Same old Notre Dame

[billybud]

Auburn in 2017, had already been beaten by Clemson, LSU, and Georgia.


Would you have put UCF ahead of Clemson....who beat (Final AP Rankings) Auburn #10, #13 Miami, #24 Virginia Tech, and #24 NC State at the time of the CFP ranking ?

Or ahead of Oklahoma, who had beaten #5 Ohio State, #9 TCU, #14 Oklahoma State ?

Maybe 13-1 Bama could have been displaced since they had a weaker than normal schedule.

 

[billybud]

And..an ugly truth is that you can not come out of no where and get the benefit of the doubt...

The year before 2017..in 2016...UCF was 6-7 and got pasted 13-31 by Arkansas state in the Orlando Cure Bowl.

 

[HartfordHank]

ND got shellacked by Clemson at home by 24.

Neutral site game, not a Clemson home game.

 

[billybud]

2018 would have been UCF's main chance...they played one team in he Final AP Rankings at the time of the CFP ranking...were assigned the Fiesta Bowl and were beaten by LSU.

Had to compete with 13 win Alabama...who had pasted LSU 29-0 (#6 Final AP), beat Georgia (#7 Final AP), and Texas A&M (#16)...

and Clemson....undefeated. And Oklahoma 12-1....

 

[BlueandOG]

No there’s not. A loss is a loss. I hope I never get to the point where I feel good about a close loss. Apparently you disagree.

Totally agree Irishfan! I recommend you skip to the 1:20 point and enjoy from there.

U!C!O!N!N! UCONN! UCONN! UCONN!

 

[BlueandOG]

Totally agree Irishfan! I recommend you skip to the 1:20 point and enjoy from there.

U!C!O!N!N! UCONN! UCONN! UCONN!

The echoing UCONN! chant at the 2:30 mark is also pretty sweet.

 

[billybud]

Sometimes, in a bad year, a close loss against a much favored team almost feels like a win.

But I agree...in the end there are only columns for W's and L's...No MV's.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Notre Dame ain't your Granpappy's ND. They are - and have been for decades - overrated. College football has alllowed them to operate as independents - a huge mistake. This year out of necessity, they folded into the ACC (the conference should have insisted it become permanent . . . or no deal).

 

[uconndogs]

What's ultimately unfair about college football is that the caste system precludes anybody outside of the P5 from ever building programs to compete for the NC. The argument that Cincy doesn't play the competition that those in the SEC do week in a week out is just about irrefutable. Moreover, they can never schedule like that given that they are precluded from joining and competing in those conferences. Those facts then limit their ability to recruit the talent they would need to compete at that level. College football, now more than ever, is a restricted club. There really isn't much that is fair about it.

As a big college football fan I find myself caring less and less about it. If the P5 breakoff from the NCAA and turn into a semi-pro feeder league I will probably watch all my football on Sundays. At least there its a level playing field and I can watch the best football in the world.

 

[TerryD]

Notre Dame ain't your Granpappy's ND. They are - and have been for decades - overrated. College football has alllowed them to operate as independents - a huge mistake. This year out of necessity, they folded into the ACC (the conference should have insisted it become permanent . . . or no deal).

So, that "overrated" independent program joined a conference in 2020....and its schedule got easier and it had an undefeated regular season and qualified for the conference championship game.

 

[don356]

But if a good Cincinnati team beats or plays within 7 of a upper tier SEC team...that would do them good.

Georgia was only beaten by Bama ( by only 17 points), by Florida (16 points)....so a top tier SEC team.

Yea, i think the key is that is a close game. It's basically a home game for Georgia playing in the Peach Dome, but i think they allow less than 20k in so not a crazy environment. Interesting matchup as i think Cincinnati on a clean field has much better athletes than people realize. Watching that Tulsa game the other night in a slop fest tends to mute that advantage.

 

[billybud]

Yep...I think that the Georgia-Cincinnati game will be interesting.

Cincinnati moves the ball on the groiund...Georgia defends the run....

 

[traitor71]

What's ultimately unfair about college football is that the caste system precludes anybody outside of the P5 from ever building programs to compete for the NC. The argument that Cincy doesn't play the competition that those in the SEC do week in a week out is just about irrefutable. Moreover, they can never schedule like that given that they are precluded from joining and competing in those conferences. Those facts then limit their ability to recruit the talent they would need to compete at that level. College football, now more than ever, is a restricted club. There really isn't much that is fair about it.

As a big college football fan I find myself caring less and less about it. If the P5 breakoff from the NCAA and turn into a semi-pro feeder league I will probably watch all my football on Sundays. At least there its a level playing field and I can watch the best football in the world.

