Well, they did it again. The boys from Notre Dame pulled in a highly ranked Michigan team, shut down their offense, made just enough big plays on special teams, and played just well enough on offense to beat the pants off 'em. It was glorious. Who knows how the season will turn out, but for one weekend at least, the golden domers can revel in the fact that the wolverines had to go back to Ann Arbor with their tails between their legs. How beautiful.
Everywhere I look, there's a story or a blog about football, so I guess I'll join in on the fun. I, for one, am pretty excited about the upcoming season. First of all, my favorite sport of all: college football.
The best team in the history of the world, Notre Dame, should have a much better season this year. Their schedule isn't quite as tough, and they have 14 returning starters. The strength, once again, should be the running game, with 4 guys who could potentially rush for 1,000 yards. Behind them is what could be the best passing game ND has had in a while, and the offensive line is almost all back from last year. The D, on the other hand, has lost a lot, I'll be honest. Courtney Watson is now down here, starting as a rookie at middle linebacker for the Saints. They also lost their best defensive lineman, and essentially the entire secondary. All that aside, this team will make or break on the play of soph QB, Brady Quinn. All the tools are there for him to be a standout. If he is, watch for ND to be in the hunt. If he's sub-par, or even mediocre, we're in trouble. Obviously the first real test will be next Saturday against Michigan. I'm cautiously optimistic. Michigan is one of the best teams in the country and should win, but this is one of the best rivalries in college football, and you never know what can happen. Go Irish!
As for the pros, I can't wait to see the Colts get to the super bowl. And I think it'll happen this year. New England has the better team on paper, but this is the Colts' year, I'm convinced. Edge is back to his old self, and Marvin and Peyton should tear up the league, especially with the new rules for defensive backs. Reggie Wayne is a great second receiver, and the OL as usual looks great. The defense, as always, will be the question mark. They didn't make a whole lot of noise in the off-season, but the draft and free agency should help a little. I think the D should be used to Dungy by now, and will have a banner year, carrying the Colts to their first ever Super Bowl Victory in Indy. I just pray they stay healthy, because if they do...watch out!