UGH, What Could Go Wrong -- Did Go Wrong!

This was as ugly as it gets -- as the Irish erased a 31 point deficit -- only to give up 21 points in three minutes late in the game to give ASU a 55 - 31 win.

Here's what went wrong:

• Four interceptions
• 3 fumbles (one on a botched field goal)
• Five total turnovers
• Four of the five turnovers led to 28 points for Arizona State
• MANY, MANY SACKS given up on offense

LINK:  BOX SCORE

OT: Former Tarheel Files Lawsuit

This story is not going away anytime soon...

LINK:  CNN STORY

Photos of Notre Dame's Walk Through at ASU

Here's a few photos taken by @NDFootball of the team's walk through at Arizona State's Sun Devils Stadium...

The Media Makes Their Picks: ND vs. ASU

Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to see what the "pundits" are saying about this afternoon's game between #10 Notre Dame and #9 Arizona State -- just click on the links below:

LINK:  ARIZONA REPUBLIC

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  LOU HOLTZ

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

Notre Dame Fans in Tempe -- Friday Night!

Here's a look at South Bend's ABC57's coverage last night from Tempe, AZ as the Notre Dame Nation get's ready for today's big game...

LINK:  THE IRISH INVASION

LINK:  PEP RALLY -- FRIDAY NIGHT

LINK:  PRE-GAME CELEBRATION

OT: One of the "Greatest Shows on Earth"

The Marine's SILENT DRILL PLATOON -- incredible!

LINK:  MUST SEE!

Taylor Swift's ND Sweatshirt "Photo Bomb!"

Seven time GRAMMY AWARD winning recording artist Taylor Swift -- was out getting some exercise in her NOTRE DAME SWEATSHIRT when she ran across a couple of girls posing for a photo shoot in a Nashville park.

Taylor's brother Austin is a student at the University of Notre Dame.

Click on the link below for the rest of the story!

LINK:  TAYLOR SWIFT

The Arizona Media Plays Up Notre Dame Game

It's the biggest late season football game in a long, long, long time in Tempe, AZ...

Here's what the media is saying:

LINK:  ARIZONA REPUBLIC

Video of Notre Dame Boarding Plane for AZ

The Fighting Irish left South Bend on the 767 pictured above -- during the noon hour today -- for their trip out to Phoenix International Airport and tomorrow's afternoon game with the Arizona State Sun Devils.

LINK:  VIDEO

Coach Brian Kelly Raves About Nyles Morgan

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media after today's practice -- as his #10 Fighting Irish prepare to fly to Phoenix tomorrow to take on #9 Arizona State Saturday afternoon...

LINK:  KELLY

Arizona State is "Cashing In" on Notre Dame

Arizona State -- ranked #9 in the College Football Playoff Poll -- has yet to sell out a football game this season...

That changes this Saturday afternoon when Notre Dame comes to town.

LINK:  NOTRE DAME ON THE SCHEDULE

Arizona Media Coverage of Notre Dame vs ASU

Took a lap around the State of Arizona to see what's being said about Saturday's big game between #9 Arizona State and #10 Notre Dame...

LINK:  ARIZONA REPUBLIC

LINK:  ARIZONA REPUBLIC #2

Muffet's Presser After Win Over Ferris State

Notre Dame's women's hoops team kicked off their "exhibition" schedule last night with a 92 - 32 win over my alma mater -- Ferris State University.  It was over -- early -- the Irish scored the first 28 points before the Bulldogs made their first basket...

LINK:  MUFFET, TURNER AND REIMER

Arizona State Coach Talks Notre Dame Game

Todd Graham, head coach of the Sun Devils, met with the media to talk about Saturday's game against Notre Dame.

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

Coach Brian Kelly's Tuesday Press Conference

Here's a look at Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly's press conference today. 

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Arizona State Unveils New Helmet & Uniform

Just in time for Saturday's nationally televised game with Notre Dame -- the players picked this opportunity to bring out their NIKE "Desert Fuel" get up...

LINK:  PLAYERS PICKED ND GAME

Notre Dame Events This Week in Arizona!

If you're going to be in the Phoenix area this weekend for Saturday's game between Notre Dame and Arizona State -- and you're looking for an opportunity to get together with some Irish fans -- here's what the Notre Dame Club of Phoenix has planned:

• Thursday night:  UND NIGHT -- at Monti's La Casa Vieja, Tempe @ 6 PM
• Friday night:  Old Town Irish Block Party -- Old Town Scottsdale @ 6 PM
• Saturday morning:  Mass & Tailgate Party 
• Sunday afternoon:  St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals -- tickets available

For more detailed information -- click on the links below...

PLEASE KNOW THESE EVENTS ARE OPEN TO ALL NOTRE DAME FANS!


LINK:  NOTRE DAME CLUB OF PHOENIX

Going to Saturday's Game? Grab the Sunscreen

Here's what the weather forecast looks like for Saturday's game between our Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Sun Devils of Arizona State.  It's a 3:30 PM ET kick-off...

