So do you fire a guy that's 48-18 with a .728 winning percentage?

To me, you admit that Harbaugh, for all his crap, is your guy and stick with him. He needs to re-evaluate himself and make the necessary changes. They're dreaming if they think they're going to get anyone more dedicated to the team who wants to be there. He's got a proven track record of winning in college and the pros. Looking back at the last two decades, they have to be reluctant to climb back on the merry-go-round of short-term head coaching changes after what happened with Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke. They're just not going to get Urban Meyer or some other homerun hire. They aren't going to suddenly hit the jackpot in terms of recruiting either - it is what it is. They need to focus on beating OSU as a goal, I agree with that but focus on program building, player development, recruit evaluation, and look for long-term improvements. Focus on getting the right coordinators in place. Things don't go well and the fan base gets restless, but they'd be better off in the long run if they just chilled out and thought the thing through.

It sure is fun to laugh at them though.

UNC football's twitter just announced the Nov. 27 game against Notre Dame will be a 3:30 ET kick and air on ABC.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

Some Michigan poster posted this the other day what a Michigan poster with inside info on the team has posted over the years. It must have taken him all day on the search function. It’s a long read but well worth it.

Apr 10, 2015
Overall - Harbaugh is what we thought he would be and perhaps even better - culture is turning and players are stepping up...some attrition over the next month or so WILL happen...told nothing major...but those that don't have the desire won't be staying and the current staff is not "sugar coating" playing time projections etc.....All is earned / nothing given

Oct 4, 2015
Hope you all realize how lucky you are ...Chris you get a bingo
Jim harbaugh has brought a term used too often in business turn arounds but often not achieved "fundamental change" to the culture and confidence of this team
Last year opposing coaches used words like mentally weak - confused and they will fold at any bad news to describe Michigan
In a short short time
Via coaching - team building - player development and a slight infuse of grad transfer talent this team can beat anyone

Jan 1, 2016
So proud of this team and staff
showed a lot today
Resolve
Talent
Development
Passion
For the first time in a long time we had. Team get better as the year went on
Testimony to the staff and change in culture in one year
Harbaugh and staff put on a coaching clinic today

Jan 16, 2017
Jim harbaugh is a creative genius. Won't say why
But soon a "are you bleeping kidding me" will be announced and you will know why I say this
The man is playing chess in a world full of checkers players
It's great to be a Michigan wolverine

Jan 17, 2017
After year two - we are a top 10 team with a large influx of talent starting
The championships are coming
The US didn't win World War 2 in 1942 or 1943
But set the table to do so

May 17, 2017
Up to 70% of offense will be new for next year. Goal is to rollout a "new" to football approach - Given no one has named it - I am calling the HarbaughFense - can it be something that causes DC's to go nuts - we shall see - much thought is going into this - and there is one thing Coach is - its creative

Nov 17, 2017
It’s time..... Have heard the team had a great week of practice (again)
Been told that all hard work and maximizing practice time (versus lifting etc...) has created the callous that coach talks about on this young team - they are tough and ready
Ok
Well it’s time to win the game we arent supposed
Time to see an advantage in coaching and process beyond the creative use of media - trips and sleep overs that has gotten coverage

Sep 1, 2018
Start of a new era...james joesph harbaugh is your OC today
no more needs to be said
Beat the Irish silly

Sept 2, 2018
Jim needs to swallow his pride and bring Jedd back - he is no OC and Jedd could at least score with Our poor O lines
Last night was a coaching failure by the whole staff
Coach brown got out coached in the first half - stupid penalties - DB”s couldn’t defend -
On offense.- no words
Someone need to show they give a crap
Beating western doesn’t mean a thing
Time to beat a good team
Talk of titles is crap
Just play and win - coach harbaugh is being out coached by coaches thought to be lessor then him
Perhaps that thought is wrong and Jim needs to stop thinking his #2”s don’t smell like the dumpster fire we have right now

Nov 4, 2018
Ascending to new heights
Season has played out well - save for two bad first halves in south Bend and evenston
Win out and Michigan is in the playoffs - all saying that isn’t the case are wrong and tools
Post big ten title game
Give Jim and this staff time to prepare for you
Like our chances versus all comers
Some teams have the it factor
This team is getting close to that point
Beat up on the next two and roll into Columbus with focused intent
Revenge tour extended based on popular demand
Enjoy
It’s beginning to get special

Nov 24, 2018
We do have an Ohio state problem - we need to raise our collective angst
There is no way to put sugar on shit and make it taste good

Jan 17, 2019
Jim is doing the right things to address the issues this football team has.....
As I look at what Jim has done since the bowl game he is attacking the issues and addressing the major points he can.

