Irish eyes WILL BE smiling!

Las Vegas - Just one more week to tell you that I never, ever bet preseason/exhibition football. Also looked over the abbreviated MLB board and there was nothing that caught my attention.

Studying hard for the opening of college football on Saturday and have a side and a total ready to go. Just need a few more minutes.

However, we know you've been waiting for our National Championship winner and, drum roll please, gonna get on the green hat and rock Notre Dame. Yea, the Fighting Irish are the co-favorites at most of the sportsbooks along with Ohio State, but still, at 6/1, that's a pretty sweet return. If you're out in Vegas, or one of the states where the Circa Sportsbook is up and running (Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri), you can buy the Irish at +$675. Of course we have reasons, starting with the traditional schedule that we call CUPCAKERY! Most of the teams that Notre Dame plays, actually eight, had losing records last season. The only two games that look like a worry are at BYU and home to Miami-Florida. Love the head coach, Marcus Freeman, who is a junkyard dog and also like the QB, CJ Carr, coming into his sophomore year. Last season, Carr was given the keys to the kingdom as a freshman and completed 195 of 293 passes (66.6%) for 2,741 yards with 24 TDs and just six INTs. Then there's the Mount Everest size chip on Notre Dame's collective shoulder after being snubbed by the College Football Playoff committee at the end of last season. Put all those factors into the mixing bowl and the Irish should rise to their first crown since 1988 when Lou Holtz was in charge of the Xs & Os. Notre Dame has 11 trophies on display at Gate E at the stadium and this next one makes it an even DOZEN!

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