Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons not to panic just yet about 2018
By Jacob Wilson
4. Kelly’s history bodes well for the Irish’s chances
As mentioned before, Kelly’s mediocre record against top 25, particularly top 15 teams has been well documented. However, what has been somewhat overlooked is Kelly’s record against unranked opponents. While such should be expected from a program like Notre Dame, it hasn’t always been this way.
What stands out the most is the glaring disparity between Kelly’s success in the first vs. the second half of the season. Since 2011, Kelly is a respectable 7-5 against top 25 competition through the first six games of the season, but his record against teams of this caliber dips to 6-11 through the last six or seven games.
This is never a good recipe for success, especially considering how heavy a late-season loss can weigh on playoff hopes. We saw this to an extent last season, with the exception of the Irish’s Week 2 loss to Georgia and a couple of midseason victories over USC and N.C. State. However, the Irish witnessed two tough losses against (7) Miami and (20) Stanford.
This year’s schedule appears to be in line with Kelly’s formula of success, with Notre Dame drawing Stanford and Virginia Tech early. This upcoming stretch won’t be easy, but consider this. The last time Kelly’s Irish didn’t have to face a top 25 team in November: 2012, Notre Dame’s latest title run.