Bowl Predictions Part 3 (12/31-1/1)

In case you missed the first and second rounds of bowl predictions just click on the links to catch up on what you missed. As of the printing of this blog we have had 14 bowl games and both Ross and I are 8-6.

Meineke Car Care (12/31 Noon on ESPN)
South Florida (7-5) vs. Clemson (6-6)

Kevin's Prediction: SOUTH FLORIDA 24 CLEMSON 21
This is one that I am really struggling with. Both come in with pretty good defenses but under-performing offenses. I think this one with be decided by a key turnover or by who has the ball last. Both teams are exactly the same with turnover margin at a deficit of .25 per game. But USF seems to be getting better in terms of turnovers while Clemson has not won the turnover battle in a game since they beat Georgia Tech way back in late October.

Ross's Prediction: CLEMSON 27, SOUTH FLORIDA 14

Clemson has more talent, but South Florida probably has better coaching.  Both of these teams kind of stink, but give me ACC stink over Big East stink any day of the week.

HYUNDAI SUN BOWL (12/31 2pm on CBS)

Notre Dame (7-5) vs. Miami (7-5)

Kevin's Prediction: NOTRE DAME 28 MIAMI 21

Miami is one of the most talented teams in College Football. But will they be focused and ready to play? They are coming off of two consecutive defeats and have lost 3 of their last 5 that include a loss to Virginia. On the flip side Notre Dame is coming into the bowl on a 3 game winning streak that includes victories over 2 bowl teams and USC. I like how the Golden Domers are trending and while I could see Miami winning this game by 3 TDs on talent alone I am siding with Notre Dame.

Ross's Prediction: NOTRE DAME 24, MIAMI 20

This is a fun match-up, although it's also a reminder of the fact that these two storied programs are just a pale shadow of their late '80s heyday.  The ND and Miami teams from that era would smoke these squads by 40+.  Miami has better talent (Randy Shannon did manage to get some pretty solid talent to Miami, despite his other flaws), but Brian Kelly certainly gives the Irish a pretty big edge in the coaching department.  As is so often the case, these bowls usually come down to who wants it more and ND has the definite edge there: they have something to prove, while Miami is a coach-less squad playing in a minor bowl in El Paso.  Motivation trumps athletes this time.

Autozone Liberty Bowl (12/31 3:30 on ESPN)

Georgia (6-6) vs. UCF (10-3)

Kevin's Prediction: GEORGIA 41 UCF 24

Let's be honest with ourselves for a minute. Central Florida's 10-3 record is a product of their schedule. Their biggest wins are against SMU (7-6) and East Carolina (6-7). Whenever UCF has faced someone better this year they have lost (Southern Miss 31-21, Kansas State 17-13 and NC State 28-21). Georgia on the other hand has a 6-6 record because of who they have played (4 losses to Top 25 teams including 2 BCS schools and a school that played in the SEC Championship game) and some untimely errors. Central Florida can definitely make this competitive and I look for Jeffrey Godfrey to have a decent day but I think Georgia has something to prove. This will be A.J. Green's last game and I don't see anybody on the UCF sideline that can match-up with him. Georgia has won 5 of 7 with those losses being an OT loss to Florida and a loss to #1 Auburn. I think Georgia rolls much like they did in their bowl game last year (under similar circumstances) against Texas A&M)

Ross's Prediction: GEORGIA 34, CENTRAL FLORIDA 21

By my count, Georgia now has the longest active bowl game winning streak after Boise State ended Utah's nine-game winning streak earlier this bowl season.  Georgia's won their last four bowl games; Mark Richt may be having some issues winning regular season games in recent years, but he's maintained his mastery of bowl games (he's 7-2 in bowl games at Georgia).  Georgia was also playing much better at the end of the season, winning five of their last seven and putting up spirited efforts in their losses to Florida and Auburn.  Central Florida isn't just a mid-major punching bag and they have a pretty stout defense (12th best scoring defense in the nation).  But Georgia has too much talent and is too well-coached.

Chick-fil-A Bowl (12/31 7:30pm on ESPN)

South Carolina (9-4) vs. Florida State (9-4)

Kevin's Prediction: SOUTH CAROLINA 31 FSU 27

The Chick-fil-A Bowl is perennially one of the best bowl games. Despite blow outs in the last 2 games you can look back to 2007 (Auburn over Clemson in OT) and 2006 (Georgia over VT 31-24) as examples. Let's not kid ourselves everyone in the south loves an ACC vs SEC match-up and this one is pretty intriguing. I think Carolina is out to prove something after just getting absolutely embarrassed against Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers. Alshon Jeffrey and Marcus Lattimore are just going to be too much for FSU on this day but I think it will be a good close game.

