Bears 2013 Season Comes to an End

The 2013 Chicago Bears season came to a disappointing end yesterday evening when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Bears, 33-28 to win the NFC North. The heartbreaking loss was just a microcosm of the 2013 season, highlighted with many ups and downs. Just as the Bears failed to win when they controlled their own destiny with two games left (having to only win one game), they couldn’t close out the Packers on Sunday. Up 28-20, with 14:55 left in the game, the Bears’ defense allowed two late touchdowns to give the Packers lead for good. The game-winner was a 48-yard touchdown strike from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb who was wide open after beating the coverage at the line of scrimmage. The play was horrific, the loss was devastating.

Of course, the Packers would likely not have been in position to win the game if it wasn’t for the bizarre play that occurred shortly before the half. With just under four minutes to go in the half, Julius Peppers knocked the football out of Aaron Rodgers’ hand right before he was preparing to throw. The ball shot forward, leaving many players on both sides to think it was an incomplete pass. Both teams had an opportunity to pick the ball up, but eventually the Packers sideline yelled at Jarrett Boykin to run into the end zone after he picked up the live ball. Boykin walked into the end zone for the easy score, which proved to be the difference in the game. It is unfortunate that such a big game was ultimately decided by that play, but the Bears deserved to lose after not falling on the football. Defensive coaches always preach to fall on any loose ball, so obviously the Bears players clearly thought it was an incomplete pass. In any event, there were other factors (like giving up 473 yards) that decided the outcome.

Now, the Bears head into the offseason with plenty of questions to answer and areas to address.

Who will be at quarterback? I firmly believe that Jay Cutler is good enough to win a Super Bowl and feel the Bears should find a way to retain him. The offense is in place to succeed, so I think it would be foolish to let Cutler walk. Yes, Josh McCown played exceptionally well, but I’m not sure that I would be comfortably having him penciled in as our starting quarterback heading into next year.

In addition to having Jay Cutler as a free agent, the Bears also have 26 other players that will become free agents. Obviously, there are many issues and questions for Phil Emery to figure out other than the quarterback position.

Who will be the defensive coordinator? As bad as the defense was this season, I can’t envision a scenario where current defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is brought back for another season. I have no idea who would replace him, but newly available Leslie Frazier would be at the top of my list.

Will Julius Peppers be back? Peppers’ salary will count for roughly $18 million against the Bears’ salary cap next season. The Bears would love to clear some cap space, and I believe they can cut that $18 million cap hit in half if they release prior him next season. Despite Peppers having a down year, he is still the best pass rusher this defense has to offer. Will Emery feel comfortable heading into next season without Peppers?

What will the Bears do in the draft? An 8-8 season has given the Bears the 14^th overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft. In my opinion, the Bears need to address the defensive side of the ball with virtually every pick. If Peppers were to leave, look for the Bears to draft a defensive lineman. Notre Dame’s DE Stephon Tuitt might be a good fit provided he forgoes his senior season. If the Bears were to switch to a 3-4, I would personally love to see them draft OLB/DE Kyle Van Noy out of BYU. I don’t think Van Noy can play the traditional 4-3 end position in the NFL, but he is an ideal 3-4 OLB with the ability to play with one hand on the ground in passing situations.

In the end, it should be an interesting offseason for the Chicago Bears. Even though the Bears were just 8-8 this season, I believe the offense makes this team a contender in 2014 provided they can improve the defense.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Pinstripe Bowl Recap: Notre Dame 29, Rutgers 16

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame wrapped up the 2013 season with a Pinstripe Bowl victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 29-16. The win was the ninth of the season for the Irish, marking the first time the team has won at least nine games in back-to-back seasons since 2005-2006.

Although the Irish wound up defeating the Knights rather comfortably, the game was quite a struggle for three quarters. During that time, the two teams traded scores with the Irish kicking a field goal in the third quarter to give them a 16-13 lead. Notre Dame would put an end to the seesaw battle by adding another field goal with 12:46 left in the game. Trailing 19-13, Rutgers would bring the score back to within three points with Kyle Federico’s third field goal of the game. Later, the Irish would eventually seal the game with a 3-yard touchdown run by Tarean Folston and a late Kyle Brindza field goal, his fifth on the afternoon.

The Positives

1. Balanced offensive attack. If you just looked at the box score, you would think the Irish won the game 45-16 instead of 29-16. The Irish ran 90 plays on the day and Brian Kelly showed great balance in his return to play calling. Kelly dialed up 47 pass plays, but stayed committed to the running game in the second half due to the wind and field conditions. In fact, Kelly stated that he had to divert from his original game plan and call sheet because the conditions were so bad. Whatever Kelly did, it worked. The Irish racked up 494 yards of total offense (319 passing, 175 rushing), and dominated the time of possession battle with a 38:16 to 21:44 advantage. Overall, it was a great day for the offense, but they were still unable to finish a few of their drives.

2. Chris Brown’s emergence. Sophomore wide receiver Chris Brown was expected to have a bigger impact this season, but he only managed to catch ten passes during the regular season. On Saturday, Brown showed why the coaching staff believes he still has a bright future. The sophomore caught five passes (all for first downs) for 54 yards on the afternoon with a few of his catches coming on critical third down conversions to extend scoring drives. Hopefully, this will be a performance that Brown can build on heading into next season.

3. Kyle Brindza’s big day. Despite the offenses success moving the ball, the Irish would not have won the game with their kicker. Kyle Brindza was 5-for-6 on the day, hitting field goals from 21, 38, 26, 25, and 49 yards out. The junior had been pretty solid all season long and he figures to be a weapon heading into next year.

The Negatives

1. Red zone struggles continue. As mentioned above, the Irish offense moved the ball with relative ease against the Knights, but they struggled once again in the red zone. The Irish had three drives that stalled inside the Knights’ 10-yard line, having to settle for field goals instead. This is a problem that has plagued the Irish all season long, and frankly it has been an issues the past couple seasons. Part of it is play calling and part of it is execution (like T.J. Jones dropping a sure touchdown pass on a 2^nd and goal in the fourth quarter). Either way, it is something that can be and needs to be fixed moving forward. With Everett Golson returning next season, the Irish will add another dimension to their offense that should help in the red zone and short yardage situations. Hopefully, we won’t be discussing this problem again next season.

2. Careless penalties. The Irish committed 8 penalties for 69 yards, highlighted by two careless personal fouls. The first one was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Stephon Tuitt for his role in an altercation after a play. Tuitt appeared to push and say something to a Rutgers’ defender after a Notre Dame defender made a tackle. The play resulted in an automatic first down, but fortunately for the Irish, KeiVarae Russell intercepted a halfback pass at the one yard line to end a Rutgers scoring threat.

3. Return game issues. Notre Dame’s punt return issues under Brian Kelly reared its ugly head once again when T.J. Jones muffed a punt in the first quarter. The miscue led to a Rutgers field goal to tie the score at 3-3. Frankly, I don’t understand how a marquee program like Notre Dame can continue to struggle with returning punts. You would think that amongst all the talent the Irish have, a reliable returner would emerge. In addition to the punt return struggles, Notre Dame had a rough time holding the Rutgers kick return game in-check. Notre Dame tried to kick the ball away from Janarion Grant on several occasions, but the freshman did return three kicks for 127 yards. Rutgers was given good field position on most drives, but the Irish defense played well under the short-field conditions to keep the Knights out of the end zone. Improving in all phases of the return game should be one of Brian Kelly’s top priorities for the offseason.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Pinstripe Bowl Preview: Notre Dame vs Rutgers

Notre Dame’s 2013 season concludes tomorrow when the Fighting Irish (8-4) take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-6) in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. The game will take place at Yankee Stadium, and it figures to be a great environment considering that the two teams have a large following in New York.

Bowl games are meant to reward teams for having a successful season, but the goal is still to win the game. A win for Notre Dame would be the ninth victory of the year, and it would be the first time the Irish have won at least nine games in back-to-back seasons since 2005-2006. For Rutgers, a victory would secure a winning season at 7-6, and give the Knights some confidence as the head to the Big Ten Conference next season.

Bowl games can be difficult to predict with a long layoff, but here’s what we should expect to see tomorrow.

