Must be 2020.

In the midst of all of this, Notre Dame had a weird game against Syracuse that looked oddly familiar. We’ve arrived at the point in which annoying games are wins by 20+ points and the only thing left ahead for the Irish is to add to their hardware collection.

2020 may suck, but the football is good and talking about it is still a joy.

Podcast

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Almost every week I tell myself “wow, we really went peak sim this week” and every week the sim laughs at me. This is a mess Marie Kondo couldn’t sort and it most certainly doesn’t spark any joy.

The Sim Irish are in control of their ACC destiny needing a win over lowly Syracuse to clinch the ACC Championship game berth and the ACC regular season crown. And uh…well…this happened.

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The post HLS Sim: Notre Dame (8-2, 8-1) vs Syracuse (3-7, 3-7) appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

After witnessing a game that WE WILL NEVER MENTION AGAIN, this was quite a nice bounce-back for the Irish. The offense got right and Clark Lea put together another defensive masterpiece.

Meanwhile, the Big Ten officially started their season, meaning Shane and I give some initial thoughts to the madness that included an improbable Indiana upset and a Rutgers win. Also featured this week: another ref bailout for Auburn, Florida State still real bad, Alabama still real good, and…*checks notes*…Clemson might have a Dino Babers problem?

Podcast

Twitch VoD

The post HLS Recap: Superweapon Malfunction appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Don’t forget to join in on the fun by filling out the form at the bottom of the post or by visiting herloyalsons.com/pickem.

Podcast

Twitch Broadcast

Extra Life Bet

Standings reflect week 6 onward. Loser will donate $100 to Gamin’ 4 Aven, my Extra Life campaign. For more information on Aven and why I do this, please read this story.

Pick ‘Em Standings

Week 12 Entry Form

The post HLS Podcast: Week 12 Picks appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Who To Watch

Syracuse (7-2) vs Louisville (2-7), Fri 7:00 PM ET on ESPN2

via GIPHY

Syracuse is quickly becoming a force thanks to future Notre Dame Head Coach Dino Babers. This Friday night matchup won’t be close — the betting line currently has the Orange favored by three touchdowns, but Irish fans *will* get to drink in some sweet Brian “No Spaces In My Last Name” VanGorder as he (probably) wraps up his tenure as defensive coordinator for Louisville. While there’s still a slim chance Notre Dame will see Louisville head man Bobby Petrino when the season kicks off next year, this will probably be the closest we get to a BVG sighting.

Irish fans looking ahead to next week’s showdown in Yankee Stadium should look at Louisville’s offensive yards-per-play, as the Orange defense isn’t known to be too stingy.

Also this Week

Other Upcoming Opponents

• Southern Cal (5-4) vs California (Sat 10:30 PM ET, ESPN)

Past Opponents

• Wake Forest (4-5) at NC State (Thu 7:30 PM ET, ESPN)
• Northwestern (5-4) at Iowa (Fri 3:30 PM ET, Fox)
• Vanderbilt (4-5) at Missouri (Sat 12:00 PM ET, SEC Network)
• Navy (2-7) at UCF (Sat 12:00 PM ET, ESPN2)
• Michigan (8-1) at Rutgers (Sat 3:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network)
• Virginia Tech (4-4) at Pittsburgh (Sat 3:30 PM ET, ESPNU)
• Stanford (5-4) vs Oregon State (Sat 9:00 PM ET, )

Strength-of-Schedule Rankings

Last week, ND opponents went 4-7. On the year, opponents have a combined record of 56-52 (51.9%) with an average schedule strength of 39.

Rank	Team		Record	Weekly Change
6		Stanford	5-4	↑ 3
11		Northwestern	5-4	↑ 9
17		Pittsburgh	5-4	↓ 2
18		Michigan	8-1	↑ 5
22		Southern Cal	5-4	↓ 14
33		Vanderbilt	4-5	↓ 6
35		Florida State	4-5	↑ 3
46		Notre Dame	9-0	↓ 1
48		Wake Forest	4-5	↓ 1
51		Virginia Tech	4-4	↑ 10
64		Navy	2-7	↑ 9
74		Syracuse	7-2	↑ 2
90		Ball State	3-7	↑ 11

The post Opponent Watch: Sad VanGorder Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Who To Watch

Syracuse (6-2) at Wake Forest (4-4), Sat 12:00 PM ET on ACC Network

via GIPHY

The Irish have a primetime kick in Chicago, but there’s an early game of note. Syracuse is newly ranked and hoping to keep making noise on the national stage with their potent offense led by QB Erik Dungey. Wake Forest, on the other hand, is trying to stop the bleeding on the defensive side of the ball. You should expect this to be a high-scoring affair, and Dino Babers should have his squad highly tuned to meet Notre Dame in two weeks.

