After recording consecutive double-digit winning seasons in each of the last two years, including a perfect 12-0 mark a year ago, head coach Brian Kelly will be looking to get his Notre Dame Fighting Irish back in the national championship mix after coming up just short of reaching the title game last season. Will the Irish fly high again in 2019 or are they bound to take a step backwards after finishing the 2018 regular season unbeaten? Let’s find out just how Notre Dame is going to fare against their 2019 regular season win total odds.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2019 Season Win / Loss Total Odds & Betting Prediction
2018 Team Leaders
- Touchdown: Dexter Williams (13)
- Rushing: Dexter Williams (995)
- Passing: Ian Book (2628)
- Receiving: Miles Boykin (872)
- Interceptions: Jalen Elliot (4)
Why Notre Dame Will Top Their Win Total Odds?
There are a handful of great reasons to back Notre Dame to record 10 victories in 2019. First, starting quarterback Ian Book is back under center after having a breakout campaign a year ago that left him as the unrivaled starter after he replaced former starter Brandon Wimbush in the fourth game of the season. Book completed a blistering 68.2 percent of his passes a year ago while throwing for 2,628 yards with 19 TDs and just seven interceptions in 10 appearances.
The Fighting Irish averaged a stellar 37.2 points per game over their final nine games in 2018 to finish with a scoring average of 31.4 points per contest (42nd). Notre Dame also returns four starters along the offensive line and although they lost running back Dexter Williams the Irish feel comfortable at the position with former receiver Jafar Armstrong and running back Tony Jones Jr. set to take starring roles in 2019.
Notre Dame does have a lack of experience at the wide receiver and tight end positions, but again, Brian Kelly has a bunch of talent that looks good, at least on on paper, right now. The Fighting Irish also have some elite talent returning on the defensive side of the ball in defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and linebackers Drue Tranquill and Te’von Coney.
Why Notre Dame Won’t Top Their Win Total Odds?
There are also some good reasons to bet on Notre Dame to come up just short of topping their win total odds. Notre Dame lost a bunch of solid starters on the defensive side of the ball and no one rally knows how their replacements will perform in 2019. Notre Dame does have a handful of gifted defensive ends in Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem and Daelin Hayes, as well as at least two others who could start for almost any program in the country. Still, the Irish are mostly young and inexperienced on the defensive side of the ball and that just doesn’t bode well when the Irish take on an elite offensive team.
Prediction
Notre Dame has just two home games that look like a questionable outcomes when they host USC and Virginia Tech, but they’ve also got a trio of difficult road dates against Georgia (loss), Michigan (another loss) and Stanford in their regular season finale.
Well, I guess I just gave my prediction away seeing as how I’m predicting Notre Dame to lose at Georgia and Michigan and finish with 10 regular season wins at best. Notre Dame’s defense has a few too many question marks for my taste and that why I say play the Under here!
Pick: 10 Wins