Offensively, Notre Dame will be eager to take the field considering that Rutgers has surrendered 29.8 points per game, placing them 82^nd in the country. The Knights’ poor defense is due in large part to a lousy pass defense. Opponents have averaged 311.4 yards in the air versus the Knights’ secondary, good for a 120^th ranked pass defense. Despite their struggles against the pass, the Knights’ have a stout run defense that ranks 4^th in the nation by allowing just 94.6 rushing yards per game. Given the statistical breakdown, it is clear that the Irish should have a much easier time throwing the ball, and that is exactly what I expect them to do on Saturday. Tommy Rees will be making his final appearance in a Notre Dame uniform, and he should have an outstanding day throwing the ball to fellow senior T.J. Jones and the rest of the receiving corps. I don’t see how the Rutgers’ defensive backs will be able to matchup with the talent that Rees has to throw to, so points should be scored early and often. Of course, for any offense to be successful you must also be able to run the ball. Brian Kelly has stated that freshman Tarean Folston will start and I expect several Notre Dame running backs to get carries as well. Ideally, I think Kelly would like to establish an early lead with big plays in the passing game before leaning on his running backs to put the game away.

Defensively, the Irish shouldn’t be challenged too much by a Knights’ offense that ranks 72^nd in points scored (27.4) and 85^th in total offense at 375.9 yards per game. The Knights lack of success on offense has been highlighted by a 98^th ranked rushing offense (133.7 yards per game) and an average passing attack (54^th) that has average 242.3 yards per game. The Knights’ offense is expected to be led by senior quarterback Chas Dodd who will be making just his third start of the season. Despite making just his third start, Dodd has plenty of experience as a starter and has thrown for 3,923 yards, 23 touchdowns and 17 interceptions during his career. Although he has experience, Dodd could struggle against an Irish defense that ranks 18^th against the pass (201.7 yards per game). If Notre Dame’s offense can find the end zone early in this game, it will likely force the Knights to throw the ball more than they would like. If that happens and this Rutgers’ offense becomes one-dimensional, then it will likely be a long day for the Knights.

This game might be close for the first quarter due to some rust, but I expect Notre Dame’s talent to be too much for Rutgers.

Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Rutgers 17

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Despite Struggles, Bears Control Own Destiny

After beginning the season with a 3-0 record, the Chicago Bears appeared to be legitimate contenders to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. However, things would gradually change over the course of the next nine weeks with the Bears dropping six of nine games to fall back to .500.

During that time, the Bears suffered numerous injuries to key players such as Jay Cutler, Lance Briggs, and Charles Tillman to name a few. Given how poorly the defense was playing prior to Briggs and Tillman going down, the Bears’ future looked bleak with arguably their two best defensive players sideline for several weeks. Couple that with the loss of starting quarterback Jay Cutler, and many Bears fans thought the season was virtually over. Fortunately, the defense has played better at times and the offense was just as good without Cutler. Backup quarterback Josh McCown stepped in and performed exceptionally well while Cutler was out, so well that some people believed McCown should remain the starter. I certainly had my doubts about whether or not McCown could lead this offense, but he proved that he is more than capable. Thankfully, McCown was able to help save this season and give the Bears a shot at the playoffs with Cutler now back under center.

In addition to the injuries, many Bears fans became frustrated with head coach Marc Trestman after questionable decisions helped cost the Bears a victory in a few games. Most notably, Trestman’s choice to have Robbie Gould attempt a 47-yard field goal on 2-and-7 in overtime had many Bears fans wondering whether or not Trestman is the right man for the job. Although I didn’t agree with Trestman’s decision, I think it is clear that he is the right man for the job. During his first fourteen games, Marc Trestman has proved that he certainly knows how to run an offense. The Bears’ offense is one of the most efficient and explosive unit is the league, something that I have never been able to say as a Bears fan.

But, despite their struggles, the Bears still control their own destiny with just two games remaining. Forget about what Detroit and Green Bay have to do, all the Bears have to do is win out. Regardless of what happens, if the Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles and the Packers, then Chicago will win the NFC North at 10-6.

