What They’re Saying About Notre Dame’s New 2020 Schedule

Big news broke Thursday morning when the ACC announced its schedule for the 2020 season, during which Notre Dame will be a full member of the conference in football (the Irish will return to independent status in 2021).

BlueandGold.com takes a look around the web to see “what they’re saying” about the news.

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“Today’s decision was made after months of thoughtful planning by numerous individuals throughout the conference. The Board’s decision presents a path, if public health guidance allows, to move forward with competition.

“Our institutions are committed to taking the necessary measures to facilitate the return in a safe and responsible manner. We recognize that we may need to be nimble and make adjustments in the future. We will be as prepared as possible should that need arise.”

In my 50 years of following the Notre Dame football program, the 11-game 2020 regular season is the most favorable I’ve seen for the Fighting Irish when it comes to making a run at the national title. Let us count the ways:

• All the opponents except superpower Clemson lost a minimum of five games last season.

• Other than the Tigers, the lone 2020 foes to even finish in the Associated Press top 25 the past four years were Florida State and Louisville in 2016, and Syracuse in 2018 — a team Notre Dame throttled by a 36-3 count. Plus, the Orange went “back to the mean” with a losing record last season.

• There is the benefit of not having to prepare for Navy’s unsettling triple-option scheme, and there is no visit to the Los Angeles Coliseum in the finale. It is the first time since 1926 the Irish will not face the Midshipmen, and the first since 1945 they won’t match up with the rival USC Trojans.

• The lone non-conference opponent is Western Michigan, a Mid-American Conference school that Notre Dame will be favored against by several touchdowns.

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“As we look ahead to the fall, the safety of our students, staff and overall campus community continues to be our top priority. Today’s announcement outlines a specific path for ACC fall sports to return to intercollegiate athletic competition using comprehensive protocols put forward by our ACC Medical Advisory Group.

“As a league, we understand the need to stay flexible and be prepared to adjust as medical information evolves in conjunction with local and state health guidelines.”

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