Tag: NCAA football

Notre Dame vs Central Michigan: Pick Your Narrative

How do you feel about Notre Dame’s chances to take down Ohio State?

Notre Dame officially accomplished their biggest initial goal of the 2023 season. Entering the Ohio State matchup undefeated. In fact, when looking at scores alone, none of the first ramp-up month of games ended that close. Notre Dame has taken care of business. They’ve allowed next week to become in reality what it’s been in theory for literally years. A good old-fashioned midwestern war on the national stage.

As I’ve been saying for years in my videos, nothing is ever black and white with Notre Dame. There’s always room for nuance, always. I ask Irish fans the following question. Do you feel better, worse, or the same about Notre Dame’s chances to take down Ohio State after seeing the Central Michigan game?

Wyoming Crumbles in Fourth Quarter, Texas Prevail 31-10

The Wyoming Cowboys football team was unable to come out of Austin, Texas with an upset victory over the No. 4 Texas Longhorns.

Cowboys Crumble in Fourth Quarter, Longhorns Prevail

Wyoming Cowboys fall to No. 4 Texas 31-10 after 21-point final quarter by Longhorns

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Heading into the fourth quarter, Wyoming had battled toe-to-toe with the fourth ranked team in the country, tied at 10. However, quickly Texas would score 21 points to take control of the game and prevent Wyoming from seeing their first ever victory over an AP top-10 team.

The Wyoming Cowboys began the showdown without starting quarterback Andrew Peasley, who was suited up but stood on the sidelines. Instead, sophomore Evan Svoboda began the game.

With his first snaps of the season, Svoboda handed the ball off to another Cowboy making his first appearance of the season, Harrison Waylee, who took the ball for a 62-yard rushing touchdown giving Wyoming a 7-0 lead.

Texas would answer back after a three and out by both teams with a field goal after a near interception by Wyoming in the endzone. The Bert Auburn 37-yard field goal would cut the Pokes lead, 7-3 in the first.

Ending the first quarter and into the start of the second, Texas would drive 90 yards, taking over eight minutes of the clock to score their first touchdown with a one-yard touchdown to defensive lineman Byron Murphy II to take a 10-7 lead.

The remaining time in the second quarter would see only 50 yards of offense by both teams and the halftime score would be 10-7, Texas leading. The Cowboys had stunned the Austin crowd with more yards than the Longhorn, 163-120, and a better 3rd down conversion rate at three for eight compared to zero for six.

Opening the second half, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, and running back Jonathon Brooks would take the Longhorns to Wyoming’s 28-yard line before a Sebastian Harsh sack that knocked them out of field goal range.

The Pokes would answer with a 77-yard, 10-minute drive to Texas’ 19-yard line and tie the game at 10 with a 36-yard field goal from the Red Shoe, John Hoyland, right before the end of the third quarter.

At this point, Wyoming had outgained the Longhorns by 50 yards with 225 total yards compared to 175. A surprising outcome, the game wouldn’t favor the Cowboys the rest of the way.

Ewers and the Longhorn offense would quickly flip the momentum in the fourth, beginning with a quick pass to Xavier Worthy and a 44-yard touchdown to give Texas the lead only 48 seconds into the quarter.

After a Wyoming three and out, a 61-yard rush by Brooks gave Texas the opportunity for a five-yard touchdown rush by Ewers to extend their lead to 14.

15 seconds later, Svoboda would throw an interception to Jerrin Thompson who returned it for a touchdown. Texas would take a 21-point lead.

Wyoming would force a fumble, recovered by Tyrecus Davis, with just under six minutes left in the game but not able to add any more points before the conclusion of the game.

Svoboda finished 17 for 28 with 136 yards and the interception. Waylee’s first appearance as a Cowboy concluded with 110 yards and the touchdown. Wyatt Wieland snagged 62 yards through the air.

Defensive lineman Harsh recorded the only sack in the game and only tackles for loss with two.

Ewers would only throw for 131 yards, but the Longhorns would combine for 185 rushing yards led by Brooks with 164 yards.

Up Next

The Wyoming Cowboys will host Appalachian State next Saturday, Sept. 23 with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. MT.

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Notre Dame vs Central Michigan: Irish Face Unique Mental Test

It might not be a marquee matchup but it does pose a unique test for the Irish…

After a wet, wild, and adventurous journey to the Carolinas, the Irish return home this Saturday to take on Central Michigan. This will be Notre Dame’s last chance to “tune up” before the Buckeyes visit the following week. If there are specific points of emphasis the staff wishes to push, this is the time for it.

One question I have is one I ask half facetiously, and half completely serious. How much of the tailgate talk leading up to this game will actually be about this game and not the one coming next? Notre Dame has much work to be done in this game. Nothing should be taken for granted.

Let’s examine some areas of confidence and concern regarding the Irish this week.

Notre Dame’s Priorities for Central Michigan game

Priorities. Not next week – this week.

