Notre Dame's path to glory will zigzag from sea to shining sea.
It starts Saturday night in San Diego, of all places, where the 7-0 Irish take on Navy. Then it's onto an even more novel location _ Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill. The last time Notre Dame played at Northwestern, in 1976, it was called Dyche Stadium.
The Irish return home to face Florida State before tangling with Syracuse at Yankee Stadium. The five-week journey ends with a trip to LeBron James' new home for a duel with USC.
Based on his computations, SB Nation's Bill Connelly gives Notre Dame a 31 percent chance to finish 12-0. ESPN's Football Power Index puts it at 34 percent.
"Notre Dame is not like Alabama, on auto pilot," ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit told the Tribune on Tuesday. "Notre Dame still has to respect its opponent, show up ready to play, play well and play smart. Athletically, they're not just going to blow people off the field. Anytime they're away from home, it will be a challenge."
Here's a breakdown of Notre Dame's remaining schedule:
