Jan 7 | BCS National Championship | Alabama

[stlnd01]

defn played a much better 2nd half.... the whole team. One stat that consistently gets overlooked on our "lucky-pathetic" win, was that Pitt had 24 or 25 yds in the 4th quarter and during the 3OTs altogether. 25yds. Say what you want about the game, but our defense was plain stingy after halftime

Meanwhile ND had 200 yards of offense in that fourth quarter and 50 more in OT (and yes, unfortunately, two goal line turnovers). Golson in particular showed a lot in that fourth quarter.

 

[ARALOU]

I know it was 20 to 6 at one point in the 4th quarter. Up in the 4th quarter Irish turn the ball over and I was thinking there may be two possessions left. They came back and tied it. Turned it over in OT at some point and Pitt missed the kick. I call that part luck. The comeback in the 4th quarter was guts.
BGIF you are correct in your critique of the STG. Although I consider that town closer to south TN. 35 miles from the state line. I live a few miles from the geographic center. There have been several players in recent years from that area play for Bama. Choosing them over the Vols. I can say that the area probably holds more Bama fans than Vol fans because of its proximity. That is subject to change in successful years for the Vols. That tier of counties that border Alabama historically has produced some of the more famous Vols and also recent Bama talent. Tennessee is not known for an abundance of in state talent but in recent years the Vols have missed out on far more than their fair share of blue chip Tn recruits.
I also agree with the assessment of Pitt. As a matter of fact I picked them over Ole Miss in their bowl game.

 

[phork]

One thing about statistics it can also misrepresent facts. Michigan was the best team, according to the NCAA, against the pass. However based on who they played the cloud becomes a little murky.

Pitt was 90th in total rushing in the nation, 43rd passing. Or 60th total. 72nd nationally in scoring offense. 54th in red zone offense. 6-6 finish in the Big East.

Also, we did get lucky that game and that was the point of my post. That is irrefutable.

 

[dshans]

How many teams played an offensive combo like Tino, Ray the felon, and Shannahan all year?

It's Shanahan, dammit!

(I should know ...)

 

[Whiskeyjack]

One thing about statistics it can also misrepresent facts. Michigan was the best team, according to the NCAA, against the pass. However based on who they played the cloud becomes a little murky.

That's why we don't use the NCAA's vanilla stats. One of Football Outsiders' models, S&P+, is a play-based measure of efficiency, so it can rank teams on how they fared passing and rushing specifically. It's not as accurate as FEI, but it still gives us a more accurate (opponent-adjusted) picture of how each team performed than vanilla stats.

Michigan ranked 42nd against the pass.

Pitt was 90th in total rushing in the nation, 43rd passing. Or 60th total. 72nd nationally in scoring offense. 54th in red zone offense. 6-6 finish in the Big East.

According to S&P+, Pitt was 56th in rushing and 35th in passing for 43rd overall. FEI (which tends to be more accurate) ranks Pitt's offense at 36th. Pitt was much better than their record this year.

Also, we did get lucky that game and that was the point of my post. That is irrefutable.

And so is BGIF's point-- that Pitt would never have even been in a position to win the game had ND not stubbed their toes many times before that.

You're trying to spin this as ND lucking past a very weak Pitt team. In reality, a dangerously underrated Pitt team nearly stole one from ND due to the post-OU hangover.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

Tend to agree here -- ND's worst loss of the season was when an otherwise decent Pitt lost to Youngstown St.

 

[johnnykillz]

Tend to agree here -- ND's worst loss of the season was when an otherwise decent Pitt lost to Youngstown St.

...

What?

 

[Irish Houstonian]

...

What?

Pitt lost to Youngstown State early, so everyone wrote them off all year (and, by transitive property, said ND wasn't good because the Pitt game was so close).

But they actually weren't that bad.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

It's Shanahan, dammit!

(I should know ...)

That's two!

 

[Bogtrotter07]

That's why we don't use the NCAA's vanilla stats. One of Football Outsiders' models, S&P+, is a play-based measure of efficiency, so it can rank teams on how they fared passing and rushing specifically. It's not as accurate as FEI, but it still gives us a more accurate (opponent-adjusted) picture of how each team performed than vanilla stats.

Michigan ranked 42nd against the pass.



According to S&P+, Pitt was 56th in rushing and 35th in passing for 43rd overall. FEI (which tends to be more accurate) ranks Pitt's offense at 36th. Pitt was much better than their record this year.



And so is BGIF's point-- that Pitt would never have even been in a position to win the game had ND not stubbed their toes many times before that.

You're trying to spin this as ND lucking past a very weak Pitt team. In reality, a dangerously underrated Pitt team nearly stole one from ND due to the post-OU hangover.

AND THE FLU!

You don't really understand how sick they were.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Pitt lost to Youngstown State early, so everyone wrote them off all year (and, by transitive property, said ND wasn't good because the Pitt game was so close).

But they actually weren't that bad.

Actually one of your best points ever, though too artistically crafted for this site.

(Just kidding about the artistic for the site part.)

 

[johnnykillz]

Actually one of your best points ever, though too artistically crafted for this site.

(Just kidding about the artistic for the site part.)

Yes very Autistic for the site, I concur.

Pitt perennially challenges us.

They aren't intimidated by us and can only play spoiler.

They will always be a good game.

I get the points made and all, but the bottom line is we are U ND efeated. 12-0.

#1.

And we'll show everyone why in a few days...

 

[ARALOU]

I will buy the Pitt game always being tough. Killz has his pom poms out early this am. I wish the game was being played tonight. Playing it on a Monday a week after the holidays just plain sucks. It is also stupid. ESPN ruins everything.

 

[Rocky2820]

I will buy the Pitt game always being tough. Killz has his pom poms out early this am. I wish the game was being played tonight. Playing it on a Monday a week after the holidays just plain sucks. It is also stupid. ESPN ruins everything.

It especially sucks that I have an evening meeting that night at work that I just cannot get out of. Trust me I have tried. I'm being told that it could go until midnight. Like many of you I'm sure, I plan my fall Saturdays around the ND game, regardless of who they are playing. So, for this to happen for this game... UGH! Not checking my phone for updates may be my biggest test of willpower ever. My plan is to DVR it and watch it start to finish as soon as I get home. I'm hoping to be able to go without checking for score updates along the way.

 

[yankeeND]

It especially sucks that I have an evening meeting that night at work that I just cannot get out of. Trust me I have tried. I'm being told that it could go until midnight. Like many of you I'm sure, I plan my fall Saturdays around the ND game, regardless of who they are playing. So, for this to happen for this game... UGH! Not checking my phone for updates may be my biggest test of willpower ever. My plan is to DVR it and watch it start to finish as soon as I get home. I'm hoping to be able to go without checking for score updates along the way.

That sucks brother. I hope you find out very early in the AM on Tuesday that we are National Champs!

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

It especially sucks that I have an evening meeting that night at work that I just cannot get out of. Trust me I have tried. I'm being told that it could go until midnight. Like many of you I'm sure, I plan my fall Saturdays around the ND game, regardless of who they are playing. So, for this to happen for this game... UGH! Not checking my phone for updates may be my biggest test of willpower ever. My plan is to DVR it and watch it start to finish as soon as I get home. I'm hoping to be able to go without checking for score updates along the way.

Rocky, make sure you do everything in your power to avoid all media outlets and let everyone know not to yell any scores out. I've had to work Saturday's all season long and it can be strenuous but well worth it when you're zipping through commercials.

You'll regret it if you sneak a look at the score.

 

[koonja]

It especially sucks that I have an evening meeting that night at work that I just cannot get out of. Trust me I have tried. I'm being told that it could go until midnight. Like many of you I'm sure, I plan my fall Saturdays around the ND game, regardless of who they are playing. So, for this to happen for this game... UGH! Not checking my phone for updates may be my biggest test of willpower ever. My plan is to DVR it and watch it start to finish as soon as I get home. I'm hoping to be able to go without checking for score updates along the way.

Oh man, I feel so sorry for you. Stay strong, don't check IE, tell your co-workers to not give anything away, and if you can, just leave your phone.

Good luck!!!!!

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Pitt lost to Youngstown State early, so everyone wrote them off all year (and, by transitive property, said ND wasn't good because the Pitt game was so close).

But they actually weren't that bad.

They've been hanging on that PITT game the whole time..

In that same mindset they say:

- LSU's defense, who gave up 22 points to Towson and 35 points to Ole Miss is the best they will have faced through the championship game. That LSU D also impressively stopped juggernauts such as North Texas and Idaho.

- Stanford really won that game....... Ignoring the fact that a TD awarded to Taylor still would have left Stanford a point behind lol.

- We have no depth on the DL and won't keep up with their super human OL... Yup, that's the trick... that's actually how you go undefeated with the #1 scoring defense in the country against a D1 schedule. You actually need to NOT have depth. I'm pretty sure Day, Springmann and Kona are not suiting up on the 7th.

They actually think our common opponent is a fair way to predict this game lol... Then when we say the only recognizable trait we continue to have from that game is a suffocating defense, they scream about us rationalizing our crappy team.

Our team, specifically our offense, has been a work in progress all season long. If you can't see the difference between Golson against UM and Golson at OU, I can't help you any further.

They ask, who does the lay off help more? EVERETT GOLSON.

 

[Rocky2820]

They actually think our common opponent is a fair way to predict this game lol... Then when we say the only recognizable trait we continue to have from that game is a suffocating defense, they scream about us rationalizing our crappy team.

Completely agree. Both Bama and ND played Michigan way too early in the season to draw too much from either outcome.

And, thank you guys for your support for my predicament on the 7th.

 

[phork]

So did we or didn't we get lucky vs Pitt. Regardless of how good the team was/is, did we not look death in the face?

 

[irishff1014]

So did we or didn't we get lucky vs Pitt. Regardless of how good the team was/is, did we not look death in the face?

Doesn't really matter every team gets some lucky. We have a 0 in the loss column.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

EVERY championship team has a game that in retrospect people said they were lucky to win. Here's the last ten years (minus NC teams that had a loss, or a vacated title)

2002 Ohio State vs Purdue (miracle 4th down conversion)
*Purdue finished 7-6

2009 Bama vs Tennessee (Cody's left breast blocks field goal on last play)
*Tennessee finished 7-6

2010 Auburn vs Clemson (OT thriller with missed FGs by Clemson)
*Clemson finished 6-7

BASICALLY, OUT OF THE LAST TEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, ONLY 2005 TEXAS DID NOT HAVE A CLOSE GAME AGAINST A .500 OPPONENT

THE REST HAD A SCARE OR OUTRIGHT LOST A GAME

GET OVER PITT ALREADY!!!!

 

[Riddickulous]

So did we or didn't we get lucky vs Pitt. Regardless of how good the team was/is, did we not look death in the face?

We did. There's no denying it.

Doesn't really matter every team gets some lucky. We have a 0 in the loss column.

And this.


----------

Pittsburgh was an anomaly in that it was the only game in which we gave up the chunk plays consistently. Almost half of Pitt's total yardage came on three plays. Of Pitt's 144 yards rushing, 119 of them came on three carries, with the other 30 rushing attempts netting a whopping 25 yards.

 

[NDPhilly]

While we did get lucky by Pitt missing the FG in OT, ND missed a FG in regulation along with Cierre Wood fumbling at the half yd line going into the endzone, so IMO it evens out.

 

[Riddickulous]

While we did get lucky by Pitt missing the FG in OT, ND missed a FG in regulation along with Cierre Wood fumbling at the half yd line going into the endzone, so IMO it evens out.

Also:

"Well, Tommy completed a pass. Better keep him in." - Kelly at halftime

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Yes very Autistic for the site, I concur.

Pitt perennially challenges us.

They aren't intimidated by us and can only play spoiler.

They will always be a good game.

I get the points made and all, but the bottom line is we are U ND efeated. 12-0.

#1.

And we'll show everyone why in a few days...

Yes, but do you still do that cute little thing with your tongue?

 

[KPENN]

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says Saturday and Sunday practices will be the most physical practices since the USC game.”

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says the first couple weeks of practice was geared toward the younger players, mentions Kiel, Mahone, Hanratty, Jarron Jones.”

 

[KPENN]

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says Notre Dame did some starting offense vs. starting defense in practice to keep speed of the game high.”

“@NDatRivals: Kelly: DaVaris Daniels took contact for the first time on Saturday since his clavicle injury at Boston College.”

 

[KPENN]

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says there's "a time and place" for tempo offense against Alabama. "We'll pick our spots."”

“@NDatRivals: Kelly: We've got to be attacking all areas (of the field). We've got to get big chunk plays.”

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says he's open to adding to his personnel available on special teams. Says Irish need to "hold serve" on special teams.”

 

[KPENN]

“@NDatRivals: Kelly says 11 p.m. curfew. "This is not a bowl game. This is the national championship."”

“@NDatRivals: On the second-team offensive line, Kelly says Nick Martin is the second-team RT and LT. Connor Hanratty second-team LG and RG.”