Notre Dame jumps in the rankings...

[Irish Envy]

With OSU, Cal and Tennessee all losing, Notre Dame stands to jump higher into the Top 10 before meeting up with USC.

Where do you see them landing?

 

[absoluteirish59]

Maybe 9 or 10. Dont forget that penn state will probably be in the top 10. You never know with these quacks. UCLA should move up along with texas tech ,LSU, florida and probably boston college. Who knows????

 

[BGIF]

With 3 losses to teams ranked higher ND should move up but conference block voting could well jump Texas Tech, PSU, UCLA, and UF ahead of the Irish. BC will rise but I doubt make a jump.

 

[iloveirish_12]

i say 10

 

[Rip Rap]

11.

Tenn. drops out of the top 10; Cal replaced with UCLA; tOSU replaced with Penn State. We move up one. Possibly 10 if UCLA doesn't enter the top-10, but they deserve to.

 

[jiggafini19]

They land in South Bend on Saturday ready to play USC. It will mean nothing if they lose.

 

[timm3117]

Agree'd there. Saturday is all that matters. A win against USC would wake up America. Well except Mark May he would say "ND won because USC wasn't as good as he thought".

 

[timm3117]

All that said ND is #9 in the new USA Today poll.

 

[timm3117]

Ok #9 in the AP too. Who would have thought going into the USC game it would be a battle of Top Ten teams.

 

[Irish Legend]

Here is the new rankings w/ND Ranked #9!


Week 7 AP Top 25
1. USC (58) 5-0 1,618
2. Texas (7) 5-0 1,565
3. Virginia Tech 6-0 1,493
4. Florida State 5-0 1,393
5. Georgia 5-0 1,389
6. Alabama 5-0 1,244
7. Miami 4-1 1,205
8. Penn State 6-0 1,096
9. Notre Dame 4-1 1,058
10. LSU 3-1 1,057
11. Florida 5-1 935
12. UCLA 5-0 889
13. Texas Tech 5-0 794
14. Boston College 5-1 656
15. Ohio State 3-2 641
16. Michigan State 4-1 581
17. Tennessee 3-2 538
18. California 5-1 537
19. Louisville 4-1 461
20. Oregon 5-1 456
21. Auburn 4-1 441
22. Minnesota 5-1 321
23. Wisconsin 5-1 241
24. Colorado 4-1 222
25. TCU 5-1 181
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
West Virginia 68, Arizona State 43, Fresno State 42, Nebraska 18, Georgia Tech 15, Iowa 13, Virginia 6, Michigan 3, Northwestern 3, Toledo 1, Baylor 1.
DROPPED FROM RANKINGS
Arizona State 17, Michigan 21, Georgia Tech 24.


Week 7 USA Today Poll
1. USC (57) 5-0 1,544
2. Texas (4) 5-0 1,488
3. Virginia Tech (1) 6-0 1,425
4. Georgia 5-0 1,348
5. Florida State 5-0 1,290
6. Miami 4-1 1,187
7. Alabama 5-0 1,156
8. LSU 3-1 1,049
9. Notre Dame 4-1 998
10. Penn State 6-0 942
11. Texas Tech 5-0 918
12. UCLA 5-0 862
13. Florida 5-1 840
14. Boston College 5-1 657
15. Ohio State 3-2 572
16. California 5-1 563
17. Michigan State 4-1 540
18. Tennessee 3-2 473
19. Louisville 4-1 460
20. Auburn 4-1 444
21. Oregon 5-1 311
22. Minnesota 5-1 303
23. Wisconsin 5-1 293
24. Colorado 4-1 184
25. West Virginia 5-1 91
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
TCU 59, Arizona State 44, Fresno State 34, Georgia Tech 17, Iowa 13, Northwestern 13, Michigan 10, Virginia 8, Wyoming 4, Connecticut 4, Nebraska 3, Maryland 1, Toledo 1, UTEP 1.
DROPPED FROM RANKINGS
Arizona State 20, Georgia Tech 23, Michigan 24, Virginia 25.