Sep 21, 2019
Jim needs to spend less time making ads and more coaching this team
have never seen such a dumpster fire from a Michigan team
WTF

Oct 4, 2019
Can it continue......
After Wisconsin loss coach brought out all the stops
sitting coaches and players down
Changing certain elements of practice, prep and game day
Threats to sit players to bring focus seemed to work

Dec 1, 2019
I have been delusional.....no the sky isn’t falling but we have a long way to go
To beat an OSU type school on a consistent basis if at all
simply put - we needed to play our best game and make no mistakes to win as well as get some luck in the process with mistakes they make
we didn’t do that

Dec 29. 2019
Must admit I am a bit disappointed for not going to the bowl game but can see some light at the end Of the tunnel should Jim be able to execute his vision
Last point - we have had to many entitled players the last couple of years - Jim seems to see this and is correcting it
this change in culture will need to be focus for the off season

Nov 1, 2020
Hard to put lipstick on that pig......
Michigan lost a game it should not have lost
the team was flat
the gameplan flawed
our young players played young
the issue is coaching

He definitely learned "coach speak" and speaks kinda of in platitudes. However, he said, to paraphrase, we are going to go with what's working, what the defense is giving us. Where have we heard that before?

The Tigers’ 34 yards tied for the second worst rushing performance since Swinney became the head coach 12 years ago. It is the worst performance by a Clemson offense on the ground since they had 34 yards in a loss at NC State in 2011.

Clemson ran for just 34 yards on 33 carries in its double-overtime loss to Notre Dame Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. It was one of the worst rushing performances by a Clemson team in the Dabo Swinney era.

So glad we are reading others teams offensive futility against the stout Irish D, then the other way around!


Login to view embedded media

Go to the 9:15 mark in the video.

Login to view embedded media

Road games at Boston College and North Carolina this month present different challenges. Lou Somogyi and Todd Burlage have different takes on which foe will present more problems.
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/who-will-be-notre-dame-s-tougher-november-opponent-

• All thoughts on COVID, statistics, speculation, updates, etc. should be posted in the daily thread.

• COVID threads that pop up separately on the board will be merged into our daily thread — with the exception of sports news items that are related to COVID (school testing updates, announcements, etc.). These can have their own threads but our staff has final discretion.

• As always, political posts – whether in the COVID thread or not – will be deleted.

While Notre Dame had no positive tests after the Sunday and Tuesday testings (it will also be tested today and Friday), this has been a terrible week for college football — and the nation in general —leading to the cancellation of multiple games in the SEC and elsewhere. This includes No. 1 Alabama vs. LSU and No. 3 Ohio State against Maryland.
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-test-results-bear-good-news

An update on 2022 OL Ty Chan, who I have a FutureCast pick in for Notre Dame to land.

The 5-3 Eagles have played up or down to the level of competition most of the year. They led No. 1 Clemson on the road 28-10 before losing 34-28, took North Carolina to the wall before falling 26-22, yet also needed a late rally to defeat Texas State (24-21), eked by 1-7 Syracuse last week and lost 40-14 at Virginia Tech.
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-vs-boston-college-on-paper

To be in the playoffs?

With Wisky missing two games and OSU at least one it significantly increases the chances of going undefeated. The statistical chances of going undefeated for playing a 7 or 8 game schedule are much better than a 12 game season. It’s absurd they wouldn’t have a minimum games played this year to be considered.

Decide to take the remainder of season off.

If you're interested, I hopped on The Single Coverage CFB podcast to dish on ND. If you listen, I fully expect you to roast me for my answers on best three Irish players of all time at the end (at least I didn't put them in a particular order) 😂