WHAT’S UP HLS NATION?!?!?!?!!??!
WE are back, and the leprechauns are as spry as ever. It’s been another busy offseason of loathing Michigan (because they SUCK) and USC (grooooooan, they’re so bad right now it’s amaaaaaaazing) and waiting for the polls to ding us more than everyone else for losing to Clemson (#9 yay!)
Dance, Dance, Dance!
A reminder: the Leprechauns help me predict the season by giving us a scale of relative (un)certainty on said predictions. I’m generally either really great at this, in the middle, or terrible. Pretty much every time.
As a reminder…
THE SCALE!
This is just as likely to be wrong as it is to be right (aka the BadKermit Effect)
I’ve got a good feeling, but am leaving myself some wiggle room
This is a lock, I am a genius, I cannot be wrong.
Last year recap: I had us losing 2 games and having a shot. We lost 1 and had a shot. I’d say I pretty much nailed it.
I also went to the Clemson game and I just gotta say: THE FIRST QUARTER WAS AMAZING. We seemed to be really giving it to ’em and but for some bad bounces would have had ALL the momentum in Q1.
And then, the 2nd quarter happened and MAN THAT JUMBOTRON WAS NICE! Ah well, at least they trounced Alabama too.
But now we’re in happy / exciting times again! 0-0 and looking forward to crushing some bad guys. Here we go!!!!
Dancing Leprechaun Predictions!
Louisville
This won’t be pretty. Louisville for a moment was a competitive program. That’s over.
ND wins 37-13
Two leps because No One Knows Anything about Louisville.
New Mexico
This is just mean.
ND Wins 45 – 12
Three Leps. Ouch.
Georgia
What a game a couple years ago. What. A. Game. Georgia is a beast this year again, and this will be super tight. I could see us winning this game. I could see us losing this game. I can see me drinking heavily during this game.
I’m gonna go with a similar outcome as last time, sadly. But it’s a coin flip, because life.
ND Loses 🙁
One Dancing Freaking Leprechaun. It’s gonna be tough. The season hinges on this one. I am pained predicting a loss but it’s tough to call this one a W when we’re Away.
Virginia
ND will be tired after the trip and hype of Georgia, but will take care of business.
ND Wins 24-9
3 Leps dancin’ on their graves.
Bowling Green: Biscuit Comes Home Edition
No way we lose when I come to tailgate! And the entire Dillon Crew is reuniting at this game as well. Plus it’s Bowling Green. I mean, fo’ ‘real?
ND Wins 41-10
Three! Cuz, for serious, we gonna win one for the Biscuit.
Southern Cal
With a W this year, it’ll be a record in recent history. USC as a program and an AD is kind of a mess. Part of me feels bad for them, but then I think back to when they trounced us for a decade and I smile and it feels good down between my legs. No way we lose to SC this year.
ND Wins 28-17.
Two Leps because it’s still SC.
Michigan
SKUNKBEARS ARE YOU SERIOUS A WEEK AFTER SC!!!??!??!?!?!
Ugh, I despise Michigan. Seriously, just the worst. The colors, the town, HARBAUGH? Ugh, so bad. But, they ain’t bad.
They’re just not close to as good as everyone says they are. I worry a bit about our depth, our energy etc playing our schedule vs their playing a weak-ass B10 schedule. But, we have a BYE the week prior, and it just is what it is and we have to TAKE THEM DOWN.
ND Wins 31-24
Only 1 Lep bc it’s Michigan. UGH DESTROY THEM!!!!!
VA TECH
ND Wins 27-23.
1 Lep 1 Week after a massive game plus it’s VT who can be unpredictable. I think a L here is more likely than one to the Skunkbears. I could see us coming out with 2 Losses for the season because of this game. It has me worried. Gotta have em ready. Sticking with the W but barely.
Duke
ND Wins 40-14
Navy
I like Navy. I hate playing Navy. Even if we win we lose because we all stress out about what can happen with the Triple O and to our team’s collective knees. Can we please play them in the Blue Gold game instead going forward?
Despite all that we take care of bid-ness. ND Wins 59-33
2 Leps bc 2 Leps!
BC
ND Wins 45-13
BC is only good when 85%+ of their roster is in their 5th year.
Stanford
ND Wins 20-13
2 because it’s Stanford. Realistically I shouldn’t be that worried, but I am.
Summary
ND is top 10, barely, and that’s probably about right. I could see us eeking out a win against GA and landing Top 5, or dropping 2-3 to the likes of GA, SC, UM, or VT, putting us into the mid/low teens to end the season. So #9 feels about right, and we could land anywhere in between.
My official call is 11-1, but I think 12-0 is possible (unlikely but possible) as is 10-2 (even 9-3 but feels as unlikely as 12-0). But hell, 11-1 would likely give us a shot again, despite the debacle of last year’s playoff. So let’s go get it boys!
AND DANCE YOU LEPS, DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING (except, well, everyone reading HLS).
Gooooooo Irish! Daaaaaaaaance Leps!
- (Re)Introducing: DANCING LEPRECHAUNS - August 29, 2019
- Ticket Auction: ND vs USC - August 22, 2019
- No Respect! - December 14, 2018