Slap the Sign
Fansided

Notre Dame Football: How the 2018 Schedule Stacks up against 2017

By Sonny Martinez

TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 18: Corey Robinson #88 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches a touchdown over Jalen Ramsey #8 of the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 18, 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - OCTOBER 18: Corey Robinson #88 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish catches a touchdown over Jalen Ramsey #8 of the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 18, 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Notre Dame football
SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 04: Jerry Tillery #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Ryan Anderson #70 of the Wake Forest Demon Deaconsat Notre Dame Stadium on November 4, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest 48-37.(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Game 4: 2017 @ Michigan State vs 2018 @ Wake Forest

Michigan State won 10 games last year, including games against rivals Michigan and Penn State. Notre Dame won 38-18 last season. Wake Forest returns 14 starters, minus record-setting quarterback John Wolford, from a team that went 8-5. Depending on the play of quarterback Kendall Hinton, Wake Forest should be could reach 9 wins this season, but are almost a lock for a bowl game. Because of not only the uncertainty at quarterback and questions of Wake Forest’s defense, I’d take Michigan State as the tougher game.

2017: 3
2018: 1

Game 5: 2017 Miami (Ohio) vs 2018 Stanford

Much like game two, this isn’t even close. A MAC team that went 5-7 last year just wasn’t a match for Notre Dame in a 52-17 Irish victory. Stanford, on the other hand, returns 14 starters, including Heisman contending running back Bryce Love. This is a total mismatch.

2017: 3
2018: 2

Game 6: 2017 @ North Carolina vs 2018 @ Virginia Tech

Our first matchup of ACC opponents, this is yet another that I believed to be clearly in favor of one team, up until the recent news out of Blacksburg. Notre Dame went to North Carolina in the midst of what would end up being a 6 game Tar Heels losing streak during which the Heels looked like they had mentally checked out. They finished the season at 3-9. On the other hand, Virginia Tech has the potential for 9 wins and could also end up making a huge run at the ACC Coastal. That is, of course, if Josh Jackson is still on the team, as a recent off the field issue could change everything. I still think this is in favor of Virginia Tech, still by a pretty big margin. Need more proof? Last year, Virginia Tech hammered North Carolina, 59-7.

2017: 3
2018: 3

Home/Notre Dame Fighting Irish