Just a few weeks ago, that didn’t seem like a likely scenario.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

White Sox Deal Reed to Arizona for 3B Prospect

On Monday, the Chicago White Sox made another trade by acquiring third baseman prospect Matt Davidson from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for closer Addison Reed.

Upgrading the third base position was a top priority for the White Sox heading into the offseason, and general manager Rick Hahn believes they have now locked up their future at the hot-corner. Davidson will turn 23 years old just prior to opening day and will be under control through the 2019 campaign.

Reed, soon to be 25 years old, emerged as one of the better closers in the American League by converting 40 saves last season. I have always been a fan of Reed ever since he appeared in a White Sox uniform in 2011, and I firmly believe that he has the talent and demeanor to become an elite closer for many years. There is no doubt that Addison Reed will be missed, but that is the price you have to pay if you want to get a quality player in return.

When I first saw the deal, I was not happy about losing Reed, but I was excited about acquiring a prospect like Matt Davidson. Davidson was a former first-round draft pick in 2009, and he has progressed naturally through the Diamondbacks’ farm system. In fact, Davidson was named MVP at the 2013 Future’s Game, and he also took home the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby trophy. Take a look at his minor league stats from 2010-2013:

2010 – 134 G|486 AB|18 HR|90 RBI|.272 BA|.360 OBP|.469 SLG

2011 – 135 G|535 AB|20 HR|106 RBI|.277 BA|.348 OBP|.465 SLG

2012 – 135 G|486 AB|23 HR|76 RBI|.261 BA|.367 OBP|.469 SLG

2013 – 115 G|443 AB|17 HR|74 RBI|.280 BA|.350 OBP|.481 SLG

As you can see, Davidson profiles as a power hitter with potential to hit 25-30 home runs a season. The one concern on Davidson is that he strikes out at a pretty high rate. Davidson has had strikeout totals of 134, 147,126, and 134 from 2010 through 2013, but he does walk enough to keep his on-base percentage at a very respectable rate.

Davidson did get his first taste of the majors last season when he had 87 at-bats in 31 games with Arizona. The youngster showcased a bit of what he can do by hitting three home runs, six doubles, and driving in 12 runs. The average was low at .237, but a .333 OBP suggests that he is much more than a free-swinger.

Rick Hahn mentioned that he isn’t sure whether or not Davidson will begin the season in Triple-A or with the White Sox, but I think he will certainly be given an opportunity to win the job in the spring. With Jeff Keppinger, Conor Gillaspie, and Marcus Semien as the other third base candidates, Davidson will undoubtedly get a chance to start at some point during the 2014 season.

Only time will tell if this trade works out, but it had to be done. As good as Addison Reed is, he is a closer and only appears in about 70 games for 70 innings a year. If Matt Davidson pans out, he’ll play in 150-plus games a year, or about 1,350 innings. Which player will impact a team greater if they both reach their full potential? I’ll take the everyday player 10 times out of 10.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

White Sox Aquire Eaton in 3-Team Deal

On Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox acquired outfielder Adam Eaton in a three-team trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The complete details of the trade are as follows:

White Sox receive CF Adam Eaton (From Arizona)

Angels receive LHP Hector Santiago (From Chicago) and LHP Tyler Skaggs (From Arizona)

Diamondbacks receive OF/1B Mark Trumbo (From Los Angeles) and a player to be named later from both Los Angeles and Chicago

Overall, this looks like a deal that should really help all parties involved. First, the Angels desperately needed to upgrade their starting rotation and received a pair of young left-handed starting pitchers that they can affordably control for several seasons. Second, the Diamondbacks were looking to add a power-hitting bat to their lineup to provide protection for their MVP-caliber first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. With Mark Trumbo’s potential to hit upwards of 40 homers in Chase Field, Arizona was happy to fill that void. Third and finally, the White Sox were looking to flip one of their left-handed starting pitchers for an everyday player. By acquiring Adam Eaton, the White Sox believe they have found their starting center fielder and leadoff man for the near future.

Like all trades, the performances of each player involved will ultimately decided which teams actually benefitted from the deal. But for now, each organization is feeling a lot better about their rosters after completing the trade.