Ross's Prediction: FLORIDA ST 35, SOUTH CAROLINA 24

Again, the issue of motivation rears its ugly head here.  South Carolina just made a trip to the ATL less than a month ago with dreams of an SEC Championship and a Sugar Bowl trip dancing in their heads -- only to get their heads served to them on a platter by Cam Newton.  And now they're supposed to be excited about going back to Atlanta for a New Year's Eve bash with Florida State in a bowl named after tasty chicken sandwiches?  Yeah, not seeing it -- especially when you factor in their no-show performances in their last two bowl games (a 31-10 beatdown to Iowa in the 2009 Outback Bowl and a 20-7 thumping to UConn in the 2010 Papajohns.com Bowl).  Meanwhile, Florida State has a chance to end a solid season on a high note and Christian Ponder will probably want to put on a show for NFL scouts, too.

TicketCity Bowl (1/1 Noon on ESPNU)

Northwestern (7-5) vs. Texas Tech (7-5)

Kevin's Prediction: TEXAS TECH 35 NORTHWESTERN 24

Raise your hand if you've never heard of this bowl. I'm guilty. Texas Tech just lost it's defense coordinator and now they have to try and stop Dan Persa? No thank you. Oh wait...Dan Persa is in a cast until spring. Hmmmm....Texas Tech it is. But I don't like it.

Ross's Prediction: TEXAS TECH 35, NORTHWESTERN 17

If Northwestern had all-everything QB Dan Persa, this game is at least a toss-up, if not a definite edge to Northwestern.  But without the QB who was the heart and soul of their offense -- and the source of roughly 90% of its production -- it's hard to give them a fair shot here, even against a pretty mediocre Tech squad.  The NW offense looked completely toothless in their last two games this year and the defense isn't strong enough to make up for that lack of production.

OUTBACK BOWL (1/1 1pm on ABC)

Florida (7-5) vs. Penn State (7-5)

Kevin's Prediction: FLORIDA 28 PENN STATE 17

There is just no way that I can pick against Urban Cryer and the Florida Gators in his last game. I think Florida gets geeked up for this game Penn State has not performed in big games this year (their losses are to Bama, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan State) with their most impressive victories coming against Michigan and Northwestern. Florida has lost 2 out of their last 3 but I think they win this one for Urban.

Ross's Prediction: PENN STATE 23, FLORIDA 21

If you believe the rumors about JoePa, this could be a farewell game for BOTH coaches; at the very least, it's definitely Urban Meyer's swan song to the Florida program that he turned into one of the best of the 2000s.  Unfortunately, with all the turmoil that's surrounded that program lately and the fact that their offense was a complete non-entity for most of the season, it's hard to have much faith in them, even with some "win one for Urb" motivation going on.  Penn State is consistently a very good bowl team and they spent the season getting better, especially on offense where a mid-season switch to Matt McGloin at QB broke them out of their slumber.  The defense struggled at times, but should be pretty healthy here.  I think they win on a close one with a late field goal.

Capital One Bowl (1/1 1pm on ESPN)

Alabama (9-3) vs. Michigan State (11-1)

Kevin's Prediction: ALABAMA 31 MICHIGAN STATE 17

In 2008 Nick Saban and his staff learned a lesson in the Sugar Bowl from Utah. I can't see Bama coming into this game unprepared. As great as a season that Michigan State had they really didn't beat anybody outside of Wisconsin (which is a great win but seems like it was before Wisconsin really turned the corner this year). As much as I hate to say it I can't go against Saban and his coaching staff or his talent in this one. Tide Rolls.

Ross's Prediction: ALABAMA 34, MICHIGAN STATE 17

Michigan State was a classic overachiever program this year -- they took advantage of some lucky breaks and mounted impressive comebacks (against Notre Dame, Northwestern, Purdue, for instance) -- but they also got blasted by Iowa and struggled against inferior competition pretty frequently (Purdue, Northwestern, Penn State) and had an advantageous schedule (no Ohio State).  There's also the question of how excited they'll be to play in this game, considering they went 11-1 and got aced out of a BCS bowl appearance.  On the other hand, motivation could be an issue for Alabama, too -- will they be excited to play in this game after suffering a stunning defeat to Auburn in their last game and playing in the national title game last year?  Ultimately, I think Saban does get them motivated here -- and their massive talent advantage proves to be the difference.