It's not only outside the P5, it's even just a handful within the P5 that can actually win it. You look at the recruiting rankings and the team that ranks 10 is much closer to the teams that rank 20-25 than they are to the top 3 or 4. The playoff system has actually managed to create this situation as opposed to alleviating it.

 

[Irishfan]

Anyone remember when the Irish fans' arrogantly believed they were a top program and were actually good enough to win "big games?" Now, their fans are just happy to be invited to lose them.

You'll want to keep lowering your standards. You aren't going to lose in the National Championship game. That pie in the sky dream will be dead two possessions in against the Tide.

I actually have no interest in lowering my standards, you can’t win a “big game“ if you don’t get invited to play in a “big game”. Being happy by winning a lower level game because you weren’t good enough to be in the “big game” seems like a depressing way to get through the season. Win or lose, I would always prefer to be put in the position to win the championship, rather than knowing I wasn’t good enough to even get invited. Obviously very few people here feel the same.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

So, that "overrated" independent program joined a conference in 2020....and its schedule got easier and it had an undefeated regular season and qualified for the conference championship game.

They would be going to some third rate bowl had Clemson had Lawrence in the regular season matchup. How much easier was its schedule from its past scbedules. They would have had Navy & Michigan & Purdue. Easy pickings.

 

[bc puckett]

They would be going to some third rate bowl had Clemson had Lawrence in the regular season matchup. How much easier was its schedule from its past scbedules. They would have had Navy & Michigan & Purdue. Easy pickings.

Actually had they lost that game they would be in the Orange Bowl over NC who they crushed in the regular season. Also they weren't scheduled to play Michigan or Purdue.

 

[uconndogs]

I actually have no interest in lowering my standards, you can’t win a “big game“ if you don’t get invited to play in a “big game”. Being happy by winning a lower level game because you weren’t good enough to be in the “big game” seems like a depressing way to get through the season. Win or lose, I would always prefer to be put in the position to win the championship, rather than knowing I wasn’t good enough to even get invited. Obviously very few people here feel the same.

Hopefully you realize that the argument folks are making is that most of the time ND doesn’t deserve to be in the “big game”......which is supported by the fact the ND usually soils the bed in those games.

 

[TerryD]

They would be going to some third rate bowl had Clemson had Lawrence in the regular season matchup. How much easier was its schedule from its past scbedules. They would have had Navy & Michigan & Purdue. Easy pickings.

You left out Wisconsin and USC. Michigan and Purdue were not on the 2020 schedule.

If your contention is the ACC schedule was tougher, ok, ND went 10-0 against that schedule.

By the way, if Ian Book and Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah had been out instead of the Clemson players, would fans of other schools be downplaying and minimizing the Clemson win on November 7th?

Would the Clemson win have counted? Would it have an asterisk by it? Would the ND loss not count?

P.S. If Clemson had won, ND would be going to the Orange Bowl (instead of North Carolina, which ND beat), not some "third rate bowl".

 

[TerryD]

Hopefully you realize that the argument folks are making is that most of the time ND doesn’t deserve to be in the “big game”......which is supported by the fact the ND usually soils the bed in those games.

"Deserve"

So, when ND went 12-0 in 2012, 12-0 in 2018 and 10-0 this regular season, it did not "deserve" to make the playoffs, but some other team with a worse record did? Gotcha.

 

[hank970]

What's ultimately unfair about college football is that the caste system precludes anybody outside of the P5 from ever building programs to compete for the NC. The argument that Cincy doesn't play the competition that those in the SEC do week in a week out is just about irrefutable. Moreover, they can never schedule like that given that they are precluded from joining and competing in those conferences. Those facts then limit their ability to recruit the talent they would need to compete at that level. College football, now more than ever, is a restricted club. There really isn't much that is fair about it.

As a big college football fan I find myself caring less and less about it. If the P5 breakoff from the NCAA and turn into a semi-pro feeder league I will probably watch all my football on Sundays. At least there its a level playing field and I can watch the best football in the world.

You'd be amazed how effectively a good coaching staff can develop under-the-radar talent. Both of the Kelce brothers were two-star recruits at Cincinnati. Conversely, a lot of four and five-star kids are sucking pine at P5 schools because they fail to meet expectations.

 

[Adios]

Should have been:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Texas A&M
4. Ohio State

Ohio State at 4 due too few games and a close conference title game against Northwestern.

 

[uconndogs]

"Deserve"

So, when ND went 12-0 in 2012, 12-0 in 2018 and 10-0 this regular season, it did not "deserve" to make the playoffs, but some other team with a worse record did? Gotcha.

