Sensational sportsbook Bodog previews the Fighting Irish football season.
Perhaps you may have heard, but Notre Dame has a new football coach. Frankly, the "Charlie Weis watch" was one of the dominant storylines of 2009. And when the Irish lost their final four games last season to finish 6-6, it was a foregone conclusion that Weis would be out.
In is former Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, who is charged with turning around a storied program that produced a combined 16-21 record the past three years.
Notre Dame has finished with a final Associated Press poll ranking seven times dating back to 1995, but the Irish have ended up in the final AP Top 10 just once in 1993. Notre Dame still fancies itself as a program above the rest, but the on-field success just doesn't prove that out anymore. And this could be Notre Dame's last season as a football independent, as the Big Ten's expansion could force the Irish to finally join that conference even though Notre Dame prefers to stand alone.
It's hard to gauge what Notre Dame will be in 2010 with all the changes installed by Kelly and the loss of offensive stars Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate to the NFL. That Irish offense last year was one of the best in school history, averaging 451.8 yards per game. But the defense was lousy again. Overall, 14 combined starters from the offense (6) and defense (8) are back. If new starting QB Dayne Crist is even decent, then the offense should be very good again with WR Michael Floyd, RB Armando Allen and TE Kyle Rudolph returning. That's as good of a trio as almost anywhere in college football. Crist is coming off ACL surgery, however, and there's nothing behind him. Crist's lone experience was basically in mop-up duty in four games last year – he was 10-for-20 for 130 yards, one TD and a pick).
Here's Notre Dame's 2010 schedule: Sept. 4 vs. Purdue Sept. 11 vs. Michigan Sept. 18 at Michigan State Sept. 25 vs. Stanford Oct. 2 at Boston College Oct. 9 vs. Pittsburgh Oct. 16 vs. Western Michigan Oct. 23 at Navy (East Rutherford, N.J.) Oct. 30 vs. Tulsa Nov. 13 vs. Utah Nov. 20 vs. Army (Yankee Stadium) Nov. 27 at USC
It appears to be a much tougher schedule this year than last. It's second straight season that it features seven home games, four road games and one "off-site" home game. That game with Army will be the first football game in the new Yankee Stadium. Seven teams on this schedule — Michigan State, Stanford, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Navy, Utah and USC – played in bowls last season.
Notre Dame is 65/1 on Bodog's college football odds to win the national title – and the Irish will not win the national title. And they won't reach a BCS bowl game, either. But an 8-4 record looks very doable – after that Pitt game, the Irish could go on a nice run. Look for Notre Dame's over/under total to be right around 7.5-8 when released on Bodog. Eight wins would be a nice step forward under Kelly.
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