 

[KMac151993]

Prolly another media thing, two top 10 teams battling this weekend ensured the Irish would be Top 10 no matter what.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Two Top 10 Teams battling in South Bend...I Love it

 

[Vince Young]

#9? That's too high again. Penn State, UCLA and Michigan State should all be ranked higher. Michigan State at #17 is ridiculously low.

Not to put our boys down... I just don't see us as top-10 material. Plus the last time we cracked the top 10, Michigan State brought us back to earth.

Of course, if we can knock off USC, I sure won't mind being proven wrong...

 

[Aerosmith777]

hey, here's an interesting slightly OT question, while we're on the subject of polls. Anyone else think USC should not be the #1 team right now? I dunno, I think if it weren't for preseason polls and if voters had to wait a few weeks before the first poll, it'd be Texas right now. I mean, USC's best win thus far is against ASU, while Texas has beaten Ohio State and now Oklahoma big. Meanwhile, I know the scores don't show it, but USC struggled against the likes of Oregon and Arizona for 2 first halfs.

I dunno, maybe its just b/c I hate USC so much, I just think Texas has played better football thus far this season and deserves to at least be closer in the first place voting than 58-7 & 57-4

 

[BigIrish]

forget about the rankings. they don't mean anything until the season is over. forget about SC being media darlings and forget about all the sports writers who tell us that there are a handful of better teams that separate the irish from so cal. none of those teams will be in ND stadium on saturday, and none of those writers will be on the field. if you can forget about all the people who purport to know more than you do about football - who's going to win and who's ranked where - and you take a look at ND and So Cal based on their on-field performances, it becomes clear that the Irish have a legitimate shot at winning the game. and it wouldn't be the upset for the ages. it would be a team with a little less talent and a lot more heart beating a team with a little more talent and a lot more complacency. it's happens all the time in football. the most talented team doesn't always win the championship. this is nothing new.

take the win, and move on to the next game. let the pete carrolls of the world worry themselves about who should be ranked where. win out for the rest of the season, and the votes will follow.

 

[jiggafini19]

I dunno, maybe its just b/c I hate USC so much, I just think Texas has played better football thus far this season and deserves to at least be closer in the first place voting than 58-7 & 57-4

27 wins in a row.

Find me someone better than them heading into this week. Texas? Virginia Tech? No way.

SC is number one. The only ranking that matters to me right now is Notre Dame's loss column: 1. It cannot be two. Your ranking in December is the only one that matters. That determines what your plans will be in January.

8, 9, whatever. They need to score more points than SC on Saturday.

 

[Rip Rap]

USC, Texas, Alabama, FSU, LSU, Penn State, and Notre Dame--7 of the 10 highest winning percentages in football history-all ranked in the top 10. And Michigan unranked.

Wonderful time to be an American.

 

[weisfaninmass]

hey, here's an interesting slightly OT question, while we're on the subject of polls. Anyone else think USC should not be the #1 team right now? I dunno, I think if it weren't for preseason polls and if voters had to wait a few weeks before the first poll, it'd be Texas right now. I mean, USC's best win thus far is against ASU, while Texas has beaten Ohio State and now Oklahoma big. Meanwhile, I know the scores don't show it, but USC struggled against the likes of Oregon and Arizona for 2 first halfs.

I dunno, maybe its just b/c I hate USC so much, I just think Texas has played better football thus far this season and deserves to at least be closer in the first place voting than 58-7 & 57-4

its hard to overlook VA TECH.

 

[jiggafini19]

its hard to overlook VA TECH.

They are VERY good. I think they'll get their shot before Texas will. I could see Texas faultering somewhere down the road.

What about Georgia? A very quiet undefeated team. Beat Tennessee on the road. Look at the schedule. Florida? I think UGA wins it. Close with Georgia Tech on the road.

They can run the table.

Penn State will get beat, probably against UM. they're horrible against UM.

 

[grantland]

The dawgs looked awful good Saturday. I have my questions re: Reicht play calling abilities but he is learning and damn the man can recruit.

They have two teams on their schedule that give them fits: FLand Auburn. I expect them to beat the hell out of Ga. Tech.

 

[jiggafini19]

Yeah, but they get Auburn at home.