OT: Some "UK Magic" in Trafalgar Square

Got to love this -- click on the link below...

LINK:  MAGIC

ESPN "Spinning" SEC's Remaining Schedules...

You've just got to laugh...

ESPN posted this "tweet" this afternoon about the upcoming "Conference Schedule" for the top four teams in the SEC -- choosing not to publicize the games EACH of these teams are playing against FCS teams over the next three weeks.  C'mon ESPN -- you're better than this...

Take a look at the opponents that were "conveniently" left off of the story ESPN is telling above about schedules.  Who has the "TOUGHEST ROAD" -- is it the team that's playing Presbyterian, Samford, UT-Martin or Western Carolina?


MISSISSIPPI STATE:

• November 8:  University of Tennessee-Martin

AUBURN:

• November 22:  Samford

ALABAMA:

• November 22:  Western Carolina

OLE MISS:

• November 8:  Presbyterian 

Brother Runs NYC Marathon to Honor Domer

Stephen Shay -- the youngest brother of former Notre Dame All-American Ryan Shay '02 -- ran the New York City Marathon yesterday, in honor of Ryan, who died of a heart attack while running the same route in 2007 during the US Olympic Marathon Trials...

The photo above is of the bench that was dedicated to Ryan at the spot he collapsed and died in 1997 -- Stephen ran by the bench during yesterday's NYC Marathon.

You'll want to read this story...

LINK:  HONORING HIS HERO

Game Ball Goes to Everett Golson: No Surprise

Here's another look at Everett Golson's "record night" for Notre Dame football...

LINK:  GAME BALL

Full Game Replay: Notre Dame 49 - Navy 39

Here's the full game replay of Notre Dame's 49 - 39 win last night over the Naval Academy.

LINK  FULL GAME REPLAY

Great Photo of Notre Dame Fans in Michigan!

ND Go Irish Blog regular Jeff Davis sent this photo to my cousin Mike Doyle of his two Fighting Irish fans at home! 

Amway Coaches Poll Drops Notre Dame to #8

A 49 - 39 win over Navy dropped Notre Dame a spot in today's Amway Coaches Poll...

LINK:  AMWAY COACHES POLL

OT: Lauren Hill's "Last Basketball Game" 2 PM

This is a story that I just learned about this morning.

Lauren Hill, a freshman college basketball player at Mount St. Joseph's in Cincinnati -- has inoperable brain cancer.  She has been given just a few weeks to live -- so her college team petitioned the NCAA to move up a home game so she could play one last time...

FOX SPORTS is broadcasting the game LIVE beginning at 2 PM ET today -- there won't be a dry eye in the gymnasium or in front of TV sets all across America. 

Here's the TV GUIDE for where to find the game -- but, first -- you must watch Lauren talk about her situation:

LINK:  LAUREN -- IN HER OWN WORDS

LINK:  TV GUIDE

MUST SEE: Indiana State's "Hidden Ball Play"

You must watch this...

LINK:  HIDDEN BALL TRICK PLAY

Brian Kelly's Postgame Navy Press Conference

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media after last night's 49 - 39 win over the Naval Academy.  Here's what he had to say:

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

Everett Golson & Coach Kelly Talk Navy Win

This is the CBS postgame on-field interview of Everett Golson and Coach Brian Kelly.

CBS Sports Highlights: Notre Dame Over Navy

Here are the CBS Sports' highlights from tonight's 49 to 39 win for the Fighting Irish over the Naval Academy:

Everett Golson's Fumble, Stumble, Rumble TD!

Here's Notre Dame's "put the game away" TD with just over a minute left in regulation in the Fighting Irish's 49 - 39 win over Navy today...

Everett Golson is the FIRST NOTRE DAME QB IN HISTORY -- to throw 3 TD passes and run for 3 TD's in a game!

LINK:  FUMBLE, STUMBLE, RUMBLE

ND Fans -- a Win, Is a Win, Is a Win, Is a Win...

Now, we'll have to wait to learn if we have enough scholarship players left on defense to take on Arizona State's "high flying" offense next week...

That was ugly. 

It doesn't matter what the College Football Playoff Committee ranks us this week -- we win our remaining four games and we will be in the College Football Playoff -- bank on it!

LINK:  GAME STATS
 

Robinson & Hunter on Brian Kelly Radio Show

Corey Robinson and Torii Hunter Jr. were guests last night on the Brian Kelly Radio Show. 

You'll want to hear Coach Kelly talk about "WE PLAY REAL GAMES..."

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW

Navy QB, FB and Head Coach Talk Notre Dame

Navy Football talks about Saturday night's game against Notre Dame...

LINK:  NAVY FOOTBALL

Coach Kelly Talks Navy One Last Time Today

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today after practice -- the last time he'll meet with the press prior to Saturday night's PRIME TIME game with the Naval Academy.

LINK:  PRESS CONFERENCE

Muffet's Fighting Irish Ranked #3 in AP Poll

Notre Dame's women's basketball team was ranked #3 in the country in today's Associated Press Preseason Poll -- not bad for a team that lost three starters -- two drafted in the first nine picks to the WNBA...