Again, the argument being made is that very often ND gets opportunities because of the economics it brings. In any given year, sure, they performed.

 

[UCFBfan]

It's not only outside the P5, it's even just a handful within the P5 that can actually win it. You look at the recruiting rankings and the team that ranks 10 is much closer to the teams that rank 20-25 than they are to the top 3 or 4. The playoff system has actually managed to create this situation as opposed to alleviating it.

It's this on top of the lack of anyone outside the P5 having a chance. Anyone not named Ohio St, Michigan, or Penn St in the B1G, or Clemson or FSU in the ACC, or the top half of the SEC is living on a razor thin line. However, I'd put money down that an undefeated Iowa would not make the CFB playoffs over a one loss SEC school or even a two loss Alabama or Clemson.

It's boring that no matter what, it's Ohio St, Clemson, Alabama and a rotating spot between Oklahoma, ND, or another SEC school.

I agree with the previous post that I've lost interest in CFB and almost fully watch the NFL because my team, and others, actually all have a chance each season.

 

[billybud]

Well, I don't have a lot of interest in the NFL....haven't watched a game.

Folks still love to watch college ball in this region....last week...

Week 16 (8 games with over a million watchers)

ND-Clemson....9.92 million
Bama-UF..........8.92
OSU-Nwst........8.03

Week 15 (11 games with over a million viewers...4 with over 3 million)

Army-Navy........4.91 million
LSU-UF..............4.62
UNC-Miami.......3.33

Week 14....(14 games with over a million viewers...5 games over 3 million)
Week 13....(14 games over a million...6 games over 3 million)

etc

 

[billybud]

And...maybe why Notre Dame is coveted:

ND-Clemson.........9.92 million
ND-Clemson.........10.07
ND-UNC.................6.08
ND-BC....................5.14
ND-GT....................3.77
ND-Pitt....................2.49
ND-Louis................3.12
ND-FSU.................2.92
ND-Duke................4.32

Versus Championship game Cincinnati-Tulsa (1.88)
or Championship game Oklahoma-Iowa State (2.99)

 

[Hogoff]

And...maybe why Notre Dame is coveted:

ND-Clemson.........9.92 million
ND-Clemson.........10.07
ND-UNC.................6.08
ND-BC....................5.14
ND-GT....................3.77
ND-Pitt....................2.49
ND-Louis................3.12
ND-FSU.................2.92
ND-Duke................4.32

Versus Championship game Cincinnati-Tulsa (1.88)
or Championship game Oklahoma-Iowa State (2.99)

This is the exact reason Norte Dame is in and not A&M. They got picked because they draw eyeballs.

 

[billybud]

This is the exact reason Norte Dame is in and not A&M. They got picked because they draw eyeballs.

Probably...but A&M had to fight back against early season mpressions...

....struggling against a very bad 0-9 Vanderbilt and winning by 5 points
....Alabama beat Aggies by four touchdowns

and then things got much beter.

 

[uconndogs]

And...maybe why Notre Dame is coveted:

ND-Clemson.........9.92 million
ND-Clemson.........10.07
ND-UNC.................6.08
ND-BC....................5.14
ND-GT....................3.77
ND-Pitt....................2.49
ND-Louis................3.12
ND-FSU.................2.92
ND-Duke................4.32

Versus Championship game Cincinnati-Tulsa (1.88)
or Championship game Oklahoma-Iowa State (2.99)

....and there's the point. ND is coveted based on the economics and that tilts the scales to some degree. Personally, I prefer to watch competition on a more pure basis than that, where performance is the only indicator of opportunity to move on and where the playing field is level.

It's my strong sense that college football is heading off into a dangerous place and runs the risk of disenfranchising a lot of fans. You watch college football for different reasons than you do the NFL. There's a connection to your university and all those other programs that play around the country. When that connection is lost because so many feel they are excluded from possibly ever being competitive, you have a much different and I would argue limited potential audience.

Personally, watching Bama develop NFL players holds limited appeal to me. I have only so much time to watch football, so I'll watch the real deal on Sunday. Suspecting that the SEC cheats like hell doesn't help either btw....

 

[Waquoit]

What's worse? Notre Dame always getting stuff they don't deserve or Golden Domers who insist they don't.

 

[billybud]

You can watch very close entertaining G5 football games if that is what you want...Memphis-SMU (3 point game)..

Memphis-UCF (1 point game).....Memphis-USF (1 point game)....Memphis-Houston (3 point game)...Memphis-Navy (3 point game)....

But it isn't for me...