[vincesanity82]

Beano Cook said something this week on an ESPN.com podcast that is, frankly, insane. Beano and Ivan Maisel were musing about the 2008 season, and Beano said, "Notre Dame will be at least 9-3, 10-2."

Incredulous, Maisel asked, "In what season?"

But Beano wouldn't back down, continuing, "If they beat Michigan, I think they'll be 10-2. ... They're not playing with a bunch of biology students. They have material."

Beano did acknowledge that there's a chance that if the Fighting Irish lose to the Wolverines, it could be a disastrous season in South Bend. But he then said, "If they beat Michigan and Michigan State, they're going to the USC game with a perfect record."

CollegeFootballTalk.com -- College Football News and Rumors

[Lefty Noob]

That's Beano for you, though. He's always been a Notre Dame homer.
They have no chance of winning 9 games in 2008. I do think with an improved defense they could sneak back over .500 though.

[D1recruiter]

Notre Dame 9-3 or 10-2 would exceed my greatest expectation for the coming season! But, IT AIN'T GONA HAPPEN! I would not be overly surprised to see the Irish go 7 and 5 with their softer schedule next season but expect more of a 5 and 7 or 6-6 win-loss column. We can pray for the best though!

[Quack Attack]

Beano Cook is really starting to lose it...LOL He always has been a Notre Dame homer and actually believe 6-6 would be more realistic. This would be a huge improvement over last year. Although, my Phil Steele magazine has ND most improved team and a top 20 ranking...I disagree. I don't know who they are going to beat but here is where I think they will lose:

@ MSU Spartans
@ North Carolina (much improvement expected with 18 starters returning)
@ Washington (great QB Locker & coach on hot seat)
Pittsburgh (15 starters back, high expectations)
@ BC (BC Lions have won 8 straight bowl games and beat Irish 5 straight times)
@ USC (Irish have no chance)

I also think the Irish could win or lose against Purdue or Michigan. Should be able to beat everybody else I didn't list on their schedule which is pretty soft. I still think the Irish are a year away from top 10 and BCS.

[footballer23]

OMG..i'm rooting for them..

[dannan14]

Originally Posted by Quack Attack

Beano Cook is really starting to lose it...LOL He always has been a Notre Dame homer and actually believe 6-6 would be more realistic. This would be a huge improvement over last year. Although, my Phil Steele magazine has ND most improved team and a top 20 ranking...I disagree. I don't know who they are going to beat but here is where I think they will lose:

@ MSU Spartans
@ North Carolina (much improvement expected with 18 starters returning)
@ Washington (great QB Locker & coach on hot seat)
Pittsburgh (15 starters back, high expectations)
@ BC (BC Lions have won 8 straight bowl games and beat Irish 5 straight times)
@ USC (Irish have no chance)

I also think the Irish could win or lose against Purdue or Michigan. Should be able to beat everybody else I didn't list on their schedule which is pretty soft. I still think the Irish are a year away from top 10 and BCS.

First of all i fell off my chair when you guys said Beano has always been an ND homer. No way, that guy just likes to stir up trouble. ND fans know he isn't on our side. But that is a minor point i listen to what Beano says about as much as i do Mark May or Lee Corso.

Anyway, Quack attack i think you're wrong on a few points. North Carolina may be greatly improved, but they won't be playing the 2007 Irish. This game will be a two digit win for Notre Dame. The Tarheels simply will not improve that much from 4-8. Butch Davis isn't that good (and i was born in Cleveland and love the Browns as much as the Irish). North Carolina will move the ball through the air, but ND's new defensive coaching staff is top notch. The likes of which we haven't seen in the Bend in 15+ years.

ND's running game will reappear, especially off the right side where Sam Young and Chris Stewart combine for 650lbs (the whole starting line averages 315lbs this year) while the Tarheels lost two D-lineman and a LB.

Washington? It's almost a gimmie, or would be if 2007 hadn't been so horrible. Ty is not a great motivator, he gets kids graduated. That is something i have always respected him for. Washington lost most of their defense. i expect them to have a record similar to last year's. ND wins going away.

Pitt has had high expectations for the last several years. i like Pitt, i would like to see them at the top of the Big East, but their O-line lost two starters plus the TE. They will win some they are supposed to lose and lose some they should win. Wannstedt may be on the hot seat if the Panthers don't go to a bowl. Their defense was stellar last year, but with a new D-coordinator they will slip a few notches. Close game most likely, but there is no longer a dearth of upperclassmen at ND so a big Irish win is more likely than any kind of loss.

BC are the Eagles not the Lions and they seem to have our number more often than not. The good news for ND is that 2008 is a major rebuilding year for the Eagles offense. No 11 wins this year. Look to 2009 for BC to challenge for the ACC title. Toss up, high drama finish. i'll let you know when i start breathing.

MSU i'd love to say that a Spartan win is a joke, but well we all know the reality. This will be a tough game and fists will probably fly at some point. So long as Hoyer can avoid throwing interceptions the Spartans can and will score. Their defense will likely be tough again, but with only one returning D-line starter the revitalized Irish running game will wear them down. Slugfest both teams score over 30.

