(Photo Credit: Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Audric Estime, WR Jayden Thomas, WR/RS Chris Tyree, OC Zeke Correll, OT Joe Alt, OT Blake Fisher, DE Jordan Botelho, DT Rylie Mills, NT Howard Cross III, LB JD Bertrand, LB Jack Kiser, LB Marist Liufau, CB Cam Hart, CB Benjamin Morrison, NB Clarence Lewis, LS DJ Brown and RS Xavier Watts.
Key Players Departing:
QB Drew Pyne, RB Logan Diggs, WR Lorenzo Styles Jr., TE Michael Mayer, OG Josh Lugg, OG Jarrett Patterson, DE Isaiah Foskey, DE Justin Ademilola, DT Jayson Ademilola, DS TaRiq Bracy, PR Brandon Joseph, PK Nlake Grupe and PT Jon Sot.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Charles Joseph (Rock Island, Illinois), RB Jeremiyah Love (St. Louis, Missouri), CB Christian Gray (St. Louis, Missouri), LB Drayk Bowen (Merrillville, Indiana), WR Braylon Jones (Round Rock, Texas), WR Jaden Greathouse (Austin, Texas), QB Sam Hartman (Wake Forest transfer), LB Jaiden Ausberry (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), DL Kenny Minchey (Hendersonville, Tennessee) and DL Brenan Vernon (Mentor, Ohio).
2022 Results:
G01 @ #2 Ohio State L 10-21
G02 MARSHALL L 21-26
G03 CALIFORNIA W 24-17
G04 @ North Carolina W 45-32
G05 vs. #16 BYU W 28-20
G06 STANFORD L 14-16
G07 UNLV W 44-21
G08 @ #16 Syracuse W 41-24
G09 #4 Clemson W 35-14
G10 vs. Navy W 35-32
G11 BOSTON COLLEGE W 44-0
G12 @ #6 USC L 27-38
BOWL vs. #19 South Carolina
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 9-4
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 3-0
Head Coach: Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame: 9-5
Career: 9-5
Bowls: 1-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Audric Estime (156 car., 920 yards, 5.9 avg., 11 TD)
Receiving: Jayden Thomas (25 rec., 361 yards, 14.4 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Audric Estime (12)
Sacks: Jordan Botehlo (4.5)
Tackles: JD Bertrand (82)
Interceptions: Benjamin Morrison (6)
Pass Deflections: 4 Tied (4)
Tackles For Loss: JD Bertrand (8.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Chris Tyree (15 ret., 254 yards, 16.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Matt Salerno (5 ret., 37 yards, 7.4 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 10 Sam Hartman (GR/TR)
RB: 7 Audric Estime (JR)
WR: 5 Tobias Merriweather (SO)
WR: 83 Jayden Thomas (RS SO)
WR: 2 Chris Tyee (SR)
TE: 88 Mitchell Evans (JR)
LT: 76 Joe Alt (JR)
LG: 78 Pat Coogan (RS SO)
OC: 52 Zeke Correll (GR)
RG: 50 Rocco Spindler (RS SO)
RT: 54 Blake Fisher (RS SO)
KR: 24 Jadarian Price (RS FR)
PK: 32 Spencer Shrader (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 1 Javontae Jean-Bapiste (GR/TR)
NT: 56 Howard Cross III (GR)
DT: 99 Rylie Mills (SR)
DE: 12 Jordan Botelho (SR)
LB: 8 Marist Liufau (GR)
LB: 27 JD Bertrand (GR)
LB: 24 Jack Kiser (GR)
CB: 5 Cam Hart (GR)
CB: 20 Benjamin Morrison (SO)
LS: 2 DJ Brown (GR)
RS: 00 Xavier Watts (RS JR)
PR: 2 Chris Tyree (SR)
PT: 14 Bryce McFerson (RS FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense:
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returns: C
Punt Returns: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/26 vs. Navy Midshipmen | Notre Dame leads the series 81-13-1. The Fighting Irish are 8-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (27-28) was in 2016.
09/02 TENNESSEE STATE TIGERS | First meeting between schools.
09/09 @ NC State Wolfpack | Notre Dame trails the series 1-2. The Fighting Irish won (35-14) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
09/16 CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS | First meeting between schools.
09/23 OHIO STATE BUCKEYS | Notre Dame trails the series 2-5. Last season’s 10-21 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2016.
09/30 @ Duke Blue Devils | Notre Dame leads the series 5-2. The Fighting Irish won (27-13) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/07 @ Louisville Cardinals | Notre Dame leads the series 2-1. The Fighting Irish won (12-7) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/14 USC TROJANS | Notre Dame leads the series 50-38-5. The Fighting Irish are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series win (31-16) was in 2021.
10/28 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | Notre Dame leads the series 50-21-1. The Fighting Irish won (45-3) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/04 @ Clemson Tigers | Notre Dame trails the series 3-4. Last season’s 35-14 win was the first meeting between schools since 2020.
11/18 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | Notre Dame leads the series 5-0. The Fighting Irish won (56-27) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/25 @ Stanford Cardinal | Notre Dame leads the series 22-14. The Fighting Irish are 4-5 since 2013 and their last series win (45-14) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 1-0
Overall: 9-3
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