Tag: expert predictions

More experts pick Notre Dame-Ohio State

More experts predict Monday’s national championship tilt.

The experts continue to weigh in on the national championship matchup between Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Let’s start with the The Athletic’s Pete Sampson.

Sampson says that while the pregame spread strikes him as about right, he also thinks the Fighting Irish will beat the Buckeyes 21-20.

“There might not be a program in the country that knows itself better than Notre Dame, which means the Irish won’t blink on Monday night,” he writes. “If [head coach Marcus] Freeman can drag his alma mater into a four-quarter rock fight, Notre Dame will be the more comfortable team throwing stones. Ohio State is built to blow you away. Notre Dame is built to grind you down. The latter prevails.”

Other Athletic staffers, however, predict that Ohio State will win while covering the spread. Only one has Notre Dame either winning or losing by less than 8.5.

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Steve Angeli (18) throws the ball in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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The experts weigh in on the Texas A&M vs Texas matchup in Week 14

The experts weigh in on Texas A&M vs. Texas

No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies (8-3, 5-2 SEC) will face all-time rival No. 3 Texas (10-1), 6-1 SEC) on Nov. 30 when the Aggies host the Longhorns at Kyle Field to close out the season with an SEC Championship berth on the line.

In some years, rivalry games have been built differently from standard games. Anything can happen, and outside of years where there is an obvious advantage, they tend to be some of the better games of the year. This game is the weekend’s biggest matchup, and ticket prices are as high as those of professional teams in the playoffs. It should also take place in front of a record-setting crowd, with a lifetime of bragging rights on the line for fans.

A&M can’t start slow and get off schedule against the best team they have played this season. In their game against Auburn, they did not take advantage of opportunities and made minor mental mistakes, allowing Auburn to score late, forcing OT. If they have the same type of game, Texas will blow them out by the third quarter. The defense will hold up on their part, but only if the offense maintains long drives, giving the defense time to rest.

Here is who the experts are picking to come out victorious in this week’s matchup:

Steven Lassan / Athlon Sports

Kyle Wood / Athlon Sports

Eddie Timanus / USA Today

Dan Wolken / USA Today

Shehan Jeyarajah / CBS Sports

Dennis Dodd / CBS Sports

The Texas A&M vs. Texas game starts at 6:30 pm CST and can be seen on ABC/ESPN+.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

Experts predict that Notre Dame will roll over Virginia

The experts expect Notre Dame to have an easy one this weekend.

No. 8 Notre Dame should roll over the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday.

So say the experts.

Let’s start with The Athletic’s Pete Sampson, who has Notre Dame winning 35-14.

“After two-plus seasons of searching, it feels like Freeman has found his groove on the sidelines. Mentions of his inexperience are down. Consistent performances are up. That reliability should carry through the regular-season home finale,” he writes. “It’s hard to see the Cavaliers finding much success against one of the nation’s best defenses. It’s also hard to see Virginia bottling up Leonard. It all means the Irish will pull away in the second half, continuing their push toward the Playoff.”

Notre Dame moves up two spots in the AP Top 25 poll after beating Florida State 52-3.
Notre Dame wide receiver Jayden Harrison (2) celebrates making a catch during a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend.
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Experts pick Notre Dame versus Florida State

The experts expect Notre Dame to cruise against Florida State.

No. 10 Notre Dame hosts Florida State in a game that was circled on many calendars before the season began.

Now, however, the Seminoles are struggling at 1-8 and the Fighting Irish are playing good football but also in a position that likely requires them to win out to make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

So, with that in mind, let’s see what the experts think about who will win.

Let’s start with The Athletic. Pete Sampson is feeling pretty good about an Irish win and has them rolling 42-7, especially given quarterback [autotag] Riley Leonard’s[/autotag] improvement.

He writes, in part: “When Leonard plays well as a dual threat quarterback and not just a runner, Notre Dame becomes a problem for even locked-in teams. And Florida State won’t be locked in on Saturday night, as its season lurches toward its forgettable conclusion.”

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) fights off would-be tackler Navy Midshipmen cornerback Andrew Duhart (13) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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ESPN updates Notre Dame College Football Playoff projection

ESPN projections show that Notre Dame will make the college football playoff.

ESPN writers Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura have updated their projections on whether Notre Dame will make the College Football Playoff — and who the Fighting Irish will play.

Bonagura has the Irish at No. 9 playing at No. 8 Texas while Schlabach has them at No. 11, also on the road at No. 6 Ohio State.

Both have the Fighting Irish losing in the first round.

This is a far cry from a few weeks ago when Notre Dame was considered to be out of the CFP thanks to the brutal, shocking loss to Northern Illinois. But the Irish have played well since then and a dismantling of a ranked Navy team cannot hurt.