USC there is never a time when one team has no chance in the ND-USC rivalry. This is not the Bush-Leinart Trojan team. The defense has been decimated and if it were not for Carroll's incredible aptitude for recruiting this would be a 6-6 year for the Trojans (anyone remember when that was a regular occurence?) ND will move the ball and score some points, but so will the Trojans. i will be anticipating this game as much as in any year.

i just found this board today. This is my second post and the first one with substantial content. From the limited reading i've done here thus far it seems that maybe, just maybe this is the one college football message board that doesn't consist primarily of ad hominem attacks and back and forth whining. i hope that is the case as i enjoy actual discussions about football, not sophomoric chest beating.

Thanks for taking the time to read (if you did that is, i know its long)

[Quack Attack]

Originally Posted by dannan14

Anyway, Quack attack i think you're wrong on a few points. North Carolina may be greatly improved, but they won't be playing the 2007 Irish. This game will be a two digit win for Notre Dame. The Tarheels simply will not improve that much from 4-8. Butch Davis isn't that good (and i was born in Cleveland and love the Browns as much as the Irish). North Carolina will move the ball through the air, but ND's new defensive coaching staff is top notch. The likes of which we haven't seen in the Bend in 15+ years.

i just found this board today. This is my second post and the first one with substantial content. From the limited reading i've done here thus far it seems that maybe, just maybe this is the one college football message board that doesn't consist primarily of ad hominem attacks and back and forth whining. i hope that is the case as i enjoy actual discussions about football, not sophomoric chest beating.

Thanks for taking the time to read (if you did that is, i know its long)

Hey dannan14,

Welcome to GTG! Actually, I think this is a great sports forum and have actually posted in forums you described above where there was bashing and like you stated "whining" and I haven't seen this since I have been here. Sure, you have your sports topic debates but is in good taste. No bashing allowed here!

I loved your write-up and expect true Irish fans to disagree with me on games I predicted losses in. Remember, this is only my prediction and most of the info I have on teams that ND plays this year are from Lindy's and Phil Steele college football magazines which I respect. My Phil Steele actually predicted the Irish to do well this year. I just disagree.

We have a welcome thread at the bottom of the the main forum and encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself and your favorite teams/sports:

http://www.goteamsgo.com/forum/introduce-yourself/

Look forward to your future posts Dannan 14!

[dannan14]

Just for future reference QA, if i ever call the Ducks the 'Mighty Zeros' please understand that it is actually a compliment to Oregon based on their helmets.

It's something my first roommate in California and i came up with while watching an Oregon game in 2000. They had steadily improved through the 90's but since i was 2000 miles away then i hadn't noticed. When we came up with 'The Mighty Zeros' they were beating on UCLA or USC i can't remember which, but i was really impressed.

So if it turns out you simply can't stand the term say something and i will be sure to bite my tongue.

[Kiante']

Pfft... Beano... ND hardly has a chance of going over .500 this year. Man, Charlie Weiss was supposed to be the savior/god of the ND football program. He has been nothing but trouble there. He was paid a surplus amount of money and was supposed to take them to a National Championship to ND. I have to say he should have stayed in the NFL... You don't hear that a lot because its backwards.

[dannan14]

Kiante', i'm not sure what you just said. Did you mean that you don't hear alot of people saying Weis should have stayed in the NFL? If so, then you haven't been to the right places. Such talk may have died down during the summer, but i assure you many fair weather fans suggested just that.

So you think 'ND hardly has a chance of going over .500 this year'? Which games do you see as likely/definite wins and which games are on the bubble?

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, Weis has definitely taken his fair share of heat last year. I know a lot of Irish fans wanted him fired... I still think he's earned the right to try to get things turned around, though, especially with the changes he's made on the staff. That said, I for one don't feel comfortable making predictions about the team because they are such an unknown quantity at this time. I don't, however, think 9-3 is a very realistic expectation.

[dannan14]

In a year with a traditional Irish schedule this team would likely have very little chance of going 9-3. 2008, however, features what, in the preseason, looks to be the easiest Irish schedule in a very long time. If i were a handicapper i'd put an over/under at 8 wins.

[Kiante']

Originally Posted by dannan14

Kiante', i'm not sure what you just said. Did you mean that you don't hear alot of people saying Weis should have stayed in the NFL? If so, then you haven't been to the right places. Such talk may have died down during the summer, but i assure you many fair weather fans suggested just that.

So you think 'ND hardly has a chance of going over .500 this year'? Which games do you see as likely/definite wins and which games are on the bubble?

I was saying that he should have stayed with the Patroits as a coordenator. Also, yes I don't hear a lot of people talking about him staying in the NFL. I though he would have did a pretty good job for the Fighting Irish. If he doesn't do good this year... I think he's out.

EDIT: Here is a link to look at their 2008 schedule... I might take back what I said... NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - Football

[dannan14]

What about the second part of the question? Where do you see ND's wins and losses coming?