Notre Dame Football: Updated game-by-game predictions for 2020

Notre Dame football is getting ready to face an all-ACC, plus one, schedule in 2020 with COVID-19 making things difficult for independent schools.

Brian Kelly is facing some pressure this season. Maybe it’s not as intense as it would have been if COVID-19 didn’t happen (every program seems to be getting a pass here) but many believe that the Irish have the talent to compete for national titles.

Missing out on the playoff again would be tough but the Irish have an even better opportunity to make that final four this year with an ACC-only schedule. A win over Clemson may be all that the Irish actually need to prove themselves to the playoff committee.

Joining a conference for the season is only going to help matters because the Irish could make a run at the conference title game and that’s only going to aid playoff hopes.

Kelly needs to prove that his playoff appearance a couple of years ago was no fluke and he’ll get a shot at a rematch against Clemson this regular season. That’s going to be one of the most watched games of the year and if the Irish can pull off a win, it’ll prove a lot of doubters wrong.

An ACC-only schedule may actually help the Irish, too, because it’s known as one of the weakest Power Five conferences and it’ll give them a chance to run the table.

How will Notre Dame fare in this updated ACC-heavy, COVID-limited 2020 schedule?