ND To Fiesta Say The Believers

[jimmymac]

The Sugar will pick the second BCS eligible SEC team, period. The Rose will do the same, except here there is a small chance there will be no Pac12 BCS 2nd team. If we fall to the Fiesta they will have already slotted the BIG12 champion in one slot because they are obligated to do so. Best case is we end up in the Rose Bowl against a crappy Big10 team, worst case is we end up in the Fiesta vs KSU.

I think the complete opposite. Best case is Fiesta vs KSU, worst case is crappy Big10 team. If we beat Kansas St it will set us up well for next year and be a great victory. Theres no win possible in playing a crappy Big10 team to be honest... win and its like yeah you should have won, lose and obviously it looks pretty bad.

 

[irishog77]

The Sugar will pick the second BCS eligible SEC team, period. The Rose will do the same, except here there is a small chance there will be no Pac12 BCS 2nd team. If we fall to the Fiesta they will have already slotted the BIG12 champion in one slot because they are obligated to do so. Best case is we end up in the Rose Bowl against a crappy Big10 team, worst case is we end up in the Fiesta vs KSU.

Sorry, there's absolutely nothing "best case" about that.

 

[woolybug25]

"BEST CASE" is the National Title Game, you pricks!

 

[RDU Irish]

"BEST CASE" is the National Title Game, you pricks!

No kidding. I think the premise of the argument is if we have a bunch of unbeatens and we are outside looking in on the Championship.

If we lose to USC, that changes the discussion, but I am not sure how much. We are still the highest dollar value target. Sugar emotionally giving to SEC preferences makes sense to me but Rose Bowl picking #2 Pac12 to over ND sounds ridiculous to me regardless of if we have a loss or not.

Top at large selections will be the next in line SEC and ND, order depends on the bowl game. SEC obviously prefers to play the weakest of all BCS eligible teams and that very obviously is not ND this year (may have been in 2006).

 

[Buster Bluth]

I think the complete opposite. Best case is Fiesta vs KSU, worst case is crappy Big10 team. If we beat Kansas St it will set us up well for next year and be a great victory. Theres no win possible in playing a crappy Big10 team to be honest... win and its like yeah you should have won, lose and obviously it looks pretty bad.

...and a Rose Bowl victory for the first time since like 1925.

 

[drayer54]

This is the perfect year to "prove it." No way in hell I wanna see ND play a B1G team in the Rose Bowl. Bring on SEC in Sugar, or K-State in Fiesta.

Agree. Worst case scenario is a setup with nothing to prove.

 

[phork]

Best case because its going to be a curb stomping to setup a preseason top5 ranking. Worst case because KSU has a decent offense and if they pull a Pitt and score I don't think we could keep up.

 

[BGIF]

So how did the Sugar pick us in 2006 if they hate us so? Sugar is odds on favorite to have the #1 pick'em with Alabama finishing #1. (however I think they are more likely to lose than K State, and even odds with Oregon to get a loss). ND is the absolutely highest profit target of all teams in the BCS mix, I mean the Pitt game had a 4.0 rating and we have been highest watched game 3 or 4 weekends this year.

...

Sorry I didn't see your comments last week. ND was picked to play in the '07 Sugar Bowl as an opponent for LSU, the SEC representative.

I believe my post commented that the Sugar Bowl would not pick ND over or in lieu of an SEC Opponent because of their ties to the SEC regardless of ND's record. After taking an SEC team the Sugar Bowl could have taken ND as their second team if ND was still available.

With Alabama getting dumped Saturday they are the likely Sugar Bowl first pick. ND won't be available for the second pick.

 

[BGIF]

For the 8th week Jerry Palm picks ND to play in the Fiesta Bowl but this time against UF.

His 11/10 Bowl Projections are up at:

College Football Bowls - CBSSports.com

Palm projects:

ND v UF in Fiesta
KSU and ORE in NCG
ALA and OU in Sugar
FSU v UL in Orange
NEB v SU in Rose


MSU v MSSt in Gator
UM v UGA in Capital One
UAZ v Navy in Kraft
WVU v USC in Alamo
SDS v BYU in Poinsettia
RU v MIA in Russell

8 opponents in and BC, WF, PIT, and PU out according to Palm.

PIT and PU can still get bowl eligible. PIT needs wins over RU at home and USF on the road. PU faces an easier path needing win over both Illinois on the road and Indiana in West Lafayette.


KSU, Ore, and ND all have games which can change Palm's Projections.

 

[ohara831]

Interesting that Brad Edward's said last night he thought we would play the Rose Bowl vs Nebraska. Think that would be a bit easier than facing the Gators in the Fiesta, but not as emotionally rewarding a victory. But I still have hope we get some help and land in the NCG.

 

[drayer54]

NEBRASKA?! Those pricks would do something like that if they wanted us to look invalid.

It's like the time that they let TCU play Boise so that they could prove nothing.

 

[phork]

All signs point to the Rose. By the end of it all there will be no second Pac12 team to qualify.

 

[BGIF]

Interesting that Brad Edward's said last night he thought we would play the Rose Bowl vs Nebraska. Think that would be a bit easier than facing the Gators in the Fiesta, but not as emotionally rewarding a victory. But I still have hope we get some help and land in the NCG.

The Rose Bowl is a possibility but less of a probability. Consider what station/network the game was on last night. Were they promoting ND or the Rose Bowl?

Palm's Projections come from computer analysis and the BCS order of selection. Palm isn't doing it seat of the pants.

 

[BGIF]

All signs point to the Rose. By the end of it all there will be no second Pac12 team to qualify.

Mea culpa!