Progressive Gator Bowl (1/1 1:30 pm on ESPN2)

Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Michigan (7-5)

Kevin's Prediction: MISSISSIPPI STATE 31 MICHIGAN 24

There might not be a coach in all of College Football that I am more impressed with than Dan Mullen. Imagine what they could be doing right now if they won the Cam Newton $weepstakes (I kid!). Dan Mullen led his team to wins over both Florida and Georgia this year (even though they were both down that is impressive) and continued his dominance over the "team from the North" Ole Miss (well as dominant as you can be being 2-0 against a rival). Michigan has a chance in this one but I just can't pick them with their defense. I think Miss State grounds this one out.

Ross's Prediction: MISSISSIPPI STATE 38, MICHIGAN 35

On one hand, Michigan has a healthy Denard Robinson and one of the nation's most fearsome offenses.  On the other hand, they have one of the nation's least fearsome defenses and an embattled coach dealing with a lot of talk about his job status.  Meanwhile, Mississippi State has a coach who's the toast of the town (Dan Mullen) and a solid defense.  Their offense has been anemic at times, but the Michigan defense could be just what the doctor ordered for a weak offense.  This one smells like a shootout (like, oh, pretty much all of Michigan's games this year), but I think Mississippi State has enough defense to get a key stop at the end of the game.

Rose Bowl (1/1 5pm on ESPN)

Wisconsin (11-1) vs. TCU (12-0)

Kevin's Prediction: WISCONSIN 31 TCU 23

Now this is one to watch. I like what TCU has done this year under Gary Patterson (and in the previous years for that matter) but Wisconsin is on a roll. TCU has not played a team the caliber or with the strength of Wisconsin this year. Both teams average 43 points per game but allow under 21 per game. I think Wisconsin will just be too much for the Horned Frogs. Welcome to Big Boy football TCU, are you up for the challenge?

Ross's Prediction: WISCONSIN 35, TCU 31

Really hard game to call.  TCU has one of the nation's best defenses -- but they also haven't had to deal with an offense like Wisconsin's, either.  Wisconsin started the year slowly, but by season's end they'd turned into an old-school juggernaut with a massive offensive line paving the way for three very good running backs, allowing them to just steamroll their opponents into dust.  TCU has a great run defense, but they haven't faced a rushing offense like the Badgers.  Fortunately, they also have a very good (and underrated) offense -- and you can score on the Badgers.  I think this game turns into a bit of a shootout and Wisconsin's beastly ground game is good enough to put it over the top.  Should be a hell of a game, though.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (1/1 8:30pm on ESPN)

Connecticut (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (11-2)

Kevin's Prediction: OKLAHOMA 37 UCONN 24

On paper this is one of the biggest mismatches of bowl season. UConn went 8-4 with losses to Michigan, Temple, Rutgers and Louisville. UConn's most impressive victory this year was an overtime victory over West Virginia (who just got rolled by NC State 23 to 7). Unless Oklahoma has a monumental letdown I can't see them losing this game. Oklahoma has had a couple of mis-haps this year (A&M and Missouri) but they have just beaten 4 straight bowl teams including must win games over Okie State and Nebraska to win their Conference Title.

Ross's Prediction: OKLAHOMA 38, UCONN 21
Is UConn the worst BCS team ever?  Maybe not -- the 2007 Hawaii team and the 2004 Pittsburgh teams that made BCS bowls were pretty underwhelming outfits -- but not many BCS teams have gotten spanked by teams like Temple and Louisville in the same year, either.  And that's even without factoring in the whole "just happy to be here" factor for a team making their first-ever trip to a big-time bowl game.  Oklahoma's had their problems in BCS games over the last few years... but they really shouldn't struggle much here.  They have a massive talent advantage almost everywhere on the field and Bob Stoops has ample experience in games like this.

The Six Pack Games of the Week: September 2-6

Every week, I'll throw a spotlight on the six most interesting games of the weekend to tell you why these are the games you should try to catch, who's going to win (and why), and what ramifications they could have on the rest of the college football landscape.

THURSDAY, SEP. 2

Pittsburgh @ Utah (8:30pm EST, Versus)

While ESPN continues to torment us with a third-straight year of featuring South Carolina in the Thursday-night opener, Versus has stepped up to the plate with a game of actual intrigue. Unlike most opening week affairs, it pits two teams with a pulse against one another; in fact, these two teams are legitimate contenders to win their respective conferences. So it's got that going for it. It's also a rematch of the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, which would probably be more meaningful if it hadn't been, you know, one of the worst BCS bowl games in recent memory. You're probably going to watch just about anything on the first night of real college football in eight months, but here's a game that shouldn't just be empty calories.

