You know that feeling when you’re cruising down the highway, thinking you’re about to hit the gas and leave everyone in the dust, only to find out your car’s got a flat tire? Yeah, that’s Notre Dame heading into their 2025 season opener. The Fighting Irish and Marcus Freeman have been riding high after their wild ride to the College Football Playoff National Championship last season, proving all the doubters wrong and making it all the way to Atlanta as the No. 7 seed. But just when things were looking smooth, there’s trouble in paradise. And it’s coming at them fast, according to this analyst.
Turns out J.D. PicKell didn’t mince words when he hopped onto On3 on March 15. He straight-up called Notre Dame’s 2025 season opener against Miami one of the most pivotal games on their schedule. And he ain’t lying. According to him, Notre Dame’s playoff run could be sealed or shattered right there in Week 1. “Let’s start here with week one. You got Notre Dame going to Miami. Week one [of] an expanded playoff, that’s the most, that’s the most pivotal game,” PicKell said. “Notre Dame, if you want to make the college football playoff, you probably have to be 11-1. 10-2 with no, you know, conference title game, I think you’re playing with fire there a little bit.”
Notre Dame ain’t easing into 2025—they’re diving straight into the fire. The season opener against Miami is gonna be a straight-up war, and you better believe Hard Rock Stadium will be rockin’. This ain’t just another game; it’s a throwback to one of college football’s nastiest rivalries. The ‘Catholics vs. Convicts’ energy might not be as wild as the ‘80s, but surely, there’s plenty of bad blood.
So, if the Irish don’t handle business against Miami, their whole playoff picture could be in serious trouble. And the scary part? Miami’s not exactly rolling over. The Hurricanes stacked up their roster through the portal, with the addition of quarterback Carson Beck being the crown jewel of their new lineup. The Irish know they gotta walk into Hard Rock Stadium ready to go, or they’re walking out with a fat L.
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