As for the White Sox side of the deal, I like the move. Although I like the move, I’m not happy about losing Hector Santiago. During his team in Chicago, Santiago has held every role imaginable on the pitching staff. He was a starter, a closer, and a reliever and for the most part Santiago exceeded in each role. Last year, Santiago found his place in the rotation due to injuries and flashed some of his potential while posting a 3.51 ERA and 8.4 SO/9 in 23 starts. While those numbers are solid, Santiago also had a troubling 1.39 WHIP inflated by walking 62 batters in just 130.2 innings pitched as a starter. Santiago has an above-average arm and features good stuff, but his success in Los Angeles will be depend on his ability to keep the ball in the strike zone.

What exactly are the White Sox getting in Adam Eaton? That’s the obvious question and one we won’t be able to fully answer until next season. Scouts are split on what type of player they believe Adam Eaton can become. Some scouts, like those within White Sox organization, feel Eaton can flourish at the top of a lineup and be a solid leadoff hitter given his high contact rates, on-base skills, and disruptive speed. Other scouts think that Eaton may only be a bottom of the order hitter, or even merely a fourth-outfielder. Let’s hope Eaton’s profile ends up being closer to the former, rather than the latter.

As for now, all we can do is judge Eaton based on his minor league and major league statistics. In 1,560 career at-bats, Eaton owns a .348 batting average, a .450 on-base percentage, and a .501 slugging percentage. Those numbers are outstanding, but they are unrealistic expectations at the major league level. In contrast, during Eaton’s 335 major league at bats he has managed to hit just .254, with a .332 OBP and a .373 SLG. Now those numbers are a bit underwhelming, but the sample size is also really small.

So, what should we realistically expect from Adam Eaton? I expect Eaton’s numbers to fall in the middle of his career minor league and major league statistics. Realistically, it is fair to think Eaton can become a .280 to .300 hitter with a .350 to .380 OBP. If those levels are attained, then the White Sox will indeed have themselves a solid table-setter at the top of the order for several years. With Eaton’s speed and supposedly strong baserunning skills, he should steal plenty of bases (probably around 30 a year) and score a bunch of runs if he were to get on base at least 35% of the time.

The jury is still out on Adam Eaton, but I think it is a risk worth taking. At 25 years old and under team control until the 2019 season, the White Sox feel they have obtained another building block for the future.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Konerko Returns for Another Season

On Wednesday, the Chicago White Sox and Paul Konerko agreed on a one-year, $2.5 million deal to keep the veteran first baseman on the south side.  The fan-favorite is coming off of a disappointing season where he hit just .244 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs in 126 games.

Despite the poor season, I still think this move can’t hurt the White Sox. Unless the White Sox can find a way to unload Adam Dunn and his large contract, Konerko is expected to fill the role of part-time designated hitter and clubhouse mentor. With free-agent signing of Cuban defector Jose Abreu, Konerko probably won’t see much time at first base. Instead, Konerko and Dunn will likely split DH duties with Konerko facing left-handed pitchers.

White Sox fans might scoff at the notion of having over $17 million invested in a platoon, but honestly it is probably the best they can do with Dunn still on the roster.

Let’s take a look and see how a potential platoon might work out.

In 2013, Konerko was his usual self versus southpaws by hitting .313 with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs in just 99 at-bats. Likewise, Konerko’s .226 average and .290 on-base percentage against righties suggests that his time as an everyday player might be over.

Konerko’s success versus lefties also means that White Sox fans don’t have to watch Adam Dunn hit .197 and carry a .296 OBP versus left-handed pitching.

Ideally, with a platoon, the White Sox will maximize each player’s skills into production. In fact, if you put Konerko’s stats versus lefties and Dunn’s stats against righties together, it is pretty solid stat-line for 502 at-bats. In 2013, the duo would have accounted for a .243 average, .341 OBP, 33 home runs, and 80 RBIs. That stat-line might not be all-star caliber, but it is probably a lot better than either one can produce as an everyday player at this stage of their respective careers.

For an additional $2.5 million, the White Sox could do much worse than bringing back Paul Konerko.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Week 12 Recap: Stanford 27, Notre Dame 20

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame dropped their season finale to the Stanford Cardinal, 27-20, to fall to 8-4 on the season. I predicted Stanford to win 31-23, so the outcome did not come as a surprise to me at all. I thought the Irish played pretty well and gave it a great effort against such a talent team. But, in the end, Stanford was just the better football team.

