Tag: irish

Clemson Is Down, Can The Irish Put Them Out?

Not your typical Clemson game…

Due to the bizarre nature of Notre Dame’s schedule this year, the final 1/3 block of games set up for the Irish very well. After the bye the Irish hosted Pitt. They then travel to Death Valley to face Clemson before having another break before rounding out the year against Wake Forest at home and then a trip to Palo Alto. Notre Dame must have a clean sweep of four wins in this stretch to possibly reach an New Years Six bowl game, the biggest remaining attainable big-picture goal for the year.

Up next for the Irish is their trip to Death Valley. One that has been circled on the calendar forever. It’s the final of the “big 3” matchups this year and is a huge measuring stick game. But this Clemson team isn’t what we are used to seeing from Dabo Swinney. His Tigers are 4-4 and are truly struggling.

Let’s examine the opportunity that lies ahead for the Irish this week.

Tremendous photos from Notre Dame’s dominating win over Pitt

If you thought the game looked enjoyable on TV then check out the best pictures from Saturday’s blowout win!

It’s been a long time since Notre Dame hung 58 points on a Power Five opponent but thanks to a comedy of Pittsburgh errors in the third quarter Saturday, the Irish routed Pitt 58-7.

This came after a slow start from Notre Dame offensively, but on a day that defense and special teams did more than their own shares, combining to score three touchdowns themselves.

With the win, Notre Dame moves to 7-2 on the season and has a chance to end up in a New Year’s Six bowl game if they’re able to win their final three regular season contests.

Pitt however fell to 2-6 on the year and after the game, head coach Pat Narduzzi seemed to let a bit of the blowout get to him.

We have tons of coverage following Notre Dame’s dominating win that we encourage you to check out.  Of course, do so after checking out the very best photos from the blowout victory below.

Notre Dame routs Pitt, gets Pat Narduzzi to call out talent of team

Pitt fans might want to buckle up as only more turbulence seems to be headed their way.

Pat Narduzzi has been the head football coach at Pittsburgh since the 2015 season.  He’s had success, winning the ACC just two years ago and going 62-41 previous to 2023.

He and the Panthers have gone just 2-6 in 2023 however, with their latest defeat coming of the 58-7 variety at Notre Dame.  It was the biggest loss they’ve suffered under Narduzzi and the biggest blowout loss they’ve had since falling 60-6 to Notre Dame 27 years ago.

After the game Narduzzi took responsibility the latest loss, but only after questioning the overall talent of the 2023 Pittsburgh squad.

“You lose a lot of good players a year ago, you think as a coach you’re going to replace them, we obviously haven’t,” Narduzzi said. “It starts with me. I didn’t do a good enough job of coaching today. Put it on me. We’ve got to make plays. It comes down to making plays and doing a better job of coaching.”

Although Narduzzi stepped up and took responsibility for the rough state of affairs, some of his players weren’t thrilled upon seeing the quote.

Narduzzi followed that up with a tweet of his own shortly after, accepting responsibility for the loss.

It’s one of those things I think a few things can be true.  Narduzzi can be right that his team isn’t as talented as it was just a year ago, but I can promise you that saying his players lack talent immediately following another blowout loss isn’t exactly going to win back a locker room, and doesn’t simply just go away with a simple tweet.

Notre Dame football: Kickoff time announced for Clemson game

Kickoff time is set!

When the 2023 college football season began it appeared that Notre Dame and Clemson’s date the first Saturday of November would be one of the biggest non-conference games on the entire season slate.

Fast forward to the end of October and things are significantly different.

It’s a big game for Notre Dame in that it may determine if the Irish ultimately earn an invitation to a New Year’s Six bowl game.

After losing to North Carolina State and falling to 4-4 however, it’s a game that could decide if Clemson even ends up being bowl eligible.  Clemson has Notre Dame, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, and South Carolina remaining this year.  The Tigers will have to go 2-2 in order to earn bowl eligibility which would have sounded absurd just two months ago.

As a result of Clemson’s struggles, this one-time almost surefire prime time contest will instead be a 12:00 p.m. ET kickoff next Saturday and air on ABC.

Notre Dame routed Pittsburgh 58-7 on Saturday while Clemson fell 24-17 at North Carolina State.

[lawrence-related id=78432,78398,78396,78416,78413,78406,78400]

Notre Dame-Pitt: How Beano Cook nearly ended annual rivalry game

Earmuffs!

