Notre Dame Football: Fighting Irish Should Start Panicking Now

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were overrated and ranked way too highly to start the 2011 college football season.

With two consecutive losses, including an embarrassing defeat at the hand’s South Florida, the Irish proved that they simply still aren’t a solid football program anymore.

Brian Kelly already has more losses in his season and two games at Notre Dame than he did over his entire tenure at Cincinnati. The Bearcats are by no means a powerhouse football program and do not have any of the history that the Notre Dame name evokes.

Kelly was able to bring Cincy to back-to-back Big East Championships but has not been able to do much with his Fighting Irish program.

He has eight victories and seven defeats during his time with the team, a number that is not pleasing the huge number of alumni and other fans who turn out to watch the Irish every week.

As a team with a television contract to show each and every single one of their games on national TV, the Irish need to stop performing so awfully.

I for one am completely sick of NBC wasting solid broadcast time to air another Irish defeat.

They will take the field at home against a No. 15 ranked Michigan State team and will prove once again that they aren't worthy of their lofty preseason ranking.

The Irish are going to slide to 0-3 after they get demolished by a Michigan State team that has rolled over its first two weak opponents and should be amped to easily beat a team that is for some reason considered "good."

The Irish and Spartans clashed last year in an epic game that went to overtime, with State eventually prevailing 34-31. This year’s game won’t be nearly that exciting as Michigan State is good and the Irish, well, they are just terrible.

Brian Kelly is most likely going to be under a ton of pressure, and he will crack after losing the third straight game to open the season.

I can see him being forced out after the season or possibly even before if things keep going this way.

If the Irish don’t make some changes soon, prepare to see some big changes on the horizon in South Bend.