ND vs Temple Pre Game Thread:

[purguy12]

ND plays another rank team. This schedule became a really tough one. I feel like we are playing a rank team almost every week. This should be a good game. Good to see College game day on Temple campus. Good for them. Now as a ND fan I want to see a blow out. Coming out of the bye week I feel this team should be re charged and ready to make the final push. I want to see major improvement from the D. Not 1 or 2 good Q's. A complete full game. Offense continue to do what u do.

Lets Go Irish.

 

[poewelch84]

Pretty much agree that I want a blow out but Temple does play good defense so I would settle for Notre Dame putting up 28 points and dominating the game only giving up 10 or so points.

 

[whywork2]

just win baby and keep improving. keep the recruiting train a moving.

 

[bbirish73]

I expect another slow start but will get it in gear sometime in the 2nd quarter and end winning by 17 points

 

[purguy12]

just win baby and keep improving. keep the recruiting train a moving.

man this class can become Big time if we land a couple more of these 5 star and top 4 star recruits.

 

[jjc2009]

My only concern is whether Temple will be riding the Boise St. effect. Boise St. for a long time had just enough talent that they were probably a middling program if they played a P5 schedule, but was too good for the MWC or WAC or whatever affiliation they had. So they could circle their calendars for the one or two P5 games they'd schedule each year, and could ususally catch the P5 opponent looking past them.

In the Fiesta Bowl, OU didn't respect them, and it ended up costing them. Oregon didn't respect them, and they caught them napping.

Temple coming into the season had a decent defense that should be respected. But their record-setting 7-0 start has a lot of warts on it. They really haven't played anybody. Their opponent's records to date suck, and beating a weak Penn. St. team is not that impressive. They had to dig to pull that one out, and Penn St.'s seive of an offensive line allowed 10 sacks. I don't see our OL giving up even half that many. That said, I don't yet know if Temple is good enough to beat us if we come out flat (we already know they are going to be acting like this is the superbowl. Gameday, prime time matchup, they are going to pull out all the stops for this game).

We all know how this one should play out on paper. We also know ND's penchant for losing these exact type of games. Just looking at it objectively, there really shouldn't be anything to worry about. The team needs to avoid the noise and put them down early. This is exactly the type of "style points" game that needs to happen. Blowing out a ranked (albeit barely) team on the road is what we need to start moving the needle, especially because so many of the teams ahead of us have byes this week.

 

[KnuteRoc]

I don't expect the Irish to be looking past Temple because of the Bye. I'd be more worried about it with Pitt or BC. Their offense is so anemic I don't see them scoring much at all, so even if we start slow it shouldn't be a big deal. Cover and then some and the voters at least won't be able to use a win against us.

As an interesting aside. I was watching a show on The Irish Brigade from the Civil War and their contributions to it. They paid a heavy price during the war but also contributed heavily in some key battles. Their chaplain is the only non-combatant in the War to have had a statue erected of him on the battlefield (Gettysburg I believe). I'm curious if this unit is somehow related to our beloved University's nickname? I always thought it was because the Irish are just well-known to have a healthy exuberance for fighting, especially fist fighting. Not so sure now.

 

[poewelch84]

I don't expect the Irish to be looking past Temple because of the Bye. I'd be more worried about it with Pitt or BC. Their offense is so anemic I don't see them scoring much at all, so even if we start slow it shouldn't be a big deal. Cover and then some and the voters at least won't be able to use a win against us.

As an interesting aside. I was watching a show on The Irish Brigade from the Civil War and their contributions to it. They paid a heavy price during the war but also contributed heavily in some key battles. Their chaplain is the only non-combatant in the War to have had a statue erected of him on the battlefield (Gettysburg I believe). I'm curious if this unit is somehow related to our beloved University's nickname? I always thought it was because the Irish are just well-known to have a healthy exuberance for fighting, especially fist fighting. Not so sure now.

I think I've seen the same show. I recall a member of the South's version of the Irish Brigade basically saying the reason the North won the battle was because they had more Irish.

 

[purguy12]

I really feel like this team is on a mission and they knew they let one slip away. It was clear we were better then clemson on the road and out played them in almost every Cat. I think they run the table until stanford and then anything goes in that game. After watching last night episode u can see stanley and Day had 1 thing to do this year and that was to win a NC.

 

[craigk217]

Pro: Our explosive O, even with injuries, going up against a tough D will be interesting. If we can put up 30+ (which I expect) it's a win. I see CJ & Will having a great game. I would like to see Chris Brown get a bunch of touches, also.

Con: Temple throws the ball alot with a mobile QB. Our secondary has been 'suspect' (being very generous) all year and I worry about this team lighting us up. Hopefully, BVG took this bye week and got the D's head outta its bunghole. The D really needs to start playing better as a unit.

 

[jjc2009]

Pro: Our explosive O, even with injuries, going up against a tough D will be interesting. If we can put up 30+ (which I expect) it's a win. I see CJ & Will having a great game. I would like to see Chris Brown get a bunch of touches, also.

Con: Temple throws the ball alot with a mobile QB. Our secondary has been 'suspect' (being very generous) all year and I worry about this team lighting us up. Hopefully, BVG took this bye week and got the D's head outta its bunghole. The D really needs to start playing better as a unit.

They're like what, the 106th ranked offense? Against some mediocre competition. They'll throw quick passes and screens to neutralize the pass rush, so it's the LBs that will have to step up. They have no deep threats.

I know this has been hyped into Temple's Super Bowl, but I am not really impressed by this team. Their defense is good, but, again they've looked good against tomato cans and yes I am including Penn St who is terrible especially on O line. Their unit is not even in the same universe as ours. If ND loses this game it's because they are sloppy. Take care of the ball take care of business and it will be fine. Like Lou would say, it doesn't have to be close.

We're playing a team with no football culture. They gave the Philly Fanatic as a mascot.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

I don't expect the Irish to be looking past Temple because of the Bye. I'd be more worried about it with Pitt or BC. Their offense is so anemic I don't see them scoring much at all, so even if we start slow it shouldn't be a big deal. Cover and then some and the voters at least won't be able to use a win against us.

As an interesting aside. I was watching a show on The Irish Brigade from the Civil War and their contributions to it. They paid a heavy price during the war but also contributed heavily in some key battles. Their chaplain is the only non-combatant in the War to have had a statue erected of him on the battlefield (Gettysburg I believe). I'm curious if this unit is somehow related to our beloved University's nickname? I always thought it was because the Irish are just well-known to have a healthy exuberance for fighting, especially fist fighting. Not so sure now.

Father William Corby

Chaplain for the Irish Brigade of New York (63rd, 69th, 88th New York). "The Fighting Irish" or fighting 69th. He later became the President of Notre Dame.

 

[Irish7478]

Father William Corby

Chaplain for the Irish Brigade of New York (63rd, 69th, 88th New York). "The Fighting Irish" or fighting 69th. He later became the President of Notre Dame.

Another Civil War fact. General Sherman's family stayed at ND during the war. I always wondered if that was a reason that Georgia Tech saw us as a rivalry game. First we burn Atlanta, then we burn their defense.