#3 Notre Dame Takes on #1 UCONN on ESPN

Muffet's Fighting Irish take on that team from Storrs, CT today on ESPN at 5:30 PM ET -- not at full strength -- for the third time in the last four games of this series.

Notre Dame's top two forwards; Brianna Turner and Taya Reimer are not expected to play for the #3 ranked Irish against the nation's top team.

These two teams played for the National Championship back in April. 

The Opponents Notre Dame Will Face In 2016

I decided to look at Notre Dame's opponents next season, their head coaches, returners at QB and the team's record in 2015.  Here's some of the highlights:

• ND plays against three teams with head coaches that are former ND assistants in their first four games
• ND will play half of their games in 2016 against teams with a new starting QB
• ND's opponents' returning starting QB's threw 66 TD's and 29 INT's
• ND will play against three teams in 2016 who have new head coaches -- four if you want to count USC
• ND's opponents' record in 2015:  82 - 57

@ TEXAS -- September 3

• Head Coach Charlie Strong -- former ND assistant
• QB:  Jerome Heard -- 5 TD / 5 INT
• 2015 record:  5 - 7

NEVADA -- September 10

• Head Coach Brian Polian -- former ND assistant
• QB:  Tyler Stewart -- 15 TD / 7 INT
• 2015 record:  6 - 6

MICHIGAN STATE -- September 17

• Head Coach Mark Dantonio
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  12 - 1

DUKE -- September 24

• Head Coach David Cutcliffe -- former ND assistant
• QB:  Thomas Sirk -- 15 TD / 6 INT
• 2015 record:  7 - 5

@ SYRACUSE -- October 1

• Head Coach Dino Babers (just hired)
• QB:  Eric Dungey -- 11 TD / 5 INT
• 2015 record:  4 - 8

@ NORTH CAROLINA STATE -- October 8

• Head Coach Dave Doeren
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  7 - 5

STANFORD -- October 15

• Head Coach David Shaw
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  11 - 2

MIAMI -- October 29

• Head Coach Mark Richt (just hired) 
• QB:  Brad Kaaya 15 TD / 4 INT
• 2015 record:  8 - 4

@ NAVY -- November 5

• Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  9 - 2

ARMY (Shamrock Series Game) -- November 12

• Head Coach Jeff Monken
• QB:  Ahmad Bradshaw 5 TD / 2 INT
• 2015 record:  2 - 9

VIRGINIA TECH -- November 19

• Head Coach Justin Fuente (just hired)
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  6 - 6

@ USC -- November 26

• Head Coach Clay Helton (just named)
• QB:  New starter in 2016
• 2015 record:  8 - 5

Should Stanford's Last TD Have Counted?

You're going to want to watch this / read this...

On Stanford's last TD of the game -- a pass to a wide-open TE in the left flat -- you'll notice that the TE is lined up on the right side of the line (third lineman over from the center -- photo below) like an offensive tackle.  I'll let the article take it from here...

No matter what you think -- this is a "brilliant" formation and play call in the redzone.

LINK:  ILLEGAL PLAY?

Muffet Plays "Small Ball" to Beat the Buckeyes

Domer's At It Again: "Re-elect Iowa Speedway"

Just last month Notre Dame alum Jimmy Small '08 -- was trying out for the Iowa Barnstormers...

Well, yesterday -- he announced Iowa Speedway's re-election campaign.  Here is his stump speech.

Latest Bowl Projections for Notre Dame

Took a lap around the worldwide web to see where the media prognosticators are predicting Notre Dame will play in a bowl game -- and who they will play...

LINK:  CBS SPORTS -- PEACH BOWL vs. FLORIDA STATE

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED -- FIESTA BOWL vs. IOWA

LINK:  FOX SPORTS -- FIESTA BOWL vs. OHIO STATE

LINK:  ESPN -- FIESTA BOWL vs. IOWA or HOUSTON

Inside Notre Dame's Loss to Stanford Saturday

Brian Kelly Talks Loss to Stanford w/ Don Criqui

Notre Dame's "Class of 2029" at Stanford...

You'll want to read this story about Taylor Leadership Academy's 3rd Grade Class' trip to see Notre Dame take on Stanford...

LINK:  "NOW I BELIEVE"

OT: Greatest Helmet / Uniform Story -- EVER!

I am absolutely jazzed with what Under Armour has come up with for the Naval Academy and their annual game next Saturday with Army...

WOW !!!

You're going to want to read the STORY tied to the helmets and uniform design...

I'm now thinking -- maybe we should do Notre Dame tribute helmets -- these next five Shamrock Series games to our five National Championship coaches and their eleven teams.

What do you think?

USC Hires Clay Helton as Head Football Coach

The "interim" tag has been removed from the title.

LINK:  HELTON GETS GIG

Coach Kelly With Media After Loss to Stanford

"Tight End U" Became "Tight End FEW" in 2015

As in few catches (17), few yards (204) and ONE TOUCHDOWN for the entire 2015 season. 

What happened to the home of; Casper, MacAfee, Bavaro, Mastzak, Hunter, Brown, Holohan, Fasano, Smith, Carlson, Rudolph, Eifert, etc. ???

Notre Dame never sees this type of production -- for the season -- from the Tight End position:

• Alize Jones:  11 catches for 166 yards 
• Nic Weishar:  3 catches for 19 yards
• Durham Smythe:  2 catches for 13 yards and 1 TD (fake field goal)
• Chase Hounshell 1 catch for 6 yards

Here's Stanford's production out of their Tight End position (last night) against Notre Dame:

• 9 catches for 174 yards and 2 TD's

If you want to point to a telling stat for the season -- especially when you look at Notre Dame's inability to score TD's in the Red Zone -- it was SIX total points out of the TE position (which came on a fake field goal).

ESPN Interviews McCaffrey After Win Over ND

Replay: Sanders' 93 Yard Kick-Off Return TD

Replay: Will Fuller's 73 Yard Touchdown Catch

Replay: Josh Adams' 62 Yard Touchdown Run

Game Highlights: Stanford 38 - Notre Dame 36

Are the Fighting Irish Peach Bowl Bound?

I just saw a bowl game prediction that would have Notre Dame playing Florida State in the Peach Bowl -- on New Year's Eve in Atlanta, GA.

Other bowl options:

• Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State
• Tax Slayer Bowl vs. Mississippi State

Notre Dame Arrives at Stanford Stadium

Jaylon Smith and the Irish have arrived at Stanford Stadium. We're live at 6 on WNDU with the Irish. pic.twitter.com/e7Ja1QuvwM

— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlowndu) November 28, 2015