Also this Week

Other Upcoming Opponents

• Florida State (4-4) at NC State (Sat 3:30 PM ET, ABC)
• Southern Cal (4-4) at Oregon State (Sat 10:00 PM ET, Fox Sports 1)

Past Opponents

• Ball State (3-6) at Toledo (Wed 7:30 PM ET, ESPN2)
• Pittsburgh (4-4) at Virginia (Fri 7:30 PM ET, ESPN2)
• Navy (2-6) at Cincinnati (Sat 3:30 PM ET, ESPNU)
• Michigan (7-1) vs Penn State (Sat 3:45 PM ET, ESPN)
• Virginia Tech (4-3) vs Boston College (Sat 3:45 PM ET, ACC Network)
• Stanford (5-3) at Washington (Sat 9:00 PM ET)

Strength-of-Schedule Rankings

Last week, ND opponents went 5-6. On the year, opponents have a combined record of 52-45 (53.6%) with an average schedule strength of 42.

Rank	Team		Record	Weekly Change
8		Southern Cal	4-4	-3
9		Stanford	5-3	+2
15		Pittsburgh	4-4	+3
20		Northwestern	5-3	+3
23		Michigan	7-1	-3
27		Vanderbilt	4-5	-12
38		Florida State	4-4	+16
45		Notre Dame	8-0	-9
47		Wake Forest	4-4	-6
61		Virginia Tech	4-3	-2
73		Navy	2-6	+12
76		Syracuse	6-2	+5
101		Ball State	3-6	+7

The post Opponent Watch: An Orange Tree in a Wake Forest Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Who To Watch

Syracuse (4-1) at Pittsburgh (2-3), Sat 12:20 PM ET on ACC Network

via GIPHY

First things first: apparently “have your mascots available in gif form” is a thing that Pitt does (let’s pour one out to the vastly superior ND media/video group for their social media idiocy). But onto the game: this early Saturday matchup gets you two future ND opponents. Syracuse falls out of the Top 25 after a close loss at Clemson, so they’ll try to bounce back as a three-point road dog at Pittsburgh.

Pitt will need to constrain Cuse’s high-octane offense, and the strategies employed on both sides of the ball should be instructive to the Irish coaching staff later this season. Syracuse’s defense allows just over 21 points per game on average, albeit against a weaker slate of opponents. Pitt will also attempt to counter Syracuse’ various offensive weapons, and the extent to which they can contain the QB run threat and a balanced pass/run attack should shape how the Irish structure their offensive gameplan next week.

Also this Week

Other Upcoming Opponents

• Northwestern (1-3) at Michigan State (Sat 12:00 PM ET, Fox Sports 1)
• Florida State (3-2) at Miami (Sat 3:30 PM ET, ABC)
• Navy (2-2) at Air Force (Sat 3:30 PM ET, CBS Sports Network)

Past Opponents

• Michigan (4-1) vs Maryland (Sat 12:00 PM ET, ABC)
• Ball State (2-3) vs Northern Illinois (Sat 3:00 PM ET, Watch ESPN)
• Wake Forest (3-2) vs Clemson (Sat 3:30 PM ET, ESPN)
• Vanderbilt (3-2) at Georgia (Sat 7:30 PM ET, SEC Network)
• Stanford (4-1) vs Utah (Sat 10:30 PM ET, ESPN)

Strength-of-Schedule Rankings

Last week, ND opponents went 7-4. On the year, opponents have a combined record of 34-23 (59.6%) with an average schedule strength of 59.

Rank	Team		Record	Weekly Change
3		Southern Cal	3-2	-1
7		Northwestern	1-3	+12
13		Stanford	4-1	+21
15		Notre Dame	5-0	+13
21		Pittsburgh	2-3	+15
37		Florida State	3-2	+17
43		Michigan	4-1	+15
80		Wake Forest	3-2	-30
89		Virginia Tech	3-1	+67
90		Vanderbilt	3-2	-52
97		Syracuse	4-1	+60
112		Navy	2-2	-9
118		Ball State	2-3	-40

The post Opponent Watch: Oranges Have Seeds, Not A Pitt Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Who To Watch

Syracuse vs Florida State (Sat 12:00 PM ET, ESPN)

via GIPHY

The surprisingly-saucy Oranges claim the spotlight this week for an early Saturday game with Florida State. FSU has struggled thus far in 2018, playing uninspired in their debut vs Virginia Tech and trailing late in last week’s tussle with Samford. On the opposite sideline, Syracuse QB Eric Dungey has emerged as a significant dual threat (albeit against inferior competition), which should test the Seminoles. Dungey has been an offensive juggernaut so far this year, leading the team through the air (173.2 QB Rating) and on the ground (averaging 9.4 yards per rushing attempt).

