Dr. Saturday will unveil its preseason Top 25 team-by-team during the next 25 days. This list is based on returning starters, schedule and prospects. However, we all know that once the games begin, things can change very quickly. Still, we thought we’d give our best guess heading into the 2015 season.
No. 12 Notre Dame
2014 record: 8-5
Returning starters: 7 offense, 10 defense
2015 Outlook: Is this Notre Dame's best team since the 2012 version that lost to Alabama in the BCS Championship Game?
It's a legitimate question. And one that, at least before the season begins, likely has an answer that is a "yes" rather than a "no."
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Yeah, yeah, yeah, quarterback Everett Golson is gone. We're not going to dwell on that now. Notre Dame was clearly ready to move on from Golson and his tons of turnovers in 2015. If Malik Zaire protects the ball reasonably well in 2015 and the Irish don't improve at all from a year ago, Notre Dame could be a game or two better than it was in 2014 simply because of turnovers.
Secondly, let's smash the idea that the Irish should have to join a conference or play a 13th game to make the College Football Playoff. Look at Notre Dame's schedule this year. It's damn tough. The Irish play Texas, Georgia Tech, Clemson, USC, and Stanford this year. Temple and Navy are Notre Dame's only two non-Power Five opponents and they're both title contenders in the AAC.
The schedule is a gauntlet, and Notre Dame is well-equipped to get through it with a good record – assuming some defensive improvement. At No. 13, we're figuring Notre Dame for a couple of losses. Anything fewer than two losses will mean some serious Playoff discussion. Though for that to happen, those 10 returning starters on defense will have to make a big leap.
Player to watch: Jaylon Smith, LB
Smith led Notre Dame with 112 tackles in 2014 as a sophomore. He also tied for the team lead in sacks with 3.5.
He'll likely be one of Notre Dame's leading tacklers in 2015 and should improve after learning how to be a focal point in 2014. He'll have help up front too; every member of Notre Dame's front seven is back. And they'll all be counted on to be much better against the run.
The Irish gave up 50 yards rushing to Florida State in 2014. In the six games after the close loss to the Noles, the fewest yards Notre Dame gave up on the ground was 188 to Arizona State. While Golson's turnovers are pointed to as a major reason for Notre Dame's late season swoon, the Irish's inability to stop the run certainly didn't help.
The 2012 defense gave up a total of 1,374 rushing yards. In those final six games of 2014, Notre Dame gave up 1,506. No one is asking Smith and this 2015 defense to replicate what Manti Te'o and the 2012 defense did. But there's no way Notre Dame can be a top-15 team without being at least average against the run.
Breakout player: C.J Prosise, RB
Prosise had 29 catches for 516 yards in 2014 and had 10 carries for 134 yards while operating as a wide receiver. But with the ineligibility of running back Greg Bryant, Prosise will serve as the complement to Tarean Folston, who ran for 889 yards in 2014.
He'll also be counted on to help replace Bryant's production in the return game.
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has said Prosise will stay at running back in fall camp – he called him a "home run threat" out of the backfield. But don't be surprised if he finds a way to pair Prosise with Folston in certain packages, even with Prosise operating out of the slot.
While Folston will be the feature back, Prosise could end up amassing over 1,000 total yards rushing and receiving and his versatility could make him the most important person on the offense not named Malik Zaire.
Miss one of our Top 25? No. 13 UCLA, No. 14 LSU, No. 15 Georgia Tech, No. 16 Arkansas, No. 17 Ole Miss, No. 18 Arizona State, No. 19 Oklahoma, No. 20 Arizona, No. 21 Tennessee, No. 22 Missouri, No. 23 Stanford, No. 24 Boise State, No. 25 Wisconsin.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