Notre Dame must stay focused this week as they host Central Michigan. The players must resist the urge to “look ahead” to Ohio State and forget the task at hand. The reality is, we may learn a lot about the Irish this week. How sharp will they look in their final contest before the one that has been circled on the calendar for years?

Certainly, getting a win is and should always be the first and foremost priority in any game. But should the game get out of hand in the Irish’s favor, which is the expectation, what should the Irish try and focus on?

Badgers fall out of Top 25 in US LBM Coaches Poll

Badgers lose spot in the top 25 after loss

After their disappointing 31-22 loss to Washington State on the road, the Badgers football team has fallen out of the Top 25 rankings in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Wisconsin entered their second contest as the 19th ranked team in the coaches poll, but they’ll now be on the outside looking in before they host Georgia Southern at home this upcoming Saturday.

Although the team’s loss to the Cougars has been perceived as the sky falling by some Badgers fans, it was not a conference loss, so it doesn’t carry as much weight.

As a result of it being a non-conference matchup, Wisconsin still has full control over their destiny in the Big Ten West and they’ll start conference play a week from Friday (9/22) in West Lafayette against Purdue.

Big Ten teams in the top 25: Michigan (2), Ohio State (4), Penn State (7), Iowa (24).

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Notre Dame vs NC State: Irish Understood The Mission

Mission Accomplished for Game 3.

What an adventurous day in Raleigh, North Carolina, right folks?

Fortunately for Irish fans, after the flashbacks to USF and other previous encounters at this particular venue subsided, Notre Dame downed the Wolfpack 45-24. This game was the biggest hurdle on the schedule between Notre Dame hosting Ohio State undefeated or doing so with a deflating loss on the ledger.

It was an absolute must-have. The Irish got it.

Did Notre Dame look perfect? No. Are the Irish a finished product? No. Are there position groups that must step up? Certainly. But the main goal was accomplished. The reality is Notre Dame won, 45-24, in a kind of game with a history of being lost.

Notre Dame understood this game would be a tough physical battle against NC State and Mother Nature and they fought through it. Let’s examine a few key items that impressed me in this game.

Notre Dame vs NC State: Confidences & Concerns

What are you keeping an eye on besides the obvious this Saturday?

After what proved to be an exceedingly wild weekend of college football when all was said and done, the page turns and Notre Dame prepares for its first real physical test of the season in their trip to NC State. This game has been labeled a “trap” so often I don’t think it can be considered one anymore.

Irish fans were thrilled to have relaxing second halves in the first couple of games, but they are also looking forward to seeing what the Irish look like for the first time against a more physically capable opponent. NC State did not overly impress in their opener against Uconn, but they emerged victorious and will surely be fully prepared emotionally to greet Notre Dame.

Let’s take a look at this week’s confidences & concerns.

Notre Dame Moves To 2-0: Right On Track

Things are about to heat up for Notre Dame…

Two weeks. Two blowout wins. What’s not to like? Sure, Irish fans will find areas the team needs to further develop before the Buckeyes’ impending visit. But overall, Notre Dame fans have to love what they’ve seen so far out of the team. This week wasn’t quite as clean as last week’s performance, but the Irish still took over the game and dominated Tennessee St. 56-3.

The defense has yet to allow a touchdown. [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] is, dare I say, perhaps even better than advertised. This team is getting deeper, more athletic, and faster than it was ever physically capable of being under Brian Kelly. It’s not a finished product, but Notre Dame is building itself differently. In a more modern way. Freeman’s vision is starting to come to fruition.

Next week comes the first big test. NC State will provide the Irish with a much more physically capable foe than the initial two opponents could. Let’s examine three things I know about the Irish entering this crucial week.

Notre Dame vs Tennessee St.: Confidences & Concerns

The Irish should be 2-0 after Saturday but that doesn’t mean the game doesn’t have interesting points…

Notre Dame will be playing their first game in America this year as they face off against Eddie George-led Tennessee State in Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday. This game is unlike any other Notre Dame has ever played in the fact that Tennessee State is not an FBS school and the Irish up until now had never played anyone who fit this description.

This game, both because of what happened last week against Navy and the drop down in athlete level being played against this week, is intriguing. Can the Irish continue to improve over their great Navy performance or will the Irish sleepwalk at home vs a lesser opponent like they did multiple times last year? Let’s explore some confidences & concerns Irish fans may have entering this ball game.

Notre Dame-Navy Reaction: This Irish Team Is Built Different

This one was different than so many openers of late…

Welcome to Notre Dame Football 2023 folks. It’s off to a great start. Even I, who has a reputation for being hard on Notre Dame at times, can’t find too much to complain about after the Irish routed Navy 42-3 in front of a Notre Dame-heavy Dublin crowd. Irish fans couldn’t really ask for a much better start. And as a bonus, they remained healthy in the game as well. Very successful overseas trip indeed.

Everyone realizes that Navy is rebuilding this year and is always at a talent deficiency vs. Notre Dame.  But the Irish deserve credit for doing exactly what they should do. Win. And win big. But for today, I was paying close attention to how the Irish won. This team is built differently in all the right ways and it shows. Let’s examine how so.