I'll say one thing, Auburn is doing pretty well with all the guys they lost to the NFL. That Tide-War Eagle game is going to be a great one this year.

 

[BGIF]

I'll say one thing, Auburn is doing pretty well with all the guys they lost to the NFL. That Tide-War Eagle game is going to be a great one this year.

Yeah, they were impressive beating Miss St, Ball St, South Carolina, and Div II Western Kentucky. They got beat by the only team they played with a winning record, 3 and 2 GT.

 

[IndyIrish]

The only rankings that ultimately matter are the BCS rankings which don't come out until Oct. 17th. It goes without saying that a win Saturday would do wonders for ND's standing in that regard.

 

[jiggafini19]

Yeah, they were impressive beating Miss St, Ball St, South Carolina, and Div II Western Kentucky. They got beat by the only team they played with a winning record, 3 and 2 GT.

Pitt, Michigan, Washington and Purdue? Let's not split hairs here. ND has been beaten by the only team they've played with a winning record. Purdue flat out sucks. Notre Dame's shredding of that defense was no accident. ND is good, but Purdue sucks. Michigan is a spoiler, Pitt finally beat a I-A team (Cincinnati?) and UW is garbage.

Auburn lost Two running backs, a quarterback and a corner all go in the first round. They're still putting together a decent team on the field based on that kind of transition. But your point is well taken. Ball State and a D I-AA are must wins.

Again, you play who you play, you are what you are.

 

[Irish Legend]

#9? That's too high again. Penn State, UCLA and Michigan State should all be ranked higher. Michigan State at #17 is ridiculously low.

Not to put our boys down... I just don't see us as top-10 material. Plus the last time we cracked the top 10, Michigan State brought us back to earth.

Of course, if we can knock off USC, I sure won't mind being proven wrong...

But hey, I once thought Ty deserved a 4th year, so what the hell do I know?

Exactly!!!

 

[Irish Legend]

27 wins in a row.

Find me someone better than them heading into this week. Texas? Virginia Tech? No way.

SC is number one. The only ranking that matters to me right now is Notre Dame's loss column: 1. It cannot be two. Your ranking in December is the only one that matters. That determines what your plans will be in January.

8, 9, whatever. They need to score more points than SC on Saturday.

Texas hasn't and won't play anybody but Ohio State and they have two losses now! LA-Laffayette and Rice, what the !@%*!

 

[nayers]

A win on Saturday, and I say we jump to #3 in the polls...we can control our own destiny from here on out

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Our wins don't seem nearly as impressive as the year goes on. Especialy with Michigan losing again and again. And the mighty Wolverines have another loss or two left with Ohio St. and Penn. St. coming up. I guess USC is no better with their best win coming against Arizona St. They are just falling apart and are not even ranked anymore.

 

[Vince Young]

But hey, I once thought Ty deserved a 4th year, so what the hell do I know?

Exactly!!!

Very good, Irish Legend. You can read. I'm proud of you.

Now, if you can just understand the concept of self-deprecating humor, you'll be set for life.

 

[Aerosmith777]

27 wins in a row.

Find me someone better than them heading into this week. Texas? Virginia Tech? No way.

SC is number one. The only ranking that matters to me right now is Notre Dame's loss column: 1. It cannot be two. Your ranking in December is the only one that matters. That determines what your plans will be in January.

8, 9, whatever. They need to score more points than SC on Saturday.

Yeah, but I guess that's where I differ too. I think all that should matter in the rankings is what a team does that season, not what they've done in the past. If USC wins a 3rd title, I want it to be for the season they had this year, not for winning the past 2. Those wins from the past 2 years don't mean anything to me when you're talking about the National Champion of this year. B/c it goes both ways. If a team is horrible one year, but then goes out and runs the table (as Alabama just might in argueably the toughest conference in football this year) I think they shouldn't be penalized for the 6-5 season they had the year before or whatever it was. That's partly why Auburn wasn't playing for the title last year, they were ranked too low in the preseason polls.

I dunno, I just think they're overrated b/c of all the past success they've had. Texas would be undefeated against that schedule thus far too, as would Virginia Tech. I'm not as sure that USC would be undefeated against Texas' schedule thus far though.