2014 ESPN way too early Top 25

[NDohio]

Trying being married to a UGA grad, brother to USC grads and a family full of USC fans. ....

Eww - sorry.

 

[Cackalacky]

I actually prefer for ND to be underrated to start the season.....makes it better when we surprise everyone. An overrated ND just gives fuel to the hater fire.

Also makes it harder to crack the top-4 with as little as 1 loss.

Being underrated in the rankings makes it harder for us to absorb losses.

Yeah, ND being ranked ~11-14 would be low enough to where people aren't expecting much of them...but high enough to where they could absorb a loss (or two).

^all good points, but with a good SOS, hopefully its a wash.

Simple solution is for ND to get into the top 5 and never lose. Ever.

 

[irishog77]

Too much hate in the human polls for ND to survive two losses IMO.

You're probably right. But if it's one of those seasons where teams 2, 3, or 4 have multiple losses (which I think there is a great possibility of), then if ND is in the discussion, I think the initial ranking will be too much for them to overcome.

Say ND's 2 losses are to FSU and usc, both on the road, played closely, and those two teams finish the year ranked #1 and #9...yet ND handles the rest of their schedule. I think if all the other teams fighting for the playoff spot have 2-losses, ND would have to be in the discussion. Hell, based off the schedules today, ND should be in the playoff.

But you're right, the anti-ND faction is strong.

 

[Cackalacky]

Eww - sorry.

Oh yeah, the remaining parts of my family are from Michigan and Alabama.....Football season sucks for me. LOL.

I watch ND football alone now.

 

[NDohio]

When it comes to the selection of the four schools, how much is the poll going to matter?

What polls will there be now?

Are the computer polls thrown out the window with no BCS rankings anymore?

Is the final selection left to the committee completely?



I haven't dug into the new system yet to know how the final four selection will take place.

 

[Bubbles]

Simple solution is for ND to get into the top 5 and never lose. Ever.

I'm good with that solution.

 

[wizards8507]

Simple solution is for ND to get into the top 5 and never lose. Ever.

 

[ACamp1900]

I will buy this SOS mattering when I see it... it'll play out this way, the top teams with the easiest schedules will have the fewest loses... there is your playoff.

 

[ACamp1900]

I think there are a lot of IEers who didn't watch much of any of UNC this season, especially in the second half... they are going to be tough.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

And here are your way too early national championship odds from Bovada

http://kegsneggsblog.com/2014/01/07/bovada-posts-college-football-playoff-odds-for-the-2014-2015/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PANDFAN]

Bovada posts National Championship Odds for the 2014-2015
BY ADAM KRAMER JAN. 07, 2014
Writing “College Football Playoff” is going to require a little time, and we’ll get there. With the online sportsbook Bovada releasing national championship odds on the 2014-2015 season, however, we’re diving deep into this unfamiliar College Football Playoff pool and we don’t care if there’s any water.

Yes, these will change. Yes, there will be departures and additions that shift these dramatically over the next eight months (oh God, eight months.)

But there are odds for the next college football season, and that’s important. At the very least, it will distract you from the fact that football is now over and the darkness has arrived.

Here are Bovada’s odds to win the first College Football Playoff, and the last BCS champion, to the surprise of no one, will enter the offseason as the favorite. The rest of the odds are as follows.

Florida State 11/2

Alabama 13/2

Stanford 9/1

Ohio State 10/1

Oregon 12/1

Auburn 14/1

Michigan State 20/1

Oklahoma 20/1

Baylor 25/1

Clemson 25/1

Florida 25/1

Georgia 25/1

LSU 25/1

South Carolina 25/1

Texas A&M 25/1

UCLA 25/1

Notre Dame 33/1

USC 33/1

Iowa 40/1

Missouri 40/1

Oklahoma State 40/1

Wisconsin 40/1

Louisville 50/1

Miami 50/1

Michigan 50/1

Nebraska 50/1

North Carolina 50/1

Texas 50/1

Arizona State 66/1

Mississippi 66/1

Oregon State 66/1

UCF 66/1

Washington 66/1

Arizona 100/1

Arkansas 100/1

Boise State 100/1

Boston College 100/1

BYU 100/1

California 100/1

Cincinnati 100/1

Georgia Tech 100/1

Kansas State 100/1

Mississippi State 100/1

Pittsburgh 100/1

Rutgers 100/1

South Florida 100/1

TCU 100/1

Tennessee 100/1

Virginia Tech 100/1

West Virginia 100/1

 

[Irish YJ]

So Vegas has us ranked 17

 

[GoIrish41]

So Vegas has us ranked 17

sounds about right to me.

 

[chicago51]

I know this ESPN early poll is for entertainment but I really think official polls shouldn't come out to mid October preseason polls are a complete joke.

 

[ACamp1900]

sounds about right to me.

Yeah, I guess that's right... though I honestly think ND has one of the more talented rosters in the country, legitimately, for the first time in years... years... but that schedule is just stupid... the tragic part of it all was before the ACC move I had 2014 circled as our most favorable schedule in a while... I'd be all "possible title run" right now if not for that.

 

[irishff1014]

Wow that thing is terrible.

 

[ickythump1225]

Yeah, I guess that's right... though I honestly think ND has one of the more talented rosters in the country, legitimately, for the first time in years... years... but that schedule is just stupid... the tragic part of it all was before the ACC move I had 2014 circled as our most favorable schedule in a while... I'd be all "possible title run" right now if not for that.

I don't get too stressed about the schedule in January. You never know how the schedule will play out come the fall. Some of the teams we think will be extremely tough will turn out to be not so tough. Besides I think we can be really good this year.

 

[FLDomer]

I think there are a lot of IEers who didn't watch much of any of UNC this season, especially in the second half... they are going to be tough.

I didn't watch much of them, but looking at their schedule, who did they really beat??? Pitt, a team we should have killed?

 

[dublinirish]

i wouldnt fear UNC all that much, they just lost their 2 best players to the NFL and were mediocre at best this year, they gave up 55 to ECU!! They only became bowl eligible by beating poor teams like UVA, BC, NC State, Old Dominion..

 

[dublinirish]

Unless Tre Mason declares early for the NFL draft, Auburn will return all 11 starters on offense

Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson declares for 2014 NFL Draft | Campus Union - SI.com

LT Greg Robinson declared for the draft

 

[KPENN]

Updated after early departures and such. ND moves up to #19...

Texas Longhorns move in, Georgia Bulldogs move up in latest Way-Too-Early-Top 25 - ESPN

 

[IrishSteelhead]

6 ranked teams on the schedule, 2 in the top 10. Yowzah.

 

[Irish YJ]

6 ranked teams on the schedule, 2 in the top 10. Yowzah.

Isn't it 3 in the top 10? Mich St, Stanford, and FSU.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Isn't it 3 in the top 10? Mich St, Stanford, and FSU.

No sparty on schedule

 

[Irish YJ]

No sparty on schedule

Thanks

 

[Damion704]

Didn't know where to put this but here is an explanation of the new CFP in full detail: http://espn.go.com/i/ncf/bcs/CFP_One_Pager_Cities_1.pdf

 

[KPENN]

No sparty on schedule

I didn't realize they were off the schedule till now.... Whoops

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Uggggh. I hate how the title game is going to continue to be on a Monday. WTF?

 

[Irish2155]

Uggggh. I hate how the title game is going to continue to be on a Monday. WTF?

Agreed. Don't understand it.

 

[NCND]

Uggggh. I hate how the title game is going to continue to be on a Monday. WTF?

I like the fact the Big games are gonna be played on New Years eve and New Years day like they are suppose to be played.