2013 Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll

[IrishLax]

Louisville's hardest opponent = #40. Wow. I'll be pretty surprised if they and Ohio State don't go undefeated... what a crazy debate it would be if those two teams didn't have a loss and you had a one loss SEC team.

 

[ACamp1900]

Louisville's hardest opponent = #40. Wow. I'll be pretty surprised if they and Ohio State don't go undefeated... what a crazy debate it would be if those two teams didn't have a loss and you had a one loss SEC team.

Honestly, I'm done with one loss SEC teams getting a pass to the front of the line every year... EVERY YEAR...

 

[NDWorld247]

Louisville's hardest opponent = #40. Wow. I'll be pretty surprised if they and Ohio State don't go undefeated... what a crazy debate it would be if those two teams didn't have a loss and you had a one loss SEC team.

As ridiculous as it is, it matters when the SEC team loses. For example, an undefeated Alabama team losing to a two-loss Florida team in the SEC championship probably doesn't get in over either of the undefeated teams, nor does SEC champion Florida, but a one-loss Alabama team that wins the SEC championship almost certainly does get in, likely over Louisville.

I think as long as the SEC champion only has one loss, they get in over Louisville. I also think the likelihood of the BCS ending on a non-controversial note is very small.

Also, as interesting as the NCG debate will likely be this year, I'm looking forward to all of the "if the playoff was instituted this year" talk that is definitely going to happen.

 

[RDU Irish]

Normally not one to make excuses, but Teo was completely mind-fVcked which had to have significant effects on game prep and play. We sh!t the bed and they rolled us around in it before we knew what hit us.

Saying we are worse than 9 other teams, many of which lost many more impactful players, is pretty absurd. I get Bama being on top, well deserved. What about Florida deserving to jump us then getting stomped by Louisville and LSU losing to Clemson? If that league was so dominant, shouldn't their top four to six teams roll like the tide in their bowl games?

Plus - Give Bama a month to play anyone and that opponent won't have much room for error.

 

[ACamp1900]

When was the last time Notre Dame came into a season top ten (ish) expectations and actually delivered...??

 

[ThePiombino]

When was the last time Notre Dame came into a season top ten (ish) expectations and actually delivered...??

1993?

 

[ThePiombino]

Normally not one to make excuses, but Teo was completely mind-fVcked which had to have significant effects on game prep and play. We sh!t the bed and they rolled us around in it before we knew what hit us.

Saying we are worse than 9 other teams, many of which lost many more impactful players, is pretty absurd. I get Bama being on top, well deserved. What about Florida deserving to jump us then getting stomped by Louisville and LSU losing to Clemson? If that league was so dominant, shouldn't their top four to six teams roll like the tide in their bowl games?

Plus - Give Bama a month to play anyone and that opponent won't have much room for error.

Agree wholeheartedly. That game was NOT at all indicitave of last year's team. Twas merely a HORRIBLY timed anomoly.

 

[ACamp1900]

Where did ND finish in 06?? Was it within the top ten?? Even if it was I don't know if you can say they lived up to expectations given they opened at number 2 did they not??

Anyway, yeah, I think you have to go back 92 or 93 to find a team from ND that started in the top ten and lived up to the hype. Unless I'm missing a year here or there...

I'd bet against ND finishing in the top ten more quickly than I would the other way around.

 

[ThePiombino]

Where did ND finish in 06?? Was it within the top ten?? Even if it was I don't know if you can say they lived up to expectations given they opened at number 2 did they not??

Anyway, yeah, I think you have to go back 92 or 93 to find a team from ND that started in the top ten and lived up to the hype. Unless I'm missing a year here or there...

I'd bet against ND finishing in the top ten more quickly than I would the other way around.

10-3 including an LSU pistol whipping in the Sugar Bowl I believe. Finished the year #19.

 

[returnofthemack]

11 is way too high without Golson. I'll be surprised if we finish above 20.

 

[Buster Bluth]

11 is way too high without Golson. I'll be surprised if we finish above 20.

Smh

 

[DillonHall]

Honestly, I'm done with one loss SEC teams getting a pass to the front of the line every year... EVERY YEAR...

So you don't like it when the best team in the country wins the national championship?

 

[ulukinatme]

11 is way too high without Golson. I'll be surprised if we finish above 20.

Burn the stadium down, no sense in playing football anymore

 

[returnofthemack]

Smh

Best get some practice before the michigan game.

 

[returnofthemack]

Burn the stadium down, no sense in playing football anymore

No, we get Golson back next season.

 

[ACamp1900]

No, we get Golson back next season.

And lose Lou and Co.


To Torches!!!

 

[returnofthemack]

And lose Lou and Co.


To Torches!!!

Losing Nix and Tuitt will suck, but I believe we can come close to reloading there. Or at least enough of a stopgap with our talent at LB. And at least our offense should be good by then.

 

[ACamp1900]

We are so far from 'reloading" in the middle of the D Line it's depressing...

 

[ulukinatme]

Losing Nix and Tuitt will suck, but I believe we can come close to reloading there. Or at least enough of a stopgap with our talent at LB. And at least our offense should be good by then.

Offense doesn't win championships though. If this defense falters, which I hope it doesn't, I'm not confidant that Kelly's offense will pick up the slack. Even when the offense was considered good under Weis, we struggled with teams that played good defense. I do feel that a big part of that was a weakness on the offensive line, so hopefully that same problem won't hit Kelly...but make no mistake that defense is what has gotten us back in the conversation in college football and defense is what is going to help keep us there if we can maintain that level of play. We've unfortunately struck out in recent years with interior defensive linemen, and theres a few other positions that we could use some more depth in.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I doubt we'll see another all-SEC title game, so those teams will sort each other out. And we'll get a shot at Stanford, so that leaves OSU, Oregon, Clemson and Louisville as potential spoilers. Clemson always drops a game, and I doubt anyone here would begrudge Oregon another shot if they go undefeated.

That leaves OSU and Louisville. UL's schedule is bad enough (and their initial ranking close enough to ours) that I'm fairly certain we'd jump them on SoS alone (KSU played some legit teams last year).

But OSU's a totally different story. Being ranked that high, and with such a pathetic schedule... they'll have to trip up somewhere for us to get another shot.

 

[returnofthemack]

We are so far from 'reloading" in the middle of the D Line it's depressing...

Offense doesn't win championships though. If this defense falters, which I hope it doesn't, I'm not confidant that Kelly's offense will pick up the slack. Even when the offense was considered good under Weis, we struggled with teams that played good defense. I do feel that a big part of that was a weakness on the offensive line, so hopefully that same problem won't hit Kelly...but make no mistake that defense is what has gotten us back in the conversation in college football and defense is what is going to help keep us there if we can maintain that level of play. We've unfortunately struck out in recent years with interior defensive linemen, and theres a few other positions that we could use some more depth in.

Yeah, you guys are right, especially with our dearth of DTs. If by some miracle Tuitt stays, that would be great. However, as you said, our offensive line is in pretty good shape, as is our RB stable, and our defense even without Nix and Tuitt will be far better than anything we saw under Weis.

 

[returnofthemack]

Offense doesn't win championships though. If this defense falters, which I hope it doesn't, I'm not confidant that Kelly's offense will pick up the slack. Even when the offense was considered good under Weis, we struggled with teams that played good defense. I do feel that a big part of that was a weakness on the offensive line, so hopefully that same problem won't hit Kelly...but make no mistake that defense is what has gotten us back in the conversation in college football and defense is what is going to help keep us there if we can maintain that level of play. We've unfortunately struck out in recent years with interior defensive linemen, and theres a few other positions that we could use some more depth in.

This is pretty ironic, because when we first learned about the Kelly hire, I thought we'd again have awesome offense and terrible defense. Who would've though the offense would have been so decidedly mediocre under Kelly?

 

[chubler]

This is pretty ironic, because when we first learned about the Kelly hire, I thought we'd again have awesome offense and terrible defense. Who would've though the offense would have been so decidedly mediocre under Kelly?

Given:
1. The QB near-apocalypse that happened in his first season
2. Weak offensive line talent inherited from Weis
3. Turnovers and other black magic during all of 2011
4. Breaking in Golson/conservative game planning by design in 2012

I disagree. I think we've done just fine on offense. We haven't measured up to Kelly's numbers at previous spots, but we play against real defenses here at ND (unlike Cincy), and Kelly's been focused on rebuilding the D. I think he felt that the D was finally where he wanted it this year and has begun rebuilding the Offense with the 2013 recruiting class, starting with Oline. It'll get there faster than you think.

 

[ulukinatme]

I disagree. I think we've done just fine on offense. We haven't measured up to Kelly's numbers at previous spots, but we play against real defenses here at ND (unlike Cincy), and Kelly's been focused on rebuilding the D.

This certainly remains to be seen. 3 years is a pretty good time table to establish an offense if you're a coach, and so far we've been kind of lackluster against most teams that have a pulse on defense. I do think we're setup well for a turn around though with the OL talent and development going on in conjunction with the RBs and other skill positions. To date everything has "looked good on paper" and hasn't translated to a "Kelly offense" on the field.

 

[irisheyes]

Louisville being a top 10 team is a joke. You lose 2 games in the big east and you dont even deserve to have your name in the top 20

 

[Jerry]

I doubt we'll see another all-SEC title game, so those teams will sort each other out. And we'll get a shot at Stanford, so that leaves OSU, Oregon, Clemson and Louisville as potential spoilers. Clemson always drops a game, and I doubt anyone here would begrudge Oregon another shot if they go undefeated.

That leaves OSU and Louisville. UL's schedule is bad enough (and their initial ranking close enough to ours) that I'm fairly certain we'd jump them on SoS alone (KSU played some legit teams last year).

But OSU's a totally different story. Being ranked that high, and with such a pathetic schedule... they'll have to trip up somewhere for us to get another shot.

I actually think an all SEC title game is more likely than a lot of scenarios. ND going undefeated last year was the only thing that kept UF from playing Bama. If there are no undefeated teams I could see 2 SEC teams in easily.

Need Clemson to beat Georgia. Georgia beat S Carolina. I think Florida will lose a few games, Clemson won't go undefeated.

I worry that if Alabama loses once to LSU and they are left out of the SEC title game voters will still want to get them and the SEC champ in the title game. Luckily Bama's late season schedule is sort of thin.

 

[NDWorld247]

AP preseason poll released today. ND is #14.

All 25 teams are the same as the Coaches Poll with only 6 teams changing position.

1 Alabama (58) 0-0 1,498 NR
2 Ohio State (1) 0-0 1,365 NR
3 Oregon 0-0 1,335 NR
4 Stanford 0-0 1,294 NR
5 Georgia (1) 0-0 1,249 NR
6 South Carolina 0-0 1,154 NR
7 Texas A&M 0-0 1,104 NR
8 Clemson 0-0 1,083 NR
9 Louisville 0-0 1,042 NR
10 Florida 0-0 894 NR
11 Florida State 0-0 845 NR
12 LSU 0-0 802 NR
13 Oklahoma State 0-0 755 NR
14 Notre Dame 0-0 748 NR
15 Texas 0-0 677 NR
16 Oklahoma 0-0 579 NR
17 Michigan 0-0 531 NR
18 Nebraska 0-0 382 NR
19 Boise State 0-0 328 NR
20 TCU 0-0 323 NR
21 UCLA 0-0 286 NR
22 Northwestern 0-0 199 NR
23 Wisconsin 0-0 185 NR
24 USC 0-0 134 NR
25 Oregon State 0-0 129 NR

Others Receiving Votes: Michigan State 95, Baylor 92, Virginia Tech 86, Miami (FL) 85, Arizona State 53, Kansas State 43, Fresno State 36, Vanderbilt 19, Washington 17, Northern Illinois 16, Mississippi 11, Utah State 8, Georgia Tech 6, North Carolina 3, Arizona 3, Cincinnati 3, Penn State 2, Brigham Young 1

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Hahahaha Lou Holtz just went out of his way to point out Ohio State plays nobody in the top 15, and Louisville plays nobody in the top 40 on ESPN.

God bless him.....

 

[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Quick thought on AP poll: Notre Dame underrated, South Carolina slightly overrated.</p>— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooForde/statuses/368754827263614976">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>For decades ND got propped up by poll voters. My how times have changed. They did not lose SO much to fall from No. 4 to No. 14.</p>— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) <a href="https://twitter.com/slmandel/statuses/368772365083090946">August 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
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