Muffet just reloads!

LINK:  TOP 25

A "Touchdown Jesus" Pumpkin Design!

My wife created this "TOUCHDOWN JESUS" pumpkin today -- pretty awesome if I say so myself!

Brian Kelly on the Jay Mohr Sports Radio Show

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was a guest yesterday on the Jay Mohr Sports Show -- you'll enjoy this interview:

LINK:  KELLY ON MOHR

Know Thy Opponent: Navy Football Video

Here's an "inside" look at the Naval Academy's football program -- as they prepared to play San Jose State last week...

LINK:  NAVY FOOTBALL

Even Bob Stoops Questions ND's #10 Ranking

You can add Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops to the bandwagon of those questioning why Notre Dame is ranked only 10th in the first College Football Playoff Ranking.

Here's Stoops on his radio show last night:

LINK:  STOOPS ON NOTRE DAME

Factoring Academics Into CFB Playoff Rankings

The folks at ESPN -- who rarely ever talk about graduation rates of college student-athletes -- created a formula called ESPN GRADE which factors in graduation rates when ranking teams. 

Unfortunately, it doesn't get any play...

Well, ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook penned this piece where he took the College Football Playoff Rankings and "mashed-up" the ESPN GRADE ranking system against their TOP 25.  Here's the new rankings of teams based on graduation rates:

LINK:  CFB PLAYOFF RANKING

Rolling Stone's Take: "Worldwide Cheerleader"

Notre Dame fans are going to want to read this article penned by the Rolling Stone's Jordan Burchette about ESPN's "cheerleading" for the SEC...

LINK:  THE WORLDWIDE CHEERLEADER

ND Go Irish Blog Follower Count: 950,000 !!!

At 11:23 PM ET last night a Notre Dame fan from Marble Falls, TX became ND GO IRISH BLOG unique follower #950,000.

Moving ever close to the ONE MILLION mark...

Thanks again for making the ND GO IRISH BLOG one of your Notre Dame stops on the worldwide web!

Notre Dame Ranked #10 in CFB Playoff Ranking

Well, the "first-ever" College Football Playoff Poll was released in the past 30 minutes and our Fighting Irish are ranked #10 -- with six weeks left in the college football season.

If you look at the rankings -- each of the "Power Five" Conferences have a team ranked ahead of Notre Dame -- is that a coincidence?  I don't think so. 

We're the "eighth best" one-loss team in the country?  Really???

Here's the TOP TWENTY-FIVE:

1.  Mississippi State
2.  Florida State
3.  Auburn
4.  Ole Miss
5.  Oregon
6.  Alabama
7.  TCU
8.  Michigan State
9.  Kansas State
10.  NOTRE DAME
11.  Georgia
12.  Arizona
13.  Baylor
14.  Arizona State
15.  Nebraska
16.  Ohio State
17.  Utah
18.  Oklahoma
19.  LSU
20.  West Virginia
21.  Clemson
22.  UCLA
23.  East Carolina
24.  Duke
25.  Louisville

LINK:  ESPN STORY

Theo Riddick Playing Ahead of Reggie Bush?

That is the question being floated around by the Detroit media these days...

The former Notre Dame student-athlete had his best game as a professional in London, England this past Sunday -- subbing for the often injured Reggie Bush.

Here's what they're saying about Theo Riddick:

LINK:  RIDDICK OVER BUSH

Instead of a College Football Playoff Ranking...

What if, the College Football Playoff Committee announced a list of the 28 teams today -- still in consideration for one of the FINAL FOUR SPOTS -- instead of a ranking?  Then, every week -- for the next six weeks -- they eliminate four more teams from the list.

So, on Tuesday, December 2nd -- the Committee would announce the list of EIGHT TEAMS still under consideration for the College Football Playoff -- with the Final Four announced on Sunday, December 7th.  The Committee would then announce their seeding of those four teams at that time.

So, here's my list of the 28 teams that would still be under consideration for the COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS on October 28, 2014:


ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE:

• Florida State
• Clemson
• Louisville
• Duke

BIG TEN CONFERENCE:

• Michigan State
• Ohio State 
• Nebraska
• Wisconsin

SEC CONFERENCE:

• Mississippi State
• Auburn
• Alabama
• Georgia
• Ole Miss 
• Missouri

PAC-12 CONFERENCE:

• Oregon
• Arizona State
• Utah
• UCLA
• Arizona

BIG-12 CONFERENCE:

• TCU
• Kansas State
• Baylor
• Oklahoma

 AT-LARGE:

• Notre Dame
• East Carolina
• Marshall
• Colorado State
• North Dakota State

Navy Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference

Notre Dame fans can tune-in LIVE at NOON ET today to watch Coach Kelly's press conference.  He'll be addressing another Fighting Irish PRIME TIME contest this Saturday night against the Naval Academy.

Just click on the link below:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Enter the Notre Dame Pumpkin Carving Contest

Do you have some "mad skills" as a pumpkin carver?  Well, if you do -- now's your chance to show them off!