Big Football/Recruiting Weekends in 2006

[Irish Envy]

Day Date Opponent Location TV Outcome/Time
Sat 09/02/06 Georgia Tech Atlanta, GA ABC 8:00 PM
Sat 09/09/06 Penn State Notre Dame Stadium NBC 3:30 PM
Sat 09/16/06 Michigan Notre Dame Stadium NBC 3:30 PM
Sat 09/23/06 Michigan State East Lansing, MI ABC 8:00 PM
Sat 09/30/06 Purdue Notre Dame Stadium NBC 2:30 PM
Sat 10/07/06 Stanford Notre Dame Stadium NBC 2:30 PM
Sat 10/21/06 UCLA Notre Dame Stadium NBC 2:30 PM
Sat 10/28/06 Navy Baltimore, MD TBA TBA
Sat 11/04/06 North Carolina Notre Dame Stadium NBC 2:30 PM
Sat 11/11/06 Air Force Colorado Springs, CO CSTV 4:00 PM
Sat 11/18/06 Army Notre Dame Stadium NBC 2:30 PM
Sat 11/25/06 USC Los Angeles, CA ABC 5:00 PM

I highlighted the above games that we play at home this year, we will have a GIANT opportunity to seal the deal with several recruits during the two early home games with Penn State and Michigan. Wins over both schools are absolutely necessary to influence defensive recruits IMO.

 

[Irish Envy]

Here are the schedules of Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, since they are our early games and what I look at as the killer part of our schedule.

Penn State

Saturday, Sept. 2 Akron State College, PA
Saturday, Sept. 9 at Notre Dame South Bend, IN
Saturday, Sept. 16 Youngstown State State College, PA
Saturday, Sept. 23 at Ohio State Columbus, OH
Saturday, Sept. 30 Northwestern State College, PA
Saturday, Oct. 7 at Minnesota Minneapolis, MN
Saturday, Oct. 14 Michigan State College, PA
Saturday, Oct. 21 Illinois State College, PA
Saturday, Oct. 28 at Purdue West Lafayette, IN
Saturday, Nov. 4 at Wisconsin Madison, WI
Saturday, Nov. 11 Temple State College, PA
Saturday, Nov. 18 Michigan State State College, PA

Early Schedule: We warm up for Penn State with Georgia Tech, while they warm up for us with Akron. They certainly have a distinct advantage in the cupcake area.

Key Roster Losses: DE Tamba Hali, SS Chris Harrell, WR Ethan Kilmer, SS Calvin Lowry, CB Anwar Phillips, G Tyler Reed, DE Matthew Rice, QB Michael Robinson, CB Alan Zemaitis

Michigan

Saturday, Sept. 2 Vanderbilt Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Sept. 9 Central Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Sept. 16 at Notre Dame South Bend, IN
Saturday, Sept. 23 Wisconsin Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Sept. 30 at Minnesota Minneapolis, MN
Saturday, Oct. 7 Michigan State Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Oct. 14 at Penn State State College, PA
Saturday, Oct. 21 Iowa Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Oct. 28 Northwestern Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Nov. 4 Ball State Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, Nov. 11 at Indiana Bloomington, IN
Saturday, Nov. 18 at Ohio State Columbus, OH

Early Schedule: We warm up for Michigan with GT and Penn State, Michigan warms up for us with Vandy and Central Michigan.

Key Roster Losses: TE Tim Massaquoi, DT Gabe Watson, WR Jason Avant, OG Matt Lentz, CB Grant Mason, DE Pat Massey, OT Adam Stenavich, OL Leo Henige, LB Scott McClintock, DE Pierre Woods

Michigan State

Saturday, Sept. 2 Idaho East Lansing, MI
Saturday, Sept. 9 Eastern Michigan East Lansing, MI
Saturday, Sept. 16 at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
Saturday, Sept. 23 Notre Dame East Lansing, MI 8:00 pm (ABC)
Saturday, Sept. 30 Illinois East Lansing, MI 12:00 pm
Saturday, Oct. 7 at Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 4:30 pm (ESPN)
Saturday, Oct. 14 Ohio State East Lansing, MI
Saturday, Oct. 21 at Northwestern Evanston, IL
Saturday, Oct. 28 at Indiana Bloomington, IN
Saturday, Nov. 4 Purdue East Lansing, MI
Saturday, Nov. 11 Minnesota East Lansing, MI
Saturday, Nov. 18 at Penn State State College, PA

Early Schedule: We warm up for Michigan State with GT, PSU and Michigan, while Michigan State warms up for us with Idaho, Eastern Michigan and Minnesota. Let's hope for a very physical, grind it out game by Minnesota.

Key Roster Losses: OG Stefon Wheeler, SS Eric Smith, DT Domata Peko, C Chris Morris, RB Jason Teague, OG Gordon Niebyiski, WR Kyle Brown, DE Michael Bazemore, DT Brandon McKinney, CB Ashton Watson, CB Jaren Hayes

 

[Domer95]

Maison Bleu, I'm sorry, but those OOC schedules are PATHETIC, except for MSUs, as they have Pitt (on the road). Mich, does have ND and Vandy, but they had a 'good year' last year and barely finished above .500 and lost to a 1-AA school. Yes, I know Youngstown St. is an elite of 1-AA (or was when Tres-calade was there), but Temple, Cent/East/West Mich/Ball St (the alma mater of that great writer, Jason Whitlock!!!)?

