Welcome to Glass Slipper! I’m starting to think that Bo Nix was deliberately trying to be bad at Auburn; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

A storied program now has a star quarterback, a great head coach, and an extremely favorable schedule. It’s time to go win a title. Let’s talk about the #7 team in the Glass Slipper rankings, Notre Dame.

Offense

Quick, name an NFL wide receiver from Notre Dame. They don’t have to be an All-Pro, a Pro Bowler, or even a starter. Just name anyone. If you somehow managed to blurt out Equanimeous St. Brown, you either watch far too much football (like me) or you’re a fan of his podcast (unlike me).

The Fighting Irish may finally have a real guy at the position. Kris Mitchell exploded for 1,148 yards at FIU last season, vaulting him into the spotlight as a coveted transfer. He picked South Bend, where he’ll immediately step in as the team’s best wideout. Even if you dislike Notre Dame, how could you root against that story? Mitchell was definitely searching for an office job a year ago. Now he’s a solid campaign away from hearing his name called in the draft.

People are somehow still sleeping on Riley Leonard. You’d think that a move from a basketball school to Notre Dame would send the hype train into a frenzy, but I haven’t really seen that happen. We’ve watched Leonard play one full season as a starter; he was a true sophomore, and had 31 total touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Yes, Duke’s schedule was weak. But have you seen the Irish’s slate of opponents this year? It’s far from a gauntlet. I have Leonard hanging around the outskirts of the Heisman conversation all season.

The other weapons on offense are solid, too. Former four-star running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price each looked good in their limited action in 2023. Mitchell Evans carved up my Buckeyes, and is one of the better tight ends in the nation. The one concern for Notre Dame is these offensive tackles. Joe Alt and Blake Fisher are both gone, and next man up Charles Jagusah recently suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. That means the fourth and fifth guys in the room last year are going to be full-time starters now. I’ll give the Irish the benefit of the doubt because they’ve been elite with developing offensive linemen in recent years. But I’m keeping a close eye on those spots.

Defense

I believe Benjamin Morrison is the best player in college football. I’m well-aware of the searing temperature of that take. You could drive to South Bend, and it’d probably still take you a couple hours to find someone who agrees with me.

The crazy part? Most fans would argue that Morrison isn’t even the top guy in his own secondary. Xavier Watts is the reigning Nagurski Award winner, given to the best defender in the nation. He tallied 7 interceptions in 2023, and could have easily rode that momentum into the NFL.

Long story short, the secondary is filthy. Pair it with terrific defensive tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills, and you have the makings of a special unit. Jack Kiser - who has been attending Notre Dame since the school was founded - is going to be a valuable leader, with some inexperience around him in the linebacker room. The Irish should be excited; all of these pieces fit together really nicely. This is a group that will keep the team competitive in every game it plays.

Season Outlook

Pre-Bowl Record Prediction: 11-1

Selection Sunday Fan Mood: This is our best team since 1988, and we’re literally not allowed to get a first-round bye in the playoff. It might be time for us to join a conference.

Pressroom

Spin It

“Shower” by Becky G. When everything was simple.