Notre Dame Football: Ranking Irish opponents by toughness

Cincinnati isn’t going to sneak up on anyone after reaching the Peach Bowl last season and nearly knocking off Georgia.

The Bearcats are hoping to make their way into the College Football Playoff which will require going undefeated just like the Irish.  Desmond Ridder is also back and he’s become one of college football’s best quarterbacks.

The guy is a dual-threat and he’s just a winner. Sort of like the old Boise State teams, Notre Dame is the marquee game on the schedule and it’s the only one outside of the American. It will be the Super Bowl for the Bearcats and Notre Dame better be prepared to match that energy.

This game deserved strong consideration for the No. 1 spot. The Badgers and Irish are going to meet on a neutral field in Chicago, although most consider that to be Notre Dame territory.

You can bet that the Badgers will bring a strong contingent of fans, however, my guess is the crowd will still be partial to the Irish.

Not only will this will be a fun atmosphere, with two hard-hitting defenses, but it’s also going to be a fun game. Coan will likely be starting against his old team and Graham Mertz will be looking to prove that the Badgers were right to go with him as their long-term quarterback.

Notre Dame will probably be a slight favorite to win this game, yet these teams are similar and it’s one of the most-anticipated matchups in September.