Irish Should Get Back On Track at Washington

After a very exciting, close loss to Michigan St, the Irish are heading to Washington this week to take on their former head coach and the Huskies. I was surprised to find out this week that the Irish have never played against a former head coach who wasn't an interim coach.

The Irish are still ranked in the top 20, and have an outside shot at a BCS bowl. In the past, we always had to worry that they would look past certain teams with a nationally ranked opponent coming up the following week. They play the 10/11 ranked Boilermakers on the road next week. But that is not as big a concern with Weis at the helm.

I predicted a big win last week and that didn't pan out. But I am undaunted and predicting a big win again this week. Washington's program is rebuilding and they are not ready to compete with ranked opponents. Tyrone Willingham will definitely have them fired up to play, and the Huskies will keep it close in the first half, but I think the Irish will pull away in the second half for a 41-17 win.

By the way, it is the 75th anniversary of Notre Dame Stadium. Here's some trivia from the Notre Dame Official Website:

The 2005 football season marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of fabled Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish have played 380 games in that facility to date and own a 287-88-5 (.762) record in the "House that Rockne Built."

The Irish were 3-3 in Notre Dame Stadium in `04, running their home record to 91-29 (.758) over the last 20 years.

The most wins in a season by the Irish at home is seven by the `88 national championship team and the longest home winning streak in Notre Dame football history is 28 games (from 11/21/42 through 9/30/50).

In `55, the Stadium's 25th anniversary, Notre Dame went 8-2 on the season for coach Terry Brennan, including a 4-0 home record; the Irish turned in a 9-2-1 overall record and a 5-0 home mark to commemorate Notre Dame Stadium's 50th anniversary in `80.