Bama desperate for 12th game in 2015

[irishfan]

Alabama desperate for 12th game in 2015, will 'take anybody' - CBSSports.com

Guess they can't find anyone to play....didn't they cancel a series with Michigan State?


Bet they settle on BYU. They already have a FCS team planned on probably can't get away with playing 2 of them.

 

[gkIrish]

Alabama desperate for 12th game in 2015, will 'take anybody' - CBSSports.com

Guess they can't find anyone to play