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish players huddle during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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Experts expect easy Notre Dame win against Georgia Tech in Atlanta

Once again, the experts are on the side of the Irish.

Notre Dame should win in Atlanta against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

So say the experts.

Your author thinks it will be closer than the experts do, but I, too, expect the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to walk away as winners.

Maybe it’s because Georgia Tech is frisky, or maybe it’s the Notre Dame injuries, but I have worries. On the other hand, the Irish do have more talent than Georgia Tech.

So the Irish should win. Still, it could be a dogfight in the Peach State.

Notre Dame’s playoff hopes do hinge on a victory, so there’s that.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball down the sideline on his way to score a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend.
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Experts say Notre Dame will sail over Stanford

The experts all think Notre Dame will have it easy against Stanford.

It looks like there’s once again consensus that Notre Dame Fighting Irish will win at home.

This time they’re hosting the Stanford Cardinal in South Bend, and experts have the Irish winning — though more than a few believe the Cardinal will at least cover the spread.

We’re still worried about it being a trap game, but then again, the Cardinal aren’t very good and the Irish may have figured a few things out.

We hope, for the sake of the Irish’s playoff chances, that Notre Dame will walk away winners on Saturday. Certainly, most, if not all, experts think that they will.

For example, CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli has the Cardinal covering the spread, along with several other experts at the network. Yet the staff has unanimously has Notre Dame winning.

“Stanford isn’t likely to try to air it out against this Irish defense, so I don’t know that either team will be able to pull away from the other,” Fornelli wrote.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 28: Beaux Collins #5 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in action against Tahveon Nicholson #23 of the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 28, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Experts seem cautiously optimistic about Notre Dame over Louisville

While not every expert is picking Notre Dame this week, a decent amount feel cautiously optimistic about the Fighting Irish over Louisville.

It’s almost certainly not hyperbole to suggest that Notre Dame’s home game against Louisville this weekend could determine the Fighting Irish’s postseason fate.

Even before Notre Dame suffered a shocking loss to Northern Illinois, the matchup against the Cardinals was considered one of the biggest tests for the Irish, along with the season opener at Texas A&M and the tilt with Florida State — at least until the Seminoles fell apart.

Notre Dame Nation is likely nervous about this game, both because it’s the first true test since the NIU debacle and because the Cardinals effectively ended the Irish’s postseason bid last season.

There is one key difference from 2023 — this year’s game is in South Bend. Maybe the green jerseys will help

Can the Fighting Irish beat Louisville? Some experts think so.
Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price runs the ball up the field during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.

With that in mind, the experts have their picks in, and it’s a mixed bag, though some pundits are leaning towards the Irish.

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Here’s what the experts are saying about Miami of Ohio at Notre Dame

Here’s how the experts are picking Notre Dame vs. Miami of Ohio.

With Notre Dame looking to avoid a second letdown at home against a Mid-American Conference team in the first month of 2024, the Fighting Irish should be ready for any challenge presented by the Miami of Ohio Redhawks.

So, what do the experts think?

Irish Illustrated’s Kevin Sinclair has the Fighting Irish walking away with a 34-7 victory.

“Notre Dame will continue its evolution offensively while the defense won’t give up points until the reserves roll onto the field in the second half,” he wrote. “Look for another strong rushing day from the Irish offense and a deep shot that will develop over increased play-action.”

His colleague John Brice aka Football Scoop has the Irish tallying a 38-13 win over the Redhawks.

“The Irish win the turnover battle for the second-straight week and third time in four games. They win the lines of scrimmage,” he wrote. “They win the game.”

 

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The experts have no idea how to pick Notre Dame at Texas A&M

The experts have made their picks, do you agree with them?

Saturday’s season-opening tilt between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station is a big game for two teams with College Football Playoff aspirations.

Because it’s a marquee matchup between two playoff hopefuls, the game will be in the spotlight. As such, the expert analysts and pundits are weighing in with Fighting Irish Wire doing so as well.

Tom Fornelli from CBS Sports has the game listed as one of his two games of the week — Georgia hosting Clemson is the other — and he has Notre Dame and Texas hitting the under of 46.5.

This is because Fornelli believes that the two defenses will dominate. Fornelli suggests that the Irish may struggle against the Aggies’ defense due to injuries on the offensive line and because new A&M head coach Mike Elko knows new ND quarterback Riley Leonard inside and out, having coached him at Duke.

https://twitter.com/tomfornelli/status/1829204555730440651?s=61&t=nW7PCouJbinxzoQ7zhCi_g

Meanwhile, Fornelli believes that the Fighting Irish have one of the best defenses in the country, and that will cause fits for the Aggies. As for who will actually win the game, Fornelli admits he doesn’t know.

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