There are 7 PAC12 teams bowl qualified with 6 or more wins. The BCS requires:

At Large Eligibility

  A. Has won at least nine regular-season games, and
  B. Is among the top 14 teams in the final BCS Standings.

BCS selection procedures


Wins As Of 10/10
Oregon 10 wins
Stanford 8
Ore St 7
UW 6

UCLA 8
USC 7
UAZ 6

And ASU, 5-5, needs one win to be bowl eligible but can't get to 9 wins to be BCS Eligible, nor can UW and UAZ. The others have a possibility. They may beat each other up in the next few weeks but they won't lose their qualifying wins.

The Rose could opt for an undefeated or one loss ND but I don't see it if the PAC12 has a qualified team. Bowls where created for local flavor. There will be a #2 finisher behind Oregon with 9 wins. As of now SU is higher than 14 in the current BCS Poll and UCLA and USC at 16 and 18 are within reach.

 

[clashmore_mike]

They have to be ranked in the top14 or 16 to be eligible for the BCS, not just be bowl eligible.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

If we go undefeated that means USC has at least 4 losses doubtful they will be top 14.

Stanford and Oregon St both have 2 losses with Oregon coming up which means they will both have 3 losses or Oregon will have a loss and we will jump them.

So Rose Bowl is probably a great possibility if they have first pick. No way they take 3 loss Stanford or Oregon St over us.

 

[BGIF]

If we go undefeated that means USC has at least 4 losses doubtful they will be top 14.

Stanford and Oregon St both have 2 losses with Oregon coming up which means they will both have 3 losses or Oregon will have a loss and we will jump them.

So Rose Bowl is probably a great possibility if they have first pick. No way they take 3 loss Stanford or Oregon St over us.

The key is USC losing to ND.

Some years ago USAToday ran a story that USC has ruined more ND undefeated seasons than any other team something like 4 or 5 times. Remarkably, ND had done the same to USC.

Kelly may be playing close to the vest with the playbook and saving something fit USC. But our 25 ppg offense is going to be enough against the Trojans unless they roll over and quit for the season. I've confident since the preseason that ND could beat anyone on their schedule. I've also believed that a half dozen of those teams could also beat ND.

ND's ball control eat up the clock offense would be stronger without the turnovers and FGs instead of TD's. The of DeVaris makes the O weaker. How's the D without Russell?

ND is attractive to any bowl but I don't see the Rose, Sugar, or Orange Bowl shutting out the local conference to take a higher ranked ND. That defies the principles of why bowls were founded and how they have operated for most of a century.

 

[NewBrunswickIrish]

If we go undefeated that means USC has at least 4 losses doubtful they will be top 14.

Stanford and Oregon St both have 2 losses with Oregon coming up which means they will both have 3 losses or Oregon will have a loss and we will jump them.

So Rose Bowl is probably a great possibility if they have first pick. No way they take 3 loss Stanford or Oregon St over us.

UCLA could very well make a push for top 14 though.

 

[arrowryan]

I would love to play Nebraska in the Rose Bowl

 

[phork]

UCLA could very well make a push for top 14 though.

The problem is that UCLA if it continues to move up will play Oregon in the Pac12 championship. The Pac12 is going to eat itself out of the Rose Bowl.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

I would love to play Nebraska in the Rose Bowl

I would take that if we can't play in the BCS Championship game

 

[ACamp1900]

Yeah if we aren't going to the title game the rose bowl, versus anyone, would be my pick...

 

[BurningRiver]

There's just something awesome about being able to say you won the Rose Bowl. If we can't make it to the NC Game, I'd definitely choose the Rose Bowl.

 

[irishog77]

Part of the problem with ND ranked behind others in the BCS is perception. Yeah, we all know ND has played a tough schedule. Most CFB fans are casual observers (and this, unfortunately, includes many "professional" writers and voters), however, and don't think ND has played a tough schedule.

Ever since the Florida-OSU NC, the big ten's reputation, beyond the big ten region, has been in constant and steady decline. Put bluntly, people definitely throughout the southeast, and still very much so throughout the southwest, west coast, and mid atlantic have ~ ZERO respect for the big ten. ND beating 3 very mediocre big ten teams over the course of the season impresses VERY FEW people. ND beating a very mediocre big ten champion in the Rose Bowl will, again, impress VERY FEW people. ND LOSING to a very mediocre big ten team in the Rose Bowl will further the perception that ND is over-hyped and not worthy of being in the NC discussion...which won't be that big of a factor this year, but definitely will next year and the not too distant future.

As I said earlier in this thread, the Rose Bowl would be the worst option out there for ND in the BCS. As fans, we should hope they don't play there.

 

[Irish YJ]

I'd love to go to the Rose bowl, just not this year against a crappy B10 champion. If Ohio State was the opponent, yes, but not anyone else. Winning doesn't do much for us this year, except end our BCS bowl woes. Give me Florida St revenge, or an SEC reality call.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

As said before, this team is still cutting it's teeth. Although a Rose Bowl bid vs the B1G wouldn't bring the most "respect," it would be the only matchup ND would be favored in, thus ruining the whole "ND is getting exposed tonight" mantra everyone else has. Can't lose that!

Best non-natty scenarios:

Sugar vs Bama or UGA





















Rose vs Wisconsin ( Nebraska isn't beating them twice)

 

[Irish YJ]

Sugar vs Bama or UGA

That's my thought too. Bama, UGA, Florida, Florida St are my favs in order. The only reason UGA is in front of Floriday is because I live in Atlanta and tired of hearing Go-Dawgs.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

Manti wearing a lei made of roses after a big 10 beatdown!

 

[irishfanjho15]

Manti wearing a lei made of roses after a big 10 beatdown!

Beautiful.

 

[Irish YJ]

Manti wearing a lei made of roses after a big 10 beatdown!

Sorry, bt Manti wearing a lei made of Dawg teeth would be more impressive.