If you’re a longtime fan of college football then the name Beano Cook certainly means something to you.

Cook was a prominent college football media member and played a huge role in ESPN developing as a college football brand.

Notre Dame fans remember Cook for his prediction about Ron Powlus winning multiple Heisman Trophies, but Cook was so much more than just that.

The following comes from “Haven’t They Suffered Enough?”, Cook’s biography written by avid college football fan and Notre Dame graduate John D. Luckas.  As you’d probably guess, the book has plenty of stories of Beano that involve Notre Dame.

Before his ESPN career that most of us knew him from, Cook served as a sports publicist at Pitt.  It was in that role that he nearly ended the Pitt-Notre Dame rivalry in 1958.

Notre Dame vs. Pitt: Staff Gameday Predictions

What happens today in South Bend?

It’s only been two weeks since Notre Dame played a game, whooping USC 48-20, but it feels like even longer.  Not because of what has necessarily gone on as much with Notre Dame, but because of all the major news that has come out of college football since then.

What Notre Dame team will come out of the bye week as they host a disappointing Pitt team this Saturday afternoon?

Will the Irish offense look improved compared to what we saw in games 5-8?  

Will the defense continue to be as stout as the impressive unit has been?

Or will Pitt have an impressive showing despite being just 2-5?  This is the only team to have handed Louisville a loss this season, mind you.

Here is what the Fighting Irish Wire staff sees happening on Saturday in South Bend:

Important Notre Dame football news: Sam Hartman facial hair is gone

An update to an update…

For eight glorious weeks the beard of Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman graced the college campus.  It was sharp, majestic, and just downright impressive.

Then one day last week it was suddenly just gone.

Notre Dame football’s social media team posted a short video of Hartman throwing at practice last week and the beard has disappeared but a mustache remained.

Well, now that mustache appears to also be history.

Hartman was participating at an event at the Notre Dame bookstore on Sunday and posed for a photo with a fan.  That fan posted a couple of images to social media and as you can see for yourself, the mustache is now gone, too.

Hartman’s beard was more impressive at 24 than any beard I’ve tried to grow (or been too lazy to shave) in my 37-years.

As much as the bye week was needed I think it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to games again here at Fighting Irish Wire.

Related: Sam Hartman Photo Gallery at Notre Dame

Notre Dame football: Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi discusses Irish

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi met the media to start game week against Notre Dame. Here is everything he had to say about the Fighting Irish

Notre Dame has had its difficulties with the name Pat Narduzzi for quite some time.  Before becoming Pitt’s head coach, Narduzzi was the defensive coordinator at Michigan State from 2007-2014, coaching the Spartans to some of their finest seasons in recent memory.

Narduzzi took over the Pitt Panthers in 2015 and has gone 65-45 in that time, including a 42-28 record in the ACC.

Pitt has long been a rival of Notre Dame’s as the two met annually for the better part of 75 years.  Now they meet a bit more sparingly but still regular enough.

Narduzzi met the media on Monday to start off Notre Dame-Pitt week.  Here is what the Panthers head coach had to say about the 6-2 Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame football: ESPN FPI Irish odds for remainder of season

Does Notre Dame win out?

In the oddly scheduled season Notre Dame has participated in for 2023, the Irish sit with just four games remaining while most of college football is just hitting their halfway point.

Notre Dame is fresh off a bye week as players and coaches had a much-needed break from the regular season grind this weekend.  Will it help the Irish in the final four games down the stretch?

ESPN FPI puts out their chances of outcomes each week as they add data as the season goes on.  Who would be favored in a certain matchup?  By how much would a team be favored and how likely is someone at pulling an upset?

Here are ESPN’s FPI numbers for Notre Dame’s four remaining games for 2023.

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman photo gallery

Sam I Am!

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman has put up some of the biggest numbers in the history of college football.

Hartman transferred to Notre Dame following the conclusion of the 2022 season.  Now the man who is competing in his sixth and final season of college football is helping try and lead the Fighting Irish back to a New Year’s Six bowl game where they’d like to end a 30 year run of failing to win.

Hartman didn’t take long to endure himself to Notre Dame football fans, coming out with huge numbers early on in 2023.

Below we’ve compiled some of the best photos of Hartman during his season at Notre Dame.  Be sure to check back as the year goes on to see more following each Notre Dame game!