No. 9 Tennessee | No. 11 Ole Miss | Top 25
No. 10: Notre Dame
Last Season: 10-3
Even though the Irish were ravaged by injury in 2015 -- the team lost starting QB Malik Zaire, its top two rushers, its TE, its nose tackle and its top two safeties early in the season -- they still closed the season a field goal away from a potential playoff berth. This year, though they return only eight starters, they get back Zaire, NT Jarron Jones and safeties Drue Tranquill and Avery Sebastian, along with 2014 leading rusher Tarean Folston, who has a career 5.2 ypc. So they are more experienced than the numbers indicate. Even more, their schedule features just three true road games.
IN IF...
The defense is better, starting up front (just 25 sacks in 2015, T74 in the FBS). Almost every marquee opponent will have a first-year starter at QB, so the Irish could run the table if the unit steps up.
OUT IF...
It has a loss. With only 12 games (no conference title game), it will need several quality wins to sway the committee.
Notre Dame's chances to win each game
09.04 @ Texas: 45.9%
09.10 vs. Nevada: 94.4%
09.11 vs. Michigan State: 67.0%
09.24 vs. Duke: 83.9%
10.01 vs. Syracuse ( MetLife Stadium): 80.2%
10.08 @ NC State: 62.9%
10.15 vs. Stanford: 66.8%
10.29 vs. Miami: 72.6%
11.05 vs. Navy (EverBank Field): 87.2%
11.12 vs. Army (Alamodome): 94.3%
11.19 vs. Virginia Tech: 78.5%
11.26 @ USC: 27.3%
Sure, the quarterback competition is front and center, but the Irish lost their leading rusher, four of their top five leading receivers and their top three tackler (not to mention their leader in sacks). There are plenty of holes to fill, but this team should go 9-3 again. -- Andrea Adelson
If the Irish didn't finish as a top-10 team with all that NFL talent last year, how are they supposed to this year? Oh, that's right -- the schedule. But a relatively manageable slate won't mask defensive deficiencies that overshadow strong QB play -- probably from two guys -- and result in a 9-3 season. -- Matt Fortuna
The Irish have two potentially elite quarterbacks, but there are big questions everywhere else, particularly on defense. The schedule is manageable though (nine games at home or on neutral field), so even if Notre Dame struggles, a 9-3 season is probably a safe bet. -- David Hale
It's easy to find 10 wins on the schedule, but will a quarterback controversy split the team? A retooling at receiver and on defense will cost the 9-3 Irish a game they should win. -- Jared Shanker
No. 9 Tennessee | No. 11 Ole Miss | Top 25
