Team Capsule: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Team: Notre Dame

Location: Notre Dame, Indiana (South Bend)

Total Enrollment: 12,292

Conference: Independent

Home Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium (84,000)

Head Coach: Brian Kelly (59-31 at Notre Dame)

2016 Record: 4-8

PPG: 30.9 (53rd Nationally)

PAPG: 27.8 (62nd Nationally)

Best Win: The Fighting Irish only won 4 games last year, but they did knock off 14th (S&P) ranked Miami 30-27 in what was overwhelmingly their best win of the year.

Worst Loss: Losing to Duke in football if you are Notre Dame is never good, losing to Duke in your home stadium giving up 38 points is even worse.

Vegas Over/Under: 7.5

Notre Dame went 4-8 last year, which marks just the second time since 1963 that the Irish have failed to win at least 5 games. They were also incredibly “unlucky”, going 1-7 in one possession games against one of the toughest schedules in the country.

There is almost no doubt the Irish will bounce back from last year and presumably return to a bowl game. They have too much talent not to. S&P projects an 8-4 record, including an 80% chance to defeat Wake Forest in South Bend.

A week two game against Georgia looms large for the narrative of the season, as well as Kelly being on the hot seat.

I expect the Irish to be a tough opponent once again and this will be a hard game for Wake to win.