Granted Army is in the same boat. But I'd be curious to see the rankings of the Service Academies vis a vis Akron, Ball St., CMU, Temple, ID, EMU

 

[maison bleu]

Wisconsin, Iowa, MSU, Ohio $tate, Penn State. When you're in a tough, well-balanced conference, you don't need to schedule more than one tough non-conf game.

Besides, I'd say, overall, Michigan has a tougher schedule than ND this year.

Let me explain, Nick Bakay-style. Week-by-week, and ignoring Home/Road

Michigan opponents----ND opponents----Advantage
Vanderbilt----------------- GA Tech-----------ND
Central Michigan-----------PSU----------------ND
Notre Dame-----------------Michigan-----------Push, by definition
Wisconsin ------------------MSU---------------- Michigan
Minnesota------------------Purdue --------------Michigan
Michigan State-------------Stanford ------------Michigan
Penn State------------------UCLA ---------------Michigan
Iowa-------------------------Navy-----------------Michigan
Northwestern-----------------NC ----------------Push, since I haven't a clue on this one
Ball State ------------------Air Force------------ND
Indiana---------------------- Army---------------Michigan
Ohio State-------------------USC----------------Michigan

There you have it folks, twelve games, two pushes, Michigan 7, ND 3.

Let me admit here that this is rare--ND usually had the tougher schedule

 

[jiggafini19]

USC has lost two games in the last three years.

I have to consider SC being tougher than Ohio State. But by the time that week rolls around, that could be different.

 

[scooper]

Week by week is not a fair way to judge a schedule. A better way would be to rank them 1-12 and compare them one at a time. #1vs#1, etc.

However, that involves too much work and concentration on a day when I want to do nothing but sit around and wait for "the call" from my wife.

:newdomerontheway:

 

[Óglaigh_na_hÉireann]

Maison Bleu, I'm sorry, but those OOC schedules are PATHETIC, except for MSUs,

Well, I've always thought that it shouldn't be allowed for D-I schools to play D-II teams... I don't know how the logistics of that would work out, though. I think SEC teams play DIIs the most frequent.

 

[maison bleu]

Week by week is not a fair way to judge a schedule. A better way would be to rank them 1-12 and compare them one at a time. #1vs#1, etc.

However, that involves too much work and concentration on a day when I want to do nothing but sit around and wait for "the call" from my wife.

:newdomerontheway:

scooper, i thought of that, and i too decided it was too much work. maybe later. congrats in advance on the new domer

jigga, I based OSU being tougher than USC on preseason rankings.

 

[irishnd31]

Good luck and an early congrats on the new addition scoop!!!!

 

[scooper]

scooper, i thought of that, and i too decided it was too much work. maybe later. congrats in advance on the new domer

jigga, I based OSU being tougher than USC on preseason rankings.

Thanks for the well wishes (you too, 31)

OSU is ranked higher in most cases, but before last season, UM, USC and Tenn were all ranked top 5 and on our schedule. We saw how that goes. It just shows that we have no clue how tough any of our schedules are going to be.

 

[irishnd31]

Thanks for the well wishes (you too, 31)

OSU is ranked higher in most cases, but before last season, UM, USC and Tenn were all ranked top 5 and on our schedule. We saw how that goes. It just shows that we have no clue how tough any of our schedules are going to be.

Anytime scoop.

 

[rontdtarchala]

I would also like to send congrats to you and yours on the new domer scooper. I also have to say I disagree with MB on several of those picks...bottom line I just want us to go 13-0

 

[Indydomer]

I could care less who's schedule is harder. Michigan plays some tough teams as well as we do. If we can get through the first part of our schedule including Michigan unbeaten we will take it all this year. I think other than USC, Michigan will be our toughest game by far. They'll be good this year. We do need to have only one service academy on the schedule though. Gettin tired of watching those games. In the end I'd say the schedules are about even, and truthfully you never know because there will be suprises and dissapointments.

 

[Irish Envy]

I could care less who's schedule is harder. Michigan plays some tough teams as well as we do. If we can get through the first part of our schedule including Michigan unbeaten we will take it all this year. I think other than USC, Michigan will be our toughest game by far. They'll be good this year. We do need to have only one service academy on the schedule though. Gettin tired of watching those games. In the end I'd say the schedules are about even, and truthfully you never know because there will be suprises and dissapointments.

I agree with this. However, I am pained by how terribly difficult our opening stanza is. Our first four games is murder for any program in the country. I wish there was a Stanford thrown in between the Michigan/Penn State game, or something like that.

That being said, if we do come through and beat all of those teams and come out of the gate 4-0, I think we will vault up several recruits lists as some of them have Michigan, Penn State as favorites.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

If we get through our first 4 games, not only will it help recruiting, but also our ranking. We'll shoot up the rankings and the national media will be all over ND as a serious national title contender. Can't wait for that to happen. Watch the bandwagon fans come out too.