Head coach Brian Kelly’s 2016 squad doesn’t appear to be as good as last season’s 10-win unit, but there are just enough good parts to expect another rock-solid year from the Irish. Last year’s defense wasn’t a killer and the offense wasn’t always dominant, but both sides figured out how to win games. When your three losses are at Clemson, at Stanford and in a bowl game against Ohio State, you’ve done something right.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Regular Season Win Total Odds at BookMaker.eu
Fighting Irish Over 9.5 Wins +110
Fighting Irish Under 9.5 Wins -130
2015 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH SEASON REVIEW
The Irish suffered a little bit of bad turnover luck, lost their starting running back in the first week of the season, lost their quarterback in the second week and dealt with a secondary that was banged up all year. They were adapting on the fly the entire season.
But in the regular season, they lost only in the final minute, on the road, to the teams that finished second and third in the final AP poll.
The end of the 2015 season is a sore spot for Irish fans. Hovering as a College Football Playoff candidate, the Irish were knocked from consideration following a last second loss at Stanford to close the regular season. Then a depleted squad was handled easily by Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Overall, though, not a bad season considering the losses were to teams that posted a combined 38-4 record.
WHAT CHANGED
Can the receiving corps be okay? Losing superstar Will Fuller hurts. He was the game-changer, averaging over 20 yards per grab with 1,258 yards and 14 of the team’s 25 touchdown catches. Losing top targets Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle is a problem, too.
That means Torii Hunter Jr. has to be a steady No. 1-caliber playmaker, and others have to fill in the gaps. Everything else should be in place on offense, but the attack goes to another level if one of the receivers turns into someone defensive coordinators have to worry about. Hunter has the ability to make the spectacular play. The Irish should be able to run without too much of a problem, but to have any shot at the CFP the air show has to be there, too.
2016 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Sep. 4: at Texas
Sep. 10: vs. Nevada
Sep. 17: vs. Michigan State
Sep. 24: vs. Duke
Oct. 1: at Syracuse
Oct. 8: at North Carolina State
Oct. 15: vs. Stanford
Oct. 29: vs. Miami
Nov. 5: vs. Navy
Nov. 12: vs. Army
Nov. 19: vs. Virginia Tech
Nov. 26: at USC
2016 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH SEASON PREVIEW
With two returning starters for one spot, the Irish must figure out their quarterback situation. Malik Zaire looked the part of a Heisman contender against Texas then broke his ankle against Virginia. DeShone Kizer was fearless. His touchdown pass with 12 seconds left to beat the Cavaliers was magic, as was the remainder of his season.
Notre Dame features more exciting sophomores and juniors than almost any team in the country. The Irish will have a serious shot at a playoff bid, especially considering the schedule is much lighter than last season. And if the defense plays to its recruiting rankings, this team’s ceiling is as high as anyone’s outside of Tuscaloosa.
The run defense has to be improved in 2016. The group allowed 200 or more yards five times, had no chance against Ohio State and was shredded by the Navy and Georgia Tech option attacks. Having the front seven hold teams to fewer than 200 yards will be considered a win.
The Irish have only two truly dangerous road games – starting at Texas and ending at USC. Michigan State, Stanford and Miami all come to South Bend. There isn’t a 2015 Clemson on the docket, and there isn’t any one opponent that should be head-and-shoulders better. A 10-2 record is about right, but with a few breaks along the way, 11-1 might be good enough to get in range of the CFP.
College Football Odds: Notre Dame Fighting Irish Over 9.5 Wins
Bookmaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling line action at Bookmaker sportsbook!