Also this Week

Other Upcoming Opponents

• Wake Forest vs Boston College (Thu 5:30 PM ET, ESPN)
• Pittsburgh vs Georgia Tech (Sat 12:30 PM ET, ACC Network)
• Stanford vs UC Davis (Sat 2:00 PM ET, Pac-12 Network)
• Navy vs Lehigh (Sat 3:30 PM ET, CBS Sports Network)
• Northwestern vs Akron (Sat 7:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network)
• Southern Cal at Texas (Sat 8:00 PM ET, Fox)
• Virginia Tech (cancelled)

Past Opponents

• Ball State at Indiana (Sat 12:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network)
• Michigan vs Southern Methodist (Sat 3:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network)

Strength-of-Schedule Rankings

Last week, ND opponents went 8-4. On the year, opponents have a combined record of 17-7 (70.8%) with an average schedule strength of 83.

asdf

Rank	Team		Record	Weekly Change
19		Northwestern	1-1	+32
24		Southern Cal	1-1	+81
34		Florida State	1-1	-17
39		Stanford	2-0	+39
46		Michigan	1-1	-33
47		Notre Dame	2-0	-17
53		Navy	1-1	+36
89		Pittsburgh	1-1	+75
105		Virginia Tech	2-0	-82
109		Ball State	1-1	+85
138		Vanderbilt	2-0	-9
146		Wake Forest	2-0	-67
198		Syracuse	2-0	-122

The post Opponent Watch: Orange You Glad We’re Not Playing In This Hurricane? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Not a whole lot to say that I haven’t already said about Notre Dame heading out to Syracuse. Lots of points in which we hope the defense can hold it together long enough for the offense to put some distance between us and them.

Anyways, by now you know the drill. Form is below as are the standings, bonus points, staff picks, and cat picks.

Bonus Points

Not a whole lot this week because only one person got this right:

Cutcliffe somehow gameplans around our hapless defense for a shootout that Duke will win – resembling a basketball score. – tricerapops

Only you and my cat got this right. Jerks. +1

Standings

Staff Picks

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Cat Picks

Record Straight Up: 2-2
Record Against the Spread: 2-2

He’s on a two game winning streak. Let’s see what Gulliver has this week:

The cat is on our side. We got this.

The post Predictions: Not Quite a Pillow Fight appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

R.J. Shelton #12 of the Michigan State Spartans scores a touchdown in front of Drue Tranquill #23 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half of a game at Notre Dame Stadium on September 17, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Notre Dame is a deeply flawed team this year; last night confirmed that. It was almost hard to watch the Irish make huge errors on special teams, continue to play defense with the density of Swiss cheese and make questionable coaching decisions in a game they absolutely had to win. There was seemingly no rational reason for handing the ball back to Michigan State down 36-28 with 3:37 remaining.

I know we will hear the arguments and excuses.

The Irish had three timeouts left.

It was fourth and 7 and the Irish were on their own 32.

Blah, blah, and blah!

COACHING FAILURES DOOMED IRISH

With 3:37 to go, the Irish needed two yards on third down to keep the drive and, in all reality, the season alive. Did Brian Kelly have that little confidence in the run game that he didn’t believe they could get him two yards? If the run is stopped, it’s fourth and short.

Despite analysts dramatizing time, football fans know a team almost never runs out of clock. A turnover or a failure to get 10 yards in four downs kills the two minute drill. Kelly opted to take the ball out of his best players’ hands and put the game on a defense that allowed more than 500 yards of total offense.

I predicted the Irish would win this game last week because of Kizer. But, for me, the Irish sealed their fate the moment Kizer trotted off the field and the punt team entered. I would have “rolled the dice” on fourth and 7 in favor of leaving it the hands of the defense.

This week is no easier for Brian VanGorder. The Irish defense struggled. The Spartans manhandled them on the line. The tackling and pass coverage was simply abysmal. I don’t see any scenario where VanGorder returns next year.

It’s difficult to see many wins on the remaining schedule. I think Syracuse, Army, Navy and Duke are likely wins. But, at this point, who knows? NC State, Miami and Virginia Tech – games which, just weeks ago, seemed very manageable – now go into the “toss up” category.

CBS’s latest project has Notre Dame in the Russell Athletic Bowl versus Oklahoma. The leaves haven’t even fallen, and the Irish are out of the playoff race. It’s hard to believe.

The post After Last Night, I See Only Four “Likely Wins” Left appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.