ITS GAMEDAY IRISH!

The season opener is finally upon us, Notre Dame fans. That is right, another clean slate full of expectations is here. So many of these have come before us; from the days of Brady Quinn to Ian Book, we have had many years, all with different endings in mind. Now we jump into year two with CJ Carr and so much to be excited about, but all of that doesn't matter today. Only one thing should be on our minds... PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY!

Today isn't about rankings, expectations, or anything of that nature, it's about beating Wisconsin and only beating the Badgers. While they haven't been up to standard the past few years, this is a completely new team in Madison and one with a chip on its shoulder, seeing a 3-point underdog tag stamped on its name and countless media members giving them little to no chance tonight. This is why Notre Dame must be ready for anything and everything tonight. Just yesterday we saw Boise State take Oregon to the brink, and a guided miracle in Ann Arbor was needed by Michigan against Western Michigan. This is college football: there are no guarantees here!

Yes, on paper we look to have the advantage in most, if not all, areas. We will need to keep new transfer QB Colton Joseph in the pocket. This is my key to the game: keep him one-dimensional and the game could tip in our favor or even spiral out of control for the Badgers. If Joseph starts to get the wheels going, forcing us to account for that more, then this game could become a major issue really fast! Still, I am confident in my boys, though I also think Wisconsin is gonna be sneaky good this year in the long run.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 13

The Irish have developed the motto of "Leave No Doubt" this season, and we are ready to see it in Week 1. After all of the offseason chatter and fake preseason accolades, it is time to see our boys put pen to paper, cleats to grass, and pads on pads! If you are not nervous, excited, impatient, and feeling all the other emotions that make you bounce off the walls while checking the clock to see what the countdown is, then you might not be a die-hard! Cause it's time for some NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL!