Bald, Bold & Gold

What needs to happen for ND to make the playoff? That's it. That's all that matters now. Quick hitter episode to give you everything you need to know and the ramifications of every outcome this weekend.

People don't like Notre Dame? Who knew! The haters and losers, of which there are many, are spewing nonsense all over the internet about our beloved Fighting Irish, which are fresh off destroying one of the biggest losers in CFB, Pat Narduzzi and his Pitt Panthers. You want to know the best way to deal with trolls? Cold, hard data. For the first time, we bring on our Quant, Nick Schleith, to arm you BBG Heads with all the facts you need to deal with the Miami and Alabama fans out there.

Week by week, the playoff picture becomes more and more clear. The Irish move up one notch in the playoff rankings, with one final shot to make a statement against a ranked opponent in the Pittsburgh Panthers. Destiny awaits, and your favorite podcasters are along for the ride with you.

And the crowd went mild! A sleepwalker from both the crowd and the Irish defined the game last weekend in Chestnut Hill. Nonetheless, we escaped with a W, no thanks to the kicking game. But that's behind us - the Irish control their destiny, entering the initial playoff rankings at #10. There's a long way to go, but it starts this weekend at home against Navy. All that and more, on this week's episode.

Oh, you thought we were above taking a victory lap after Brian Kelly got fired? Think again. Of course that's what we lead the pod with after an uneventful past 10 days for ND football. At some point in this pod, we do get back on topic to discuss the broader CFB landscape and the matchup with BC, but oh boy was it nice looking back on BK's fateful decision back in 2021.

Any time, any place. That's the motto of this podcast, but not the University of Southern Cal. Tom joins us live from JFK as we dive deep into the matchup against the Trojans in a game that will likely decide the season. Can the improved Irish defense slow down the high-powered USC offense? Is ND's offense going to generate enough big plays? All that and more on what may be the very last USC preview podcast.

Oh yeah, we also revel in Penn State / James Franklin's misery for a good 15 minutes.

Long time listener, first time caller? We bring in another one of our deeply connected Irish sources, Sean O'Brien to join this week's pod. He gives his perspective on CJ Carr's "off" week, the newfound havoc the defense can create, and most importantly, his comprehensive analysis of every possible playoff scenario (it's time to dream). There's even a kicker at the end - he tells you how he plans on making millions of dollars on this week's college football slate.

You want a sliver of optimism about this season? This is the pod for you! Folks, this offense in South Bend is special. 56 points on the road against an SEC team is impressive no matter how you cut it. And, maybe not all hope is lost for the defense. Maybe.. Join us as we recap a relaxing win in Fayetteville and an electrifying week across the county.

That's right, we have esteemed recurring guest Jack Doyle (aka Johnny Pops) to talk about Hogs. Notre Dame heads on the road this week to face another opponent with their season seemingly on the line in September, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Oh, we also mention that we won our first game of the year against Purdue. While we do spend time complaining about Chris Ash, we try to spend more time highlighting some of the bright spots from the early season.

Notre Dame has a Chris Ash problem. After giving up 41 points at home, the Irish are an unfathomable 0-2. Where do we go from here? Is there still hope for the playoffs? Can we beat Purdue? Just kidding about that last piece, I hope...