#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

South Bend's FOX 28 Report from Palo Alto, CA

Fox 28: South Bend, Elkhart IN News, Weather, Sports

WNDU-TV Report from Palo Alto, CA

A Domer's Son -- Playing QB at Stanford Today

Kevin Hogan, Stanford's QB -- is a son of Notre Dame.   His dad, who died this past December from cancer, was a Domer as are dozens of other family members.

Here's a Mercury News story about Kevin and ND...

LINK:  A SON OF NOTRE DAME

Stanford's McCaffrey Talks Notre Dame Game

"Don't Blame Notre Dame's Independence..."

Thought you'd enjoy reading this Yahoo! Sports story...

LINK:  YAHOO! SPORTS

Give Thanks, Give Glory & Give 'Em Hell!

Happy Thanksgiving from Notre Dame!

8FOR8 at Notre Dame:  We gave 8 incoming Notre Dame students a GoPro camera to capture their first 8 weeks of college...


The Phone Call:  A Notre Dame student talks about the "greatest moment" of her life.


This is Home:  A freshman student opens up about her life and the home she's found at Notre Dame.


Halfway Around the World:  A freshman student from China talks about the gift of his Notre Dame education.

Stanford Head Coach Talks Notre Dame Game

Inside Notre Dame's Win Over BC at Fenway

ND Players Talk Drop in CFB Playoff Rankings

New York Times Story on ND QB DeShone Kizer

Thought you'd enjoy reading this...

LINK:  NEW YORK TIMES

ESPN Talks Oklahoma or ND...

Take the Test -- Rank the TEAMS in the Playoff

Well, the Notre Dame family has its IRISH UP!

We just saw our Fighting Irish drop from #4 to #6 -- with three teams jumping us this week in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Here's what happened Saturday to precipitate this change:

• #4 Notre Dame beat Boston College (3 - 8) 19 - 16 -- despite five turnovers
• #5 Iowa beat Purdue (2 - 8) 40 - 20 at home
• #7 Oklahoma beat TCU (9 - 1) 30 - 29 -- stopping TCU's two point conversion to win the game
• #9 Michigan State beat Ohio State (10 - 0) 17 - 14 -- last second FG

We keep hearing the term "body of work" -- so, here it is -- the body of work for each of the teams ranked #3 to #6 in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Now it's your turn to sit on the Committee.  You rank the teams...

TAKE THE CFB PLAYOFF COMMITTEE TEST! 
Rank these four "nameless" teams -- in order of #3 to #6.  I'm willing to bet you that if you just use the body of work -- you won't see the Fighting Irish outside the TOP FOUR!

TEAM A  10 - 1

• FBS Opponents' Record:  69 - 59
• FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 3

TEAM B  11 - 0

• FBS Opponents' Record:  53 - 68
• FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  3

TEAM C  10 - 1

• FBS Opponents' Record: 70 - 60
• FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  4

TEAM D  10 - 1

• FBS Opponents' Record:  73 - 58
• FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 5

If you need "tie-breakers" to assist you in determining the rankings of these four teams -- here they are:

• Team D beat Texas 38 - 3
• Team A lost to Texas 24 - 17

• Team D beat Pittsburgh:  42 - 30 @ Pitt
• Team B beat Pittsburgh:  27 - 24 @ Home (on a last second FG)  

Cheat Sheet: Team A is Oklahoma, Team B is Iowa, Team C is Michigan State and Team D is Notre Dame.

A "Sneak Peek" -- A Season With Notre Dame

Go behind-the-scenes as @NDFootball made their home away from home @fenwaypark ​tonight,10p/9c. #ASeasonWith #NDvsBC https://t.co/RMUL9071p1

— A Season With (@ASeasonWith) November 25, 2015

On Showtime this evening at 10 PM ET.

Stanford Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference

OT: Pope Francis' Miracle Kiss...

   

Romeo Okwara Talks With Jac Collinsworth

Coach Kelly Talks BC Win with Jack Nolan

Tonight's CFB Playoff Rankings...

Folks, here's the drill...

Whether we're #3, #4, #5 or #6 tonight -- it really doesn't matter.

WE HAVE TO BEAT STANFORD SATURDAY ON THE ROAD -- we do that and I like our chances of finishing in the TOP FOUR.  Here's why:

• The ACC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
• The SEC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
• The Big Ten will have one team in the CFB Playoff 

This is a given.

It will come down to who looks better on paper out of these three teams -- for one of those four positions in the Playoff:

• 11 - 1 Notre Dame
• 11 - 1 Oklahoma or an 11 - 1 Oklahoma State

Here's what that "paper" looks like right now:

NOTRE DAME:

• FBS Opponents:  11
• Opponents Records:  73 - 58
• Opponents with 8+ wins:  5
• Common opponent Texas: Notre Dame 38 - Texas 3

Please note:  if Pitt beats Miami this Saturday -- ND will have 5 opponents with 9+ wins this season.

OKLAHOMA:

• FBS Opponents:  11
• Opponents Records:  69 - 59
• Opponents with 8+ wins:  3 
• Common opponent Texas:  Texas 24 - Oklahoma 17

OKLAHOMA STATE:

• FBS Opponents: 9
• Opponents Records:  67 - 60 
• Opponents with 8+ wins: 3
• Common opponent Texas: Oklahoma State 30 - Texas 27

We beat Stanford Saturday night -- it will be difficult to keep us out of the Playoff!

BC Head Coach Talks Loss to Notre Dame

Full Game Replay: ND 19 - BC 16 @ Fenway

Here's a link to the full game replay of Notre Dame's win over Boston College last night at Fenway Park...

LINK:  ND 19 - BC 16

BC Game: Coach Kelly's Post Game Presser

Brian Kelly Talks With ESPN After Win Over BC

David Ortiz's Request of Notre Dame Football

This is pretty cool.

Notre Dame Football Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms @NDFBEquipment sent out this tweet, acknowledging that Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz requested that Notre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter, Jr. (son of recently retired baseball star Torii Hunter, Sr.) -- be assigned his locker for tonight's game at Fenway Park.

Classy move.

Photo: Notre Dame Helmet Atop Green Monster

Notre Dame Football's Equipment Manager Ryan Grooms @NDFBEquipment "tweeted" out these two photos yesterday...

BC Coach Talks ND: Live From Fenway Friday

Boston's Security Plans for Tonight's Game

Here's a TV report from Boston's ABC affiliate last night about security plans for tonight's Shamrock Series game between Boston College and Notre Dame at Fenway Park.

LINK:  BEEFED UP SECURITY

ND at Fenway: Undefeated & Unscored Upon

The Fighting Irish played their first game at Fenway Park back in 1944 -- beating Dartmouth 64 - 0.  The coach that year -- Ed McKeever -- was "standing in" for the legendary Frank Leahy, who left Notre Dame to serve our country in the Navy during World War II.

Tonight's game with Boston College will be Notre Dame's second football game at Fenway Park -- 71 years later.

Notre Dame's Team Photo at Fenway Park

The folks at @ndfootball "tweeted" this out last night after the Fighting Irish's walk through at Fenway Park --- note the iconic "Green Monster" in the background...

CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

Shamrock Series: Coach Kelly's Last Presser