Notre Dame Football: ESPN FPI projected win totals for 2021 season
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame Football team has won ten or more games in each of the last four seasons, so does ESPN think that trend will continue?
It has been a solid run for the Notre Dame Football program, as they have been to two of the last three College Football Playoffs. During that time, they have an undefeated season to their credit during the regular season last year and have seen multiple players get drafted into the NFL.
After nine players from the 2020 roster got drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft, the program is seeing a lot of new faces that will have to step up in 2021. They are revamping the offensive line, have a new quarterback, and lost an All-American linebacker this past offseason, which is a lot to lose.
As we get closer to the summer, the Irish will have to start figuring out who steps up and becomes a leader, as the program looks to continue its winning ways.
ESPN FPI win totals for Notre Dame football
According to ESPN’s FPI, Notre Dame football has a projected win total of 8.3 games. The Irish are given a 1 percent chance of winning out, which does not bode well for a national championship season. Truth is, the Irish should be closer to ten games before all is said and done, as the schedule is not that tough.
The FPI also only gave the Irish a ten percent chance of making it to the College Football Playoff, which is by far the worst odds of any team that made it last year. Alabama, Ohio STate, and Clemson are all expected to be the best teams in the country this season, but the Irish have been ranked anywhere from No. 6 through No. 15, which is a testament to how much talent they have lost this offseason.
Overall, I believe the Irish are going to be better than an eight-win team and could find themselves in the conversation for the CFP if they can run through their regular-season slate once again. They have more than enough depth behind the players they lost to be one of the best teams in the country this upcoming season, and it will be interesting to see how everything shapes out when all is said and done.