Notre Dame Football: 5 keys to a successful 2019 season for Irish

5. Notre Dame has to split their games with Michigan, Georgia

Without a conference to play in, it is vital that Notre Dame builds a strong schedule in their 12 games. They certainly did that this year. Two teams they will be facing will be well in the hunt for the College Football Playoff in Michigan and Georgia.

Both of these games are on the road, which makes the situation even tougher for the Irish. With margins being razor-thin already, these games are absolutely crucial for Notre Dame football. If the Irish lose to both teams, they will be out of contention for any large bowl game.

I honestly believe that Notre Dame will likely have to go 12-0 again to make it to the CFP. However, that seems like an unlikely goal for a successful year with this schedule. With that being the case, I think it is fair to say that Notre Dame has to beat either Georgia or Michigan. Neither team is at the top of the country, but both are very good. It is still in the realm of the possibility to make the CFP at 11-1 with this schedule, but that record would easily give them a quality bowl game.

To beat either of these teams, Notre Dame’s defense will have to be elite. Georgia is very talented on offense with Jake Fromm and D’Andre Swift. Michigan will always be creative offensively with Jim Harbaugh at the helm.

The easier game to win will definitely be against Michigan. They have a reputation for struggling in key games, and this will be one of their first true tests of the regular season. If Notre Dame can figure out the offense, this will be a very interesting game for both teams.