Notre Dame Football Countdown to Kickoff: Two Thoughts Before 2025 Opener

With the Notre Dame football season set to kickoff on Sunday night against Miami, we'll offer a thought for every number of days until the season opener.

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

With just two days remaining until Notre Dame opens its season at Hard Rock Stadium against Miami on Sunday night, we will give you a thought for each day remaining until kickoff.

(On Saturday, Notre Dame ON SI will present one final thought for the 2025 season.)

Notre Dame Football Countdown to Kickoff: Three Thoughts Before 2025 Opener

2. Jeremiyah Love will win the Doak Walker Award

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; (Editors Note: Caption Correction) Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) leaps over Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Kobe King (41) in the second half in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Okay, the sky is blue. Love is pretty clearly the best returning running back in all of college football. Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton is essentially the only competition for Love in terms of maintaining the crown of college football’s best back throughout the entire season.  

The full physical package, Love has that coveted combination of speed, acceleration, shiftiness, and strength. Toss in his superb patience and poise, along with next-level vision, and it becomes clear that Love is all but a finished product.

And with an offensive line that was top-notch last year, and is arguably set to take a step forward in 2025, expect Love to surpass his rushing totals (1125 yards on the ground and 17 touchdowns) from a year ago, on similar efficiency (6.9 yards per carry in 2024). 

1. Will there be a Northern Illinois for Notre Dame in 2025?

Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies kicker Kanon Woodill (92) reacts after kicking the game winning field goal in the fourth quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. The Huskies won 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

The college football season is long. It is taxing – both mentally and physically. It is unbelievably difficult to consistently bring the same product to the football field week in and week out.

Every coach will tell you they prepare their troops the same, whether the opponent is No. 1 Texas or the worst team in the FCS, but it’s impossible to light that same fire under a team every single week. And that was the case back in Week Two of 2024 when Notre Dame fell to Northern Illinois, so one can’t help but wonder if there will be a similar situation a year later. 

Hypothetically, let’s say Notre Dame goes down to Miami and takes care of business in the season-opener, before knocking off Texas A&M.

Then, the Fighting Irish meet one of the worst Power Four teams in the country: Purdue. Now let’s say they keep rolling. Notre Dame wins its first seven contests and finally seems to be in the clear as it heads to Boston College.

The Eagles are a mediocre Power Four team at best, on the heels of a 7-6 (4-4 ACC) season. But they’re certainly still better than 2024 NIU. So is that Boston College outing a trap game? Without a doubt.

Does it mean Notre Dame will actually lose? Not necessarily. All it means is the Fighting Irish can’t afford to take their foot off the gas at any point this season.