THE PICK: Utah 27, Pitt 23

SATURDAY, SEP. 4

Purdue @ Notre Dame (3:30pm EST, NBC)

I wouldn't normally focus on a game featuring two unranked teams in this feature, but the pickings are slim on the opening weekend and this game should actually be fairly intriguing. On one side you've got Purdue entering Year 2 of the Danny Hope Era with hopes of new QB Robert Marve and stud DE Ryan Kerrigan spearheading a dark horse Big Ten challenge -- or at least a return to a bowl game for the first time in three years. On the other side you've got Notre Dame getting their first taste of life without Charlie Weis -- and life with Brian Kelly. Love or loathe Notre Dame, their first steps under Brian Kelly should be interesting -- and if you like high-scoring passing offenses, this game should have a couple good ones.

THE PICK: Notre Dame 34, Purdue 31

Connecticut @ Michigan (3:30pm EST, ABC/ESPN)

UConn's a slightly under the radar pick to win the Big East, and a win over Michigan (even Michigan in its current emaciated state) would be a hell of a way to jump-start that campaign. They have plenty of returning talent from a squad that was just a few plays away from being a 10-win team a year ago and they have a hard-nosed, underrated coach in Randy Edsall who's resisted overtures from bigger programs to try and do something special in Storrs; this year's team may be his best bet to do just that. Meanwhile, Michigan enters the season with a defensive secondary in shambles, uncertainty at quarterback, the lingering malaise of the last two bowl-less seasons, and a coach under intense fire to prove that his system can work in Ann Arbor. Oh, and Michigan's lost two of their last three season openers. So, you know, no pressure or anything.

THE PICK: UConn 35, Michigan 28

TCU vs. Oregon State (7:45pm EST, ESPN)

Boise State gets most of the preseason plaudits among the non-BCS crowd since they return twenty starters and are coming off a 14-0 season and a win over this same TCU team in the Fiesta Bowl. On the other hand, TCU returns a ton of talent in their own right (9 on offense, 7 on defense) and should be very, very good in their own right. This game is an early (and rare, given their normal presence on the TV ghetto that is The MTN) chance for them to state their case in front of a national audience, which should have them plenty fired up. Given their relative starting positions in the polls TCU is likely going to need Boise State to slip up somewhere to move ahead of them in the hunt for a guaranteed BCS slot -- or even a spot in the national title game, which is a realistic possibility with both teams starting in the top 10. But in Oregon State, TCU should have a solid test on their hands; the Beavers have to break in a new QB, but they do bring back both of the fabulous Rodgers brothers.

THE PICK: TCU 31, Oregon State 17

LSU vs. North Carolina (8:00pm EST, ABC)

To be fair, this game looked a hell of a lot more interesting before damn near the entire North Carolina starting defense was rumored to be suspended for various rules violations; back before that it looked like it was going to pit a pair of nasty defenses and two teams that are vaguely dark horse picks to win their respective conferences. Now you have a UNC team mired in scandal, likely to be missing multiple players off what was expected to be a very strong defense. LSU has question marks of their own, but nothing like what UNC is facing and they have the added benefit of not having to deal with distracting scandals and having a better offense. This game has turned into a de facto SEC-ACC Challenge; so far the SEC is 2-0, with Alabama picking up wins over Clemson and Virginia Tech. LSU should make it three in a row without too much difficulty.

THE PICK: LSU 27, UNC 14

MONDAY, SEP. 6

Boise State vs. Virginia Tech (8:00pm EST, ESPN)

These are the games where Boise has excelled in their rise to prominence over the past few years, splashy non-conference showdowns in which they have weeks to prepare for their opponent. And, as has been noted in just about every preview written about them, they return 20 of 22 starters from last year's 14-0 team. That's a good thing. On the other hand, they've never quite played a game like this one; the game is ostensibly at a "neutral site," but it's in FedEx Field at Washington, D.C., a few skips and jump away from the Hokies' home base in Blacksburg, VA -- and quite a few hops away from Boise. There should be no lack of motivation from the Hokies, either; they're ranked high enough to largely control their own national title destiny at this stage of the season and a win over a top-5 squad like Boise will only shoot them higher. Past BSU victims in high-profile games (Oklahoma in the '07 Fiesta or TCU in the '10 Fiesta) could point to the fact that the Fiesta Bowl was a consolation prize; Oklahoma had missed out on the national title game because of a pair of regular season losses (to Colorado and Texas Tech), while TCU had missed out on the national title game on account of Texas' last-second field goal in the Big XII Conference Championship Game. There won't be any such issues hampering Virginia Tech this year and there should be little reason for them to overlook Boise State after Boise's near-constant success over the past five years. There are some interesting match-ups to watch in the game, too; can Boise handle Virginia Tech's punishing running game (which should be even better with a healthy Darren Evans to spell Ryan Williams) and the athleticism of Tyrod Taylor? Conversely, can Virginia Tech's rebuilt defense handle the high-powered and experienced Boise offense, especially the pinpoint passing of Kellen Moore? It should be a fascinating battle.

THE PICK: Virginia Tech 28, Boise State 21

Pre-Season Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2009 Record: 6-6
2009 Bowl: None
Final 2009 AP Ranking: Not Ranked
Head Coach: Brian Kelly (First year at Notre Dame, 171-57-2 All-Time)
Schedule: Purdue (9/4), Michigan (9/11), at Michigan St (9/18), Stanford (9/25), at Boston College (10/2), Pittsburgh (10/9), Western Michigan (10/16), Navy (10/23), Tulsa (10/30), Utah (11/13), Army (11/20), at USC (11/27)

2009 Offensive Statistics
Scoring: 30.1 points per game (32nd in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 128 (84th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game:232 (5th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 451 (8th in Nation) 

2009 Defensive Statistics
Scoring: 25.9 points per game (63rd in Nation)
Rushing Yards/Game: 170 (89th in Nation)
Passing Yards/Game: 227 (76th in Nation)
Total Yards/Game: 397 (86th in Nation)

2009 Misc Stats
Turnover Margin: +0.42 per game (29th in Nation)
Penalties: 55 yards per game (73rd in Nation)

Returning Starters
Offense: 6
Defense: 9
Kicker/Punter: 2

Top Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: QB Dayne Crist, Jr (10 of 20 for 130 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Rushing: QB Armando Allen, Sr (142 carries for 697 yds, 3 TD, 4.9 ypc, 69 ypg)
Receiving: WR Michael Floyd, Jr (44 rec,795 yds, 18.07 yds/rec, 9 TD, 6.3 rec/game)
Tackles: LB Brian Smith, Sr (71); SS Harrison Smith, Sr (69)
Sacks: DE Ethan Johnson, Jr (4.0)
Interceptions: LB Brian Smith, Sr (2); CB Robert Blanton, Jr (2)

2010 Pre-Season Rankings
Athlon Sports: #26
Phil Steele: #16
Sporting News: #29

2010 Pre-Season Bowl Predictions:
Athlon Sports: Champs Sports Bowl (vs. Miami, Fl)
Phil Steele: Champs Sports Bowl (vs. Virginia Tech)

The good news for Notre Dame's defense this year is that they have 9 starters returning. Or is that bad news? Notre Dame was just not very good on defense last year. They ranked in the bottom half of the country in all major defensive categories and gave up more yardage than 3-9 Colorado State, 2-10 Maryland and 1-11 Miami (Ohio). Notre Dame made the long awaited change this off-season from Charlie Weiss to Brian Kelly. Kelly went 34-6 at Cincinnati (17-4 in the Big East) and has led his teams to 5 consecutive bowl appearances. Notre Dame has a tough but manageable schedule with the toughest match-ups looking to be against Boston College, Pitt, Utah and USC (they also start off with 3 Big Ten games and then Stanford that will really determine how good Notre Dame can be this year). An interesting note is that Notre Dame is only playing 3 true road games (2 games are at "neutral locations"). We like to get different perspectives here at CFBZ so, like we did with our Auburn preview, we turned to a fan of Notre Dame to take the proverbial temperature of the program. Here is what "Friend of the Blog" Craig Hudak had to say about Notre Dame's 2010 team:


What are the major strengths and biggest weaknesses of Notre Dame?

Offense was the only strength last year as the defense gave up way too many points. Somehow, OC Charlie Weis and Jimmy Clausen, along with Golden Tate, Kyle Rudolph, and for a smaller portion of the season, Michael Floyd, kept the team in most of the games they played. The defense was so bad and slow last year that you have to believe that the biggest strength is still going to be the teams ability to stretch the defense. The biggest question is going to be Dayne Crist's knee though, because if that doesn't hold up, I think Coach Brian Kelly and OC Charley Molnar's playbook for offense becomes a liability. I have faith in Molnar though, given what he's been able to do with other quarterbacks.

Looking at the schedule who will be the first major test?

The first major test is obviously Purdue. Purdue is going to be a legit threat this year and could very well be playing in a bowl game that isn't on at 3:24 AM on the History Channel, or wherever they put the bottom of the barrel bowl games now. They're not a BCS bowl team, but they're certainly better than they were last year. They nearly beat Notre Dame last year, and unless the defense has improved, I see Purdue beating Notre Dame. And don't forget, after Purdue, there's Michigan and Michigan State. Notre Dame NEVER beats Michigan and Michigan State both in the same season. Lose to Purdue, but beat those guys, and you really start to change the culture in South Bend. It's going to be a rough few games to open the season though, and the biggest test may be keeping their health good as they play three of their biggest rivals.

What team on the schedule do you fear the most?

Michigan, Michigan State, Tulsa? It's a tough schedule, it's always a tough schedule because it's Notre Dame. Even when it looks weak, Notre Dame fans know that every game is a tough test and you really have to fear all of these teams.

Who is the best player on your team that nobody talks about?

Duval Kamara. He's not the best player, but he's definitely the best player that no one talks about. He's a monster at 6'5" and he should be greatly improved over last year. While Floyd gets double coverage, look for Kamara going up for jump ball after jump ball. He's got a decent vertical leap, and at 6'5", who is going to get up higher than him?

Who is the best offensive player on the team?

Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph is another in a long line of great Notre Dame tight ends. He plays as well as a wide receiver, has amazing hands, and he's built like a linebacker. He's a monster and a playmaker. Floyd is the best wide receiver on the team, but his health is always in question, and you can always count on Rudolph for that big 3rd down play.

Who is the most impactful defensive player on the team?

Manti Te'o. This is the year where Te'o breaks out. Somehow, Charlie Weis recruited a player who is perfect for Bryan Kelly. He's a beast and if he can step up for 12 games this year, the defense should be good.

What player(s) needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's full capability?

Manti Te'o. He really needs to understand who he is and lead the defense on the field. If he is playing to his full potential, far too much attention is going to be paid to him by the offense, mistakes will be made, and the rest of the Notre Dame defense should come up big.

Who do you consider to be your biggest rivals and who is the team that you just can't stand to lose to?

Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Navy, USC, etc. Out of all of those teams though, I hate losing to Michigan and Navy. Navy, for so long, was an automatic win for this team, and in recent years, they've embarrassed Notre Dame. It's so pathetic and sad. As for Michigan, well, when you're born into being a Notre Dame fan, when you live a couple minutes from the campus, and when you've seen well over 200 games, hating Michigan is only natural. Others will say USC, but in recent years, USC has been so good and so impressive, that it's only natural they would beat Notre Dame over and over again.

Gut feeling on the teams final record at the end of the regular season?

8-4

What makes Brian Kelly's first year a successful season in your eyes?

The defense needs to come up big. The Notre Dame offense will be the same Notre Dame offense you've always seen, but the defense needs to be something we haven't seen before. If they play like a Brian Kelly defense, then this team should be OK. Anything less than 8-4 at the end of the season though, and Kelly is going to have a rough start to his time in South Bend.



Next Preview: Indiana Hoosiers

Previous Pre-Season Previews
ACC- Boston College Eagles, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maryland Terrapins, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big East- Cincinnati Bearcats, Pittsburgh Panthers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Syracuse Orange, UConn Huskies, USF Bulls, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big 12- Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big Ten- Illinois Fighting Illini, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers
C-USA- Houston Cougars,  SMU Mustangs, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave, UTEP Miners
Independent- Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen
MAC- Ball State Cardinals, Bowling Green Falcons, Buffalo Bulls, Central Michigan Chippewas, Temple Owls, Toledo Rockets
MWC- BYU Cougars,  Colorado State Rams, UNLV Rebels, Utah Utes
Pac-10- Arizona State Sun Devils, Oregon Ducks, Stanford Cardinal, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies
SEC- Auburn Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, Mississippi Rebels, South Carolina Gamecocks, Vanderbilt Commodores
Sun Belt- FIU Golden Panthers, North Texas Mean Green, Troy Trojans
WAC- Boise State Broncos, Fresno State Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, New Mexico State Aggies