Return to Glory: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish Will Win 11 Games This Season

This past Saturday afternoon, I sat 17 rows above the student section at Notre Dame Stadium, patiently awaiting the Irish's tilt with Michigan and all the while hoping for the rain to hold off.

Almost every sports writer in the country wrote this game off as the most unanticipated and meaningless evolution of this storied rivalry. But looking down at the best student section in the country and feeling the buzz around the stadium, it felt as alive as it has ever been.

Nine minutes into the game, the Fighting Irish went up 21-0 on an electrifying 48-yd TD pass from Jimmy Claussen to Golden Tate, and the capacity crowd of 80,000+ erupted. The fight song rang out and the words seemed more prescient than ever...

"Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky."

And wake up the echoes they did. As the sky opened up, and the rain continued to escalate, so too did the noise from the Irish faithful. The Irish defense brought down the thunder on the Wolverines in the second half and when the final gun sounded, the Irish had come away with a 35-17 victory. Walking out of the stadium, the same notion seemed to dawn on everyone: The Irish have a contender.

Notre Dame takes its act on the road for the first time this year, heading to East Lansing, MI for a showdown with the Spartans of Michigan State. The feeling going into this game is simple: Beat the Spartans, and then try not to look ahead to 11/29 and USC.

Yes, the Irish have to play eight games between the Spartans and the Trojans. But looking at their schedule, one can't help but think there is a legitimate chance for the Irish to run the table to the L.A. Coliseum.

After Michigan State, the Notre Dame schedule features home games against Purdue, Stanford, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse and road games at UNC, Washington, Boston College, and Navy. The eight teams listed here boast a combined record of 7-13 through the end of Week Three. Everyone knows there are no guarantees in sports, but the Irish schedule lends favorably to a 10+ win season.

The Irish backfield is deep, featuring a great 1-2 punch in Robert Hughes and Armando Allen. Sophomore QB Jimmy Clausen has dismissed all fears about his arm-strength, and his confidence will rise as this team keeps winning.  

With Golden Tate and David Grimes on the outside, the Irish WR core is effective and look for highly-touted Freshman Michael Floyd to emerge as the season progresses. The defense has been solid and they have been opportunistic—they have that game-changing potential that a true contender needs.

You either love 'em or hate 'em, but Notre Dame has made their scrum with Michigan State this Saturday a must-watch. The two teams have alternated W/L the last six years, with MSU winning 31-14 last year. And should Notre Dame prevail against the Spartans, Irish eyes will be smiling in South Bend, IN as they march toward a date with No. 1 USC on November 29th.