Notre Dame Football: Writers Tackle The Vegas Over/Under
By J.P. Scott
The wise guys in Las Vegas have set the over/under for Notre Dame football in 2018. Our writers give their takes on whether or not the Irish will beat it.
One of the most interesting topics of the college football offseason is often the release of the over/under win totals by the oddsmakers all of the teams — including Notre Dame football.
The wise guys in Las Vegas have released those numbers, and for Notre Dame, it’s an interesting one: 8.5.
Some of our writers weighed in on just whether or not Notre Dame football could top 8.5 wins during the 2018 campaign.
SPOILER ALERT: confidence is high amongst the staff.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are not responsible for any lost college tuition or bill money as a result of these takes.
Connor McJunkin: Over
Though the Irish have a tough schedule, lost some talent in this year’s draft, and have a question mark at QB, I don’t see this team losing more than 2-3 games. This roster might have some holes, but this team has more than enough talent to win 10-11 games.
Nathan Erbach: Over
I don’t think this is the team to take Notre Dame football back to the College Football Playoff (hopefully I’m wrong), but I do think we will see another step forward for the Irish.
With a relatively tough schedule ahead, it’s tough to be too bold here, but I feel Notre Dame will find a way to reach the 10-win mark again.
Wimbush will be better, the defense will be just as good if not better, and the new(ish) coaching staff will continue to impress.
Jack Leniart: Over
I think the Irish will finish the regular season at 9-3.
Brian Kelly hasn’t had back-to-back seasons with ten or more wins since his time at Cincinnati. Worse than that statistic, Notre Dame hasn’t had back-to-back seasons with ten or more wins since Lou Holtz was their head coach.
The 2018 schedule is tough. The Irish will face some top-tier opponents at home and on the road. They will also have to navigate a tricky travel schedule that picks up in the second half of the season.
Notre Dame has some question marks on the offensive side of the ball heading into this season. I think those will ultimately prevent this team from winning ten or more games in the regular season, but I do believe they should win nine.
Carlee North: Over
I think Brandon Wimbush surprises not only majority of Irish fans, but also the college football world. Along with the experience on defense and more experience for Wimbush to throw too, it will be a very successful season for Notre Dame.
The Irish will win 11 games and be in the thick of the College Football Playoff hunt. There are three games that really worry me this season — Michigan, Stanford and Virginia Tech. I think the Irish get over the hump and finally get on the winning side with Stanford.
Because Michigan is a home game, I do give the Irish the slight nod. As for the one loss, I think it comes to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, which I believe will be a primetime night game.
Sonny Martinez: Over
I don’t think the Irish find a way to lose four games. Between two Group of Five teams as well as 5 games against teams in the middle of bottom of their respective conferences, there’s plenty of games the Irish should win. Between Michigan, Stanford, Florida State and USC, Notre Dame will win at minimum one of those games. I think we’ll see 10 wins.
J.P. Scott: Over
I really wanted to say “Under,” just to add some flavor to the conversation. At the end of the day, I can’t. I don’t think the Irish are world-beaters this season, but they are underrated from a talent standpoint.
Additionally, there isn’t any one team on Notre Dame’s schedule that “wows” you on paper with talent. Truth be told, I only see two teams — Michigan and Stanford — with comparable talent both on the field and on the sidelines. They could lose to both and take a loss at Virginia Tech and still hit nine. That said, I think splitting Michigan and Stanford while taking the loss to the Hokies and running the table the rest of the way is a more realistic scenario.
Next: Notre Dame football Bold Predictions and Hot Takes For 2018
This is a Notre Dame team that — barring injury — should win less than nine games. If they do, it might be time to have another conversation about Brian Kelly’s future with the program.