There is a difference between perception and reality. There always has been. That is true with College Football and it has certainly been true with Notre Dame as we look back on the first half of the season and we look forward to the next half.
No matter what Notre Dame does the last 8 years, it seems that if we win, oh well and if we lose, it's proof of some major defect in the coaching of Brian Kelly. That has certainly held true through the first 6 games.
*Against Temple, we were coming off a terrible 4 win season and Temple was coming off of two good years and they would test us and our rookie quarterback immediately. We jump on them immediately and beat them badly and the post game mantra is that we are improved but Temple is awful.
*Against Georgia, we enter the game as favorites and the overwhelming sentiment is that we should win. Much of the SEC is over rated and Georgia is one of those teams. We play them tough, lead most of the game but fall by one point. It was proof that our offense was over rated after Temple and Brian Kelly came up short again. What a failure. The reality though is that Georgia is a very good team and has proven themselves to be one of the best defenses in the country. While a loss is never good, it was no where near the tragedy that we all thought it was when the final whistle blew. In fact, it now looks like one of those really "good" losses that won't hurt us if we continue to win.
*Then comes BC. They always play us tough. The game is on the road. Let's see if this team can bounce back and win a road game against a rival. We struggle in the first half and "experts" are tearing Wimbush apart for being awful and the team is terrible...again...despite the coaching overhaul. In reality though, the first half wore BC down and Wimbush and Notre Dame set records while running away from BC to a blow-out victory. But Wimbush still stinks per some post game analysis and he has no possibility of ever getting better.
*Then comes Michigan State. Dantonio is a great coach. They always have a great defense. It's a real worry on the road. We'll be lucky to get out of there alive. We again win big on the road against a team that is a rival and gives us trouble so that means Michigan State isn't very good, as proven by their lousy record last year and Dantonio is way over rated....Until yesterday happens against Michigan and maybe they are a good team and we were just much better. Perception? Reality?
*Then Miami of Ohio. We expect to beat them bad but absolutely kill them. Wimbush doesn't have a great passing night but does throw 3 TD passes and should have had a 4th. Book comes in and throws a real nice touchdown pass and the QB controversy heats up...especially when rumors start circulating that Wimbush may be hurt and Book may start.
*North Carolina? Some posters are bemoaning the fact all week that this isn't a cake walk but it is being looked at that way. Book gets the start so this will be proof of how awful Wimbush is in comparison. We beat them handily but Book doesn't exactly light things up short of one outstanding drive in the first half. We beat NC by over 20 again and it's no big deal because they are awful. Some think Book proved himself and others point out that the game probably would have been a blow-out in the first half had Wimbush been healthy. Another win but against who is the post game buzz.
The group think now seems to be that the first half was a cake walk and the second half will be the real test. Who knows what will happen but USC, which has grossly underperformed, is being looked at as world beaters. Perception at this point or reality?
NC State? Thought now to be a super test but are they as good as is being made out? They've certainly struggled at times this year but that gets forgotten. We'll see, but if we beat them, I'm pretty sure the groupthink will be that they are over rated.
Miami? Again, we'll see. Squeaked by a possibly bad FSU team and has played little else....but now thought to be part of that killer second half schedule.
2 loss Stanford? Always very tough. Rival game. But they've struggled mightily this year and if we win, are they just a bad team? I think that will be the mindset around here.
Wake Forest and Navy...most think we should beat both despite the difficulties Navy's offense give us.
The schedule will be played and what happens happens. I just find it difficult to believe the first half was so easy compared to this huge second half coming up. Will it prove to be perception or reality. If this place holds to form, if we win, it's because the other teams were over rated and if we lose some, it's because we still stink. It's an interesting phenomenon.
No matter what Notre Dame does the last 8 years, it seems that if we win, oh well and if we lose, it's proof of some major defect in the coaching of Brian Kelly. That has certainly held true through the first 6 games.
*Against Temple, we were coming off a terrible 4 win season and Temple was coming off of two good years and they would test us and our rookie quarterback immediately. We jump on them immediately and beat them badly and the post game mantra is that we are improved but Temple is awful.
*Against Georgia, we enter the game as favorites and the overwhelming sentiment is that we should win. Much of the SEC is over rated and Georgia is one of those teams. We play them tough, lead most of the game but fall by one point. It was proof that our offense was over rated after Temple and Brian Kelly came up short again. What a failure. The reality though is that Georgia is a very good team and has proven themselves to be one of the best defenses in the country. While a loss is never good, it was no where near the tragedy that we all thought it was when the final whistle blew. In fact, it now looks like one of those really "good" losses that won't hurt us if we continue to win.
*Then comes BC. They always play us tough. The game is on the road. Let's see if this team can bounce back and win a road game against a rival. We struggle in the first half and "experts" are tearing Wimbush apart for being awful and the team is terrible...again...despite the coaching overhaul. In reality though, the first half wore BC down and Wimbush and Notre Dame set records while running away from BC to a blow-out victory. But Wimbush still stinks per some post game analysis and he has no possibility of ever getting better.
*Then comes Michigan State. Dantonio is a great coach. They always have a great defense. It's a real worry on the road. We'll be lucky to get out of there alive. We again win big on the road against a team that is a rival and gives us trouble so that means Michigan State isn't very good, as proven by their lousy record last year and Dantonio is way over rated....Until yesterday happens against Michigan and maybe they are a good team and we were just much better. Perception? Reality?
*Then Miami of Ohio. We expect to beat them bad but absolutely kill them. Wimbush doesn't have a great passing night but does throw 3 TD passes and should have had a 4th. Book comes in and throws a real nice touchdown pass and the QB controversy heats up...especially when rumors start circulating that Wimbush may be hurt and Book may start.
*North Carolina? Some posters are bemoaning the fact all week that this isn't a cake walk but it is being looked at that way. Book gets the start so this will be proof of how awful Wimbush is in comparison. We beat them handily but Book doesn't exactly light things up short of one outstanding drive in the first half. We beat NC by over 20 again and it's no big deal because they are awful. Some think Book proved himself and others point out that the game probably would have been a blow-out in the first half had Wimbush been healthy. Another win but against who is the post game buzz.
The group think now seems to be that the first half was a cake walk and the second half will be the real test. Who knows what will happen but USC, which has grossly underperformed, is being looked at as world beaters. Perception at this point or reality?
NC State? Thought now to be a super test but are they as good as is being made out? They've certainly struggled at times this year but that gets forgotten. We'll see, but if we beat them, I'm pretty sure the groupthink will be that they are over rated.
Miami? Again, we'll see. Squeaked by a possibly bad FSU team and has played little else....but now thought to be part of that killer second half schedule.
2 loss Stanford? Always very tough. Rival game. But they've struggled mightily this year and if we win, are they just a bad team? I think that will be the mindset around here.
Wake Forest and Navy...most think we should beat both despite the difficulties Navy's offense give us.
The schedule will be played and what happens happens. I just find it difficult to believe the first half was so easy compared to this huge second half coming up. Will it prove to be perception or reality. If this place holds to form, if we win, it's because the other teams were over rated and if we lose some, it's because we still stink. It's an interesting phenomenon.
