Notre Dame Football: Gauging realistic expectations for 2018 season

Notre Dame football is facing an important 2018 season under Brian Kelly but what can we realistically expect from the Irish?

Coming off a rebound in 2017, Brian Kelly and Notre Dame will be aiming for that elusive national title in 2018. The last time the Irish were able to capture that national crown was 1988, quite the gap between championships for a blue-blood like Notre Dame.

The pressure will be on Kelly this season, whether fans want to believe it or not. Sure, he turned things around after shocking everyone with a 4-8 season in 2016, but he’s been with the Irish for eight years, going on nine, and he’s come close to a national title just once, losing in the championship game in 2012.

Will things change for the better this year? The potential is surely there.

Notre Dame has the players such as Brandon Wimbush, Chase Claypool, Dexter Williams, Daelin Hayes, Te’von Coney, Drue Tranquill and Julian Love to compete at the highest level. Moreover, the Irish are bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country and they’re coming off a 10-win season.

So what are the realistic expectations for this team with the schedule, returning players, departing players and incoming freshmen taken into consideration?

Depending on how Notre Dame starts the season, 10-11 wins is extremely realistic. If Notre Dame can beat Michigan, that will give it confidence to carry through the first month without a defeat. The Irish could be 5-0 heading into a showdown with Virginia Tech in early October and a win there could keep them on that roll through the month before Northwestern, Florida State and USC await in November.

As long as the Irish can win one or two of those tough late-season games, the playoff could still be in the picture. They should beat Northwestern on the road and Florida State at home should also be a victory, but playing at USC will be tough.

Realistically, this team could finish the year 10-2 or 11-1 with a true shot at the College Football Playoff. It all depends on what kind of play they get from whoever starts under center.

Next: 5 reasons Notre Dame will win the 2018 national title

Don’t sleep on the Irish this season. They may actually surpass preseason expectations.