Notre Dame Football: Post-spring 2022 game-by-game predictions

With spring practices in the books, let’s look at the updated expectations for Notre Dame football in 2022. Will the Irish be playoff-bound?

Notre Dame football is entering a new era.

Gone is Brian Kelly who led the program for over a decade and taking over is Marcus Freeman who was hired by the now-departed head coach as the defensive coordinator in 2021. He probably had no idea that he would be leading a major program just one year after being hired as the defensive coordinator.

Freeman was an up-and-coming defensive coordinator under Luke Fickell at Cincinnati and Notre Dame wasted no time picking him up to replace Clark Lea.

The Irish made the Fiesta Bowl after an 11-1 regular season but Freeman’s first taste of head coach was a little sour as his team blew a big lead to Oklahoma State and ultimately fell in the New Year’s Six bowl. The optimism surrounding his head coaching tenure is still palpable, mainly because he brings a fresh, new outlook, youthfulness, and elite recruiting.

Notre Dame is in good hands, and we know more about the Irish after spring ball despite Tyler Buchner not being able to play in the annual scrimmage.

Here’s how I see Notre Dame’s 2022 season playing out after a successful spring under Freeman.