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Notre Dame: 3 bold predictions for Notre Dame vs Florida State

By Danny McCormick

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 01: Head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players run on the field during player introductions before the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium on January 01, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football is set to play Florida State on Sunday night in primetime. Here are three bold predictions for Notre Dame in the opener.

This same matchup in 2020 was a conference matchup in the ACC, but flash forward one year and it now is again a non-conference game when Notre Dame football travels down to Tallahassee to take on the Florida State Seminoles.

This game features one team in Notre Dame which is trying to get back to the college football playoffs for consecutive years and the third trip in the last four seasons. While Florida State on the other hand is trying to get back on track under second-year head coach Mike Norvell.

Things did not go exactly as planned for Norvell and the Seminoles last year. Florida State finished the 2020 season at 3-6 overall with a 2-6 record in the ACC. Florida State had many opt-outs, different Covid situations, and a depleted roster which were key factors in their disappointing season in Tallahassee in 2020.

Florida State announced their depth chart on Monday and they seem to be playing some gamesmanship at the quarterback position. Over the offseason, Florida State landed a key transfer quarterback when they signed McKenzie Milton to come suit up for the Seminoles.

If you are a college football fanatic then you know the name of McKenzie Milton from his days slinging the ball all over the field from his days at UCF.

The former UCF star quarterback being able to play in 2021 is miraculous, to say the least. Back in 2018, Milton took a real devastating hit that resulted in a dislocated knee and major ligament damage to his knee as well.

Many people around the game felt like that hit was the end of his great career. But after putting in the time rehabbing Milton has come all the way back and now will be taking snaps for the Florida State Seminoles this year.

According to the depth chart, Milton will not be the only one taking snaps as he is listed as a co-starter at the quarterback position with fellow teammate Jordan Travis.

Jordan Travis and McKenzie Milton are two different types of quarterbacks. Before his injury, Milton was not a terrible runner, but now with his knee injury will be more of a pocket passer compared to Travis who is more of a dual-threat quarterback who can hurt you with his arm, but also with his legs as well.

Last year Travis appeared in eight games throwing for 1,056 yards and six passing touchdowns through the air. Jordan Travis also ran for 559 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

It is a smart plan by Norvell and the Seminole coaching staff when you think about it. Having to prepare for two quarterbacks who bring two different styles is a lot more work to prepare for than giving Notre Dame football so much time to just focus on one quarterback.

This matchup on the road to start off the season in primetime on Sunday night will be a true test for a new look Notre Dame team. The names like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Daelin Hayes, Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Tommy Tremble, the all-time leader in wins at the quarterback position in Notre Dame history Ian Book, among other talented seniors who were not mentioned are no longer suiting up in blue and gold for the Irish.

Graduate transfer Jack Coan is now the starter for Notre Dame. The former Wisconsin Badger beat out fellow teammates Drew Pyne and what many are calling the next future star of Notre Dame at the quarterback position in true freshman Tyler Buchner.

The Irish also have had a key coaching change that many people around the Notre Dame program are quite fired up about before the season.

Marcus Freeman is the new defensive coordinator for Notre Dame coming over after former Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea took the heading coaching job at Vanderbilt University. Freeman brings in a defensive system that really thrived and help put Cincinnati back on the map these last few years when he was in charge of the defensive unit there.

Florida State currently owns the overall series lead at 6-4 against Notre Dame. The Irish have had the recent bragging rights winning the last two games of the series in 2018 and 2020. Let’s dive into 3 bold predictions for Notre Dame on Sunday night.

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