Get the November Train Rolling

The Irish are ranked #5 in the initial CFB playoff poll which is great but a little surprising.  One thing we learned about the committee last year is that they are not afraid to change things around each week based on what they see each Saturday.   So with the inevitable upsets and conference clashes coming this month there will lots of changes to come.  I am of the mind that we do control our own destiny and should be in the playoff if we win out.  The Stanford game is looking more and more like a play-in game but time will tell.  I think the committee has it pretty good so far by factoring in strength of schedule and other factors to differentiate the top teams.  The next ranking will be very interesting to see how the games of one single weekend affect the list.  Will tell us more about the committee thinking.

I should start with a quick review of the win over Temple.  Boy, I was aging quickly throughout that game.  It seemed like a perfect storm of turnovers, untimely penalties and questionable calls were going to conspire to facilitate the upset for the Owls.  But Mr. Ice led the team down the field again and all-world Fuller made another game winning catch.  Wow.  Give Temple more credit than I did in my preview, they came ready to play and gave it everything for 60 minutes.  Will be interesting to see how they finish the season against a few good teams.

Have to write a little about the targeting call on Shumate.  I understand the safety purpose of that rule, but wow those plays happen fast and the calls seem a bit capricious at times.  That play could easily have cost us the game because you will remember that Shumate's backup came in on the next play and completely whiffed on the tackle that would have caused a turnover on downs on the next play.  Instead, Temple gets a touchdown and ties the game.  AND we lose Shumate for the first half tomorrow.  Ouch.

OK let's move on to Pitt.  I am thinking the tough game last week helps us to focus tomorrow and put together a more complete game.  I will be watching the offensive line and how our run game with Prosise performs early.  Would like to see that part of the game come back.  On defense, we continue to have lapses at times and it would be nice to see that part of the team step it up.  I think we will but expect it will be a challenge again.  Irish favored by 9, time to beat the spread again.

Prediction:

ND 35, Pitt 20

GO IRISH!

The Godfather

Ex