Notre Dame’s offense started off strong by driving 65 yards on 12 plays that set up a 21-yard field goal by Kyle Brindza to give the Irish an early 3-0 lead. Stanford would respond with back-to-back touchdown drives of 75 and 56 yards respectively giving the Cardinal a 14-3 lead. Kyle Brinza would later add a 27-yard field goal before the half to cut the deficit to 14-6. The second half started with Stanford marching down the field on 7 plays for 76 yards in just under four minutes. The drive was capped off with a 20-yard touchdown run by Anthony Wilkerson and it gave the Cardinal a 21-6 advantage. At that point, I thought the Irish were about to get rolled, but they fought back. Notre Dame answered right away when Tommy Rees hit T.J. Jones for a 4-yard touchdown that ended a 61-yard drive and brought the score to 21-13. After a Stanford 27-yard field goal to increase the lead to 24-13, Notre Dame would march 75 yards down the field to bring the Irish within four points after DaVaris Daniels hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Rees. Stanford would add another field goal to give the Cardinal a touchdown advantage, but the Irish could not score again as Notre Dame’s last two drives ended in interceptions.

The Positives

1. The Irish didn’t give up. I believe that there are no moral victories in sports, but there is still something to be said for playing hard. Notre Dame was playing a great, physical team and was able to position themselves for a comeback win after trailing by 11 points twice and 15 points once. That was probably a game that an Irish team from a few years ago would have ended up losing by three or four touchdowns. Brian Kelly has wanted to instill a tougher mentality in his football team, and I believe this game was another example of how the Irish are getting there.

2. Few penalties. Whenever you play a great team on the road, you need to limit the amount of penalties you commit and the Irish did exactly that. Notre Dame was only charged with three penalties on the night that totaled 15 yards. Had the Irish won the game, that would have been a big factor.

3. Dan Fox’s big day. Senior Dan Fox finished the game with 15 tackles. In a game where Stanford was able to get to the second level in their running game, Fox did his part to slow down the Cardinal runners. Fox has had an underrated career at Notre Dame and I think his effort during his time a Notre Dame should be applauded. Well done!

The Negatives

1. Poor run defense. We all knew that Stanford was going to run the ball, but the question was how successful would they be? The answer was very successful. Stanford rushed the ball 51 times for 261 yards and two touchdowns. I said the Irish would likely need to hold the Cardinal running backs to under 150 yards to win the game, so obviously the inability to stop the run was a major reason as to why Notre Dame lost the game. Stanford was able to run the ball at will against the Irish defensive front, evident by only passing the ball 18 times. It was clear the Irish missed the presence of Louis Nix III, and the game could have gone the other way with Nix clogging up the middle.

2. Lost time of possession battle. Obviously any time a team runs the ball 51 times, they are going to come out on top in time of possession. Stanford held the ball for nearly 10 more minutes than Notre Dame did, and that advantage had a big factor in wearing down the Irish defense. Notre Dame’s defense was on the field an awful lot and never really had time to recover.

3. Two interceptions thwart a comeback. After trying to make a comeback all night, Notre Dame finally had two chances to tie the game but Tommy Rees was intercepted twice by Wayne Lyons while trying to make a play down the field. I’m not going to berate Tommy for the interceptions because he was in a tough spot all night and he played well for the most part. The final interception occurred on first down, so you would like to have seen a better outcome on the play, but that didn’t happen. In the end, Notre Dame lost the game because they couldn’t stop Stanford’s run game. It was not because of the two late interceptions.

Well, that does it for a disappointing 2013 season. Notre Dame finishes the season at 8-4, when many people believed they could reach 10 wins. The Irish showed what they were capable in wins versus Michigan State, Arizona State, USC, and BYU. However, Notre Dame also had poor performances at Michigan and Pittsburgh that hampered their success this season. Notre Dame had some ups and downs this season, but ultimately they were not consistent enough on both sides to reach their fullest potential.

Now, we await the bowl destination and I will have a full preview for that matchup as the date approaches.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07