Notre Dame...

[CousCuse]

The only absolute is ND being undefeated yes but regarding an 11-1 well again, it depends on who they are going against which is not an absolute.

If the SOS doesn't add up , it still could old them out, even at 12-0.

 

[SmilinBob]

If the SOS doesn't add up , it still could old them out, even at 12-0.

Throughout all of college history an undefeated ND has always been #1 or played for a championship.

 

[longtimefan]

Throughout all of college history an undefeated ND has always been #1 or played for a championship.

ND has been awarded the national championship when another team had the same or better record on several occasions.

 

[Moontan]

Throughout all of college history an undefeated ND has always been #1 or played for a championship.

That's before they had to play all of those games against "weak ACC opponents".
ND, along with the XII, will be a strong proponent of an 8-team playoff. Selfishly, I'd like both to be snubbed again by the committee. The rest of the P-5 should oppose expansion until Bevo has cowboy-ed up to 12+ schools and a CCG.

 

[DoctorBombay]

The only absolute is ND being undefeated yes but regarding an 11-1 well again, it depends on who they are going against which is not an absolute.

This^^
11-1 ND vs an 11-1 TCU, Baylor, Duke, Arizona, or some other non-traditional "lesser" name having a banner year?
They'd take ND every time...bookmarket.

 

[SmilinBob]

That's before they had to play all of those games against "weak ACC opponents".
ND, along with the XII, will be a strong proponent of an 8-team playoff. Selfishly, I'd like both to be snubbed again by the committee. The rest of the P-5 should oppose expansion until Bevo has cowboy-ed up to 12+ schools and a CCG.

I think a lot of peoples hate/dislike or wanting them to join a conference of ND wants them out of the 4 team equation. Ironically, that love/hate relationship is exactly why the networks love them.

 

[CousCuse]

ND has been awarded the national championship when another team had the same or better record on several occasions.

That was before criteria was established making a the CCG the third most important factor ; 1. SOS 2. Record 3. CCG

 

[TheCusian]

The NBC dollars are less than schools like Purdue and Illinois make from just being part of the collective. ND is not independent because of NBC money being so much, rather, NBC is the means/vehicle to the ultimate end: Independence, by and for itself.

Independence for ND allows for them to play seven games not dictated by a conference, including games in California and series with Texas, Georgia, Ohio State, etc..

But more importantly, it is part of ND's identity. It sees itself as a national school, that plays and recruits nationally.

Conferences are regional by nature and limit that.

ND has never been in a football conference in the 127 years it has played football. Why give up that status?

ND has only had less than two losses once (2012) since 1993. Is the de facto "threat" of being "left out" of the playoffs really that important to jettison ND' s identity and unique status?

The playoffs are a very rare occurrence. Independence is all of the time.

I appreciate the elegance in your writing about this and your passion about it. It helps shed some light on the thinking - and I can respect that.

But I can't help think of you guys like a quaint bookstore looking at the internet as something that is outside of what you do and your identity. Only to realize too late that Amazon is eating your lunch. Tradition and identity are important - but how much of that needs to be wrapped up in your "independence" and how much is intact despite a conference affiliation?

Truthfully, the internet has made regions vs national kind of an old construct. ND's influence is national and won't be harmed more than it already is by playing 5 ACC games.

Finally - ceeding any available chances at a national championship in lieu of tradition is untenable. Saying "hey - we aren't in contention most of the time anyways" is saying "we care more about tradition than championships"... And all that playoff money.

 

[SmilinBob]

That was before criteria was established making a the CCG the third most important factor ; 1. SOS 2. Record 3. CCG

Are you talking about the committee? If not ND just played Bama a couple of years ago while being undefeated having the SOS a part of the equation.

 

[CousCuse]

Are you talking about the committee? If not ND just played Bama a couple of years ago while being undefeated having the SOS a part of the equation.

Yes. But maybe CCG is No. 2 . FSU was an undefeated NC and was on the bubble.

 

[SmilinBob]

Yes. But maybe CCG is No. 2 . FSU was an undefeated NC and was on the bubble.

A big reason why FSU was on the bubble is because they had so many close games and didn't have the sexy blowouts.

 

[CousCuse]

A big reason why FSU was on the bubble is because they had so many close games and didn't have the s e xy blowouts.

So did Notre Dame in 2012

 

[DoctorBombay]

I appreciate the elegance in your writing about this and your passion about it. It helps shed some light on the thinking - and I can respect that.

But I can't help think of you guys like a quaint bookstore looking at the internet as something that is outside of what you do and your identity. Only to realize too late that Amazon is eating your lunch. Tradition and identity are important - but how much of that needs to be wrapped up in your "independence" and how much is intact despite a conference affiliation?

Truthfully, the internet has made regions vs national kind of an old construct. ND's influence is national and won't be harmed more than it already is by playing 5 ACC games.

Finally - ceeding any available chances at a national championship in lieu of tradition is untenable. Saying "hey - we aren't in contention most of the time anyways" is saying "we care more about tradition than championships"... And all that playoff money.

 

[SmilinBob]

So did Notre Dame in 2012

And was ahead of all 1 loss programs.

 

[Alsacs]

Notre Dame is on notice they will need to be undefeated or have a bunch of quality wins as a 1 loss team.

 

[SmilinBob]

Notre Dame is on notice they will need to be undefeated or have a bunch of quality wins as a 1 loss team.

Stanford and USC had close to average seasons and who they replace Michigan with for example Texas or A&M should help keep their SOS decent.

 

[SU68]

The ACC should never support an eight-team playoff until Notre Dame becomes a full member of the conference.
Notre Dame will NOT join the ACC as long as they have a hope of getting one of three none P-5 slots.

 

[Alsacs]

Stanford and USC had close to average seasons and who they replace Michigan with for example Texas or A&M should help keep their SOS decent.

Stanford is a Golden Age I honestly doubt they will be top 15 every year. USC is a juggernaut and ND will need USC to be good. Texas/A&M will replace Michigan but the Irish will get hit for lack of a conference championship unless they are undefeated or have a lot of good wins with as an 11-1 team.

 

[SmilinBob]

Stanford is a Golden Age I honestly doubt they will be top 15 every year. USC is a juggernaut and ND will need USC to be good. Texas/A&M will replace Michigan but the Irish will get hit for lack of a conference championship unless they are undefeated or have a lot of good wins with as an 11-1 team.

Agree. What is their 2015 schedule?

 

[Alsacs]

09/05/15 vs. Texas

09/12/15 at Virginia

09/19/15 vs. Georgia Tech

09/26/15 vs. Massachusetts

10/03/15 at Clemson

10/10/15 vs. Navy

10/17/15 vs. USC

10/31/15 at Temple Philadelphia, Pa.
(Lincoln Financial Field)
11/07/15 at Pittsburgh

11/14/15 vs. Wake Forest


11/21/15 vs. Boston College Boston, Mass.
(Fenway Park)

11/28/15 at Stanford

 

[Alsacs]

That schedule will require 12-0 unless Texas is legit next year.

 

[omniorange]

Agree. What is their 2015 schedule?

Navy, USC, Stanford, Texas, Temple, UMass, and their ACC games - Clemson, GT, UVA, Wake, BC, and Pitt (doing 6 next year because of only being able to do 5 this year).

USC, Texas, Stanford, and Clemson. Besides GT the rest are very mediocre. Will need bounce back years from Stanford and Texas to help SOS though.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Cusefan0307]

Theres a lot of grey area to this. Let's say they won all their games this year except the game against Florida State. That would have them at 11-1. They still wouldn't of been picked to be in the playoff, because they lost to a conference champion. If they were 12-0 and beat Florida State, they would of been picked this year because they beat the ACC's conference champion.

If I'm a school that has a chance of making the playoff or being at the top of your conference, I wouldn't schedule Notre Dame because that school in a conference really has nothing to gain and everything to lose. I know schedules are made usually years in advance, but I can see how the Florida States, Clemsons, Ohio States, and USC's shouldn't schedule Notre Dame. If they do play and those schools lose to Notre Dame, but win their conference championship the committee is going to see Notre Dame as finishing higher than the confernce champion. Long story short, I don't think it make sense from a competitive advantage for the top programs to schedule Notre Dame.

 

[omniorange]

I think the whole whether or not ND gets in at 11-1 discussion is very dependent upon who they are competing with for a slot. However, what will hurt ND's chances in those instances more could be a Big 12 championship game.

This year an 11-1 ND team who only lost to FSU likely doesn't get in because of Ohio State being 12-1. But had the Buckeyes lost, an 11-1 ND likely gets in over an 11-1 TCU or Baylor. However, if the Big 12 had a championship game where a rematch between Baylor and TCU decided its champion, would an 11-1 ND get in over a 12-1 Baylor or TCU?

Not sure, but regardless, ND is not going to panic just yet. They have time to see how future scenarios play out. They didn't lose their heads back in 2010 when conference realignment was at its peak, I don't see them losing their heads now after just one year's data set.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[SmilinBob]

Thanks guys. Who knows who is going to be really good as we can just use our best guess. 10 P5's and all were at or above 500 except for Wake. UMass? Interesting choice.