Allow me to open this article with the ending of my first paragraph from the Northern Illinois game review: "To lose a game like this in Marcus Freeman’s crucial 3rd year is a massive setback that likely permanently alters the direction of this program in 2024 and beyond." How does that look now? If that's [...]

Let's be real, for the first 20 to 25 minutes of the Orange Bowl things were looking bleak. That darkness of a season-ending loss in depressing fashion--with Penn State pushing you around--was descending on Notre Dame. But this team isn't simply called the Irish. They are the Fighting Irish and my goodness did they keep [...]

My crazy off-season content will have to wait for at least another week as Notre Dame's quest for a 12th National Championship continues with the third game this post-season. After an emotional and joyous victory over SEC Champion Georgia, the Fighting Irish head down south to the Sunshine State for the College Football Playoff Semifinals [...]

They said this was the most talented Notre Dame team in 30 years and I didn't believe them. When they lost to Northern Illinois they said the season was over and I believed it. Not so fast! Whether it's an embarrassing loss or injuries, this team continues to overcome and rolls into the College Football [...]

If there was hardware to be taken home following the win over Indiana I'm not sure what would be put on display, perhaps some sort of plaque with the Allstate First Round Playoffs emblazoned on it? This week, Notre Dame has the opportunity to win the Sugar Bowl trophy--the most traditional looking of the major [...]

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Now back to the football! Welcome back to another edition of Five Wide Fullbacks post-opening round of the playoffs. In this article we'll discuss a big pick up in the transfer portal, the injury to Rylie Mills, a possible return to the lineup for the Georgia game, the [...]

Notre Dame opened up the 2024 College Football Playoffs and the new 12-team format with a strong performance to put away a Cinderella-esque season from the Indiana Hoosiers by the score of 27-17 in the frosty South Bend night. With the school's first playoff win, the Irish will have 11 days of rest to get [...]

As we awaited the results of the college football playoff rankings and seeding for the first 12-team tournament in history many were hoping a team from the south would have to travel up to South Bend just a few days before Christmas. Well, we got our wish. Sort of. Instead of Alabama, we'll see another [...]

If I were to use 18S subscription money to bet on games I'm pleased to announce I wouldn't have lost money against the spread in 2024. That's right, I clawed back to .500 after a successful conference championship weekend. Can I get things across the line and make a profit with the upcoming post-season picks [...]

Welcome back to the latest edition of Five Wide Fullbacks. In this week's article we are discussing changes to the 12-team playoff format, removing first round byes, how our rankings differed from the committee, the current betting odds, and the chances of a Notre Dame deep run into January. 1) Was this a good seeding [...]

As we look towards Notre Dame's playoff game later this month do not forget the winter transfer portal window is now open from December 9th and will remain open through December 28th. Let's look at where the Fighting Irish are likely to target transfers this month and during the off-season. As a reminder, the following [...]

Is this weekend needed for college football fans? As Irish fans (I wonder how many non-Notre Dame readers lurk out there!??) the answer for us is a convincing no. But as the 12-team playoff lurks just around the corner later this month, this feels like an especially boring conference championship weekend. From the big 4 [...]

Georgia survives Georgia Tech, Syracuse upsets Miami, Clemson drops one to South Carolina, and Ohio State losing their 4th in a row to Michigan were the highlights of week 14 in college football. With conference championship weekend coming up we are mere days away from the final college football playoff committee rankings of the 2024 [...]

They say winning is hard. Notre Dame never trailed in a nervy-filled back and forth regular season finale against USC that morphed into a 2nd half shootout. In the end, a bruised Irish secondary came up with a pair of back-breaking long pick sixes to seal the win and Notre Dame's spot in the first [...]