The 2013 what if game

[Rudy89]

Let's say we win against the only two weak teams we lost to UM and Pitt. The rest of the season plays out like normal and we drop OU and Stanford. Do we go to the BCS? Who do we replace? Bias aside why should we have replaced them? I'm snowed in off work and bored and want a fun discussion so let's have it!

 

[ThePiombino]

Let's say we win against the only two weak teams we lost to UM and Pitt. The rest of the season plays out like normal and we drop OU and Stanford. Do we go to the BCS? Who do we replace? Bias aside why should we have replaced them? I'm snowed in off work and bored and want a fun discussion so let's have it!

Depends on how far we drop after the Stanford loss. What were we hypothetically ranked going into the game? We SHOULD be BCS, but it's possible a late season loss hoses us.

 

[Rudy89]

Depends on how far we drop after the Stanford loss. What were we hypothetically ranked going into the game? We SHOULD be BCS, but it's possible a late season loss hoses us.

My question was that at 10-2 even as much as in would like to see us in there I can't think of a fair way we could've made it in. OU beat us and deserved to get one ahead of is because they beat us and the other at large bids had better records than us if I am not mistaken ( I know bama and OSU did but I'm not sure about Clemson) it's just weird to think we could've been 10-2 and gone to the pinstripe bowl.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

We ABSOLUTELY replace Clemson. They basically made the Orange Bowl by default, even though they played well in it.

 

[irishog77]

We ABSOLUTELY replace Clemson. They basically made the Orange Bowl by default, even though they played well in it.

Wouldn't replace Clemson-- they made the Orange Bowl as the de facto ACC champ since FSu made the Natty

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Oh yeah, duh.

We ABSOLUTELY DO NOT replace Clemson.

 

[ACamp1900]

ND doesn't make the BCS without beating Stanford... but the Pitt game was the game... that game changed the entire season outlook... win it the way ND should have and the season 'feels' totally different right now.

 

[Rudy89]

ND doesn't make the BCS without beating Stanford... but the Pitt game was the game... that game changed the entire season outlook... win it the way ND should have and the season 'feels' totally different right now.

I still feel like we had a good season. Granted UM and Pitt were major let downs but the good of the wins this season outweigh the disappointment of the losses to me anyway.

 

[phork]

Wouldn't replace Clemson-- they made the Orange Bowl as the de facto ACC champ since FSu made the Natty

Wrong. If ND is top14 you can bet your ass that there is a spot waiting for us. See 2011, Michigan.

 

[irishog77]

Wrong. If ND is top14 you can bet your ass that there is a spot waiting for us. See 2011, Michigan.

But not ahead of Clemson...or Baylor...or Alabama...or MSU...or Stanford...or even UCF (I don't believe).

So ND would've had to go in ahead of OU or OSU.

 

[irishfan]

I think people would have picked 10-2 ND over 10-2 OU. We would have two close losses to OU and Stanford and they would have two ugly, ugly losses to Texas and Baylor.

Plus ND-Bama in the Sugar Bowl? Now granted OU-Bama was an amazing game but I think the Sugar Bowl would have picked us at 10-2.

 

[phork]

But not ahead of Clemson...or Baylor...or Alabama...or MSU...or Stanford...or even UCF (I don't believe).

So ND would've had to go in ahead of OU or OSU.

If they aren't top6 then ND would be in.

FSU vs Auburn as #1 and #2. MSU & Stanford as Pac12/BIG Champs Alabama as #3 and Baylor #6 as Big12 champ. Plus UCF as a AA champ. That leaves Alabama vs ?, Baylor vs ? and 2 Open spots in the Orange bowl.

Selection would have been as follows: Orange, Sugar, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta (Rosebowl having satisfied its traditional BIG/PAC matchup).

I would think that the order of selection would look like ND (Orange), Bama (Sugar SEC ties), OhioSt (Orange), Clemson (Sugar), Baylor vs UCF, Stanford vs MSU.

 

[tdbaum1]

But not ahead of Clemson...or Baylor...or Alabama...or MSU...or Stanford...or even UCF (I don't believe).

So ND would've had to go in ahead of OU or OSU.

And I think they would've been selected before OU. If ND gets in the top 14 you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be in the BCS. They don't care about whether it is fair or not...they just care about money. ND has and will always be the most attractive team in that instance. OU and ND would probably be ranked right next to each other and with the loss to OU being fairly early in the season I don't think too many cries of "OU being more deserving" would be heard. JMO though.

 

[ACamp1900]

I still feel like we had a good season. Granted UM and Pitt were major let downs but the good of the wins this season outweigh the disappointment of the losses to me anyway.

You are right, any time you win 9 games it's hard to view it as a' bad season'... but coming off a 12 win season with a lot of momentum it can be viewed as a bit of a letdown in some ways...

IF 8-9 wins is the overall norm any program is doing well enough. That's not the overall goal though.

 

[Fbolt]

Those 2 losses to Pitt and UM were huge lowlights.

If if's and but's were candy and nuts....

On to the 2014 season.

 

[Emcee77]

And I think they would've been selected before OU. If ND gets in the top 14 you can bet your bottom dollar that they will be in the BCS. They don't care about whether it is fair or not...they just care about money. ND has and will always be the most attractive team in that instance. OU and ND would probably be ranked right next to each other and with the loss to OU being fairly early in the season I don't think too many cries of "OU being more deserving" would be heard. JMO though.

I think this is right ... and I'm almost glad it didn't happen. I'd almost rather not go to a BCS bowl than have to listen to the outrage over ND getting into a bowl game that it at least arguably doesn't belong in over an at least arguably more qualified team. And obviously, with OU having beaten us, the argument that OU is more qualified than ND would have been strong.

 

[Rudy89]

You are right, any time you win 9 games it's hard to view it as a' bad season'... but coming off a 12 win season with a lot of momentum it can be viewed as a bit of a letdown in some ways...

IF 8-9 wins is the overall norm any program is doing well enough. That's not the overall goal though.

No it's not and I don't want that to be all we are but I was never around to really see us as an a truly elite team so if someone were to say to me from here on out you will win at least 8 games 4 of them being two of our four big rivalry games, senior day, and the bowl I'll take that season every year.

 

[Booslum31]

What if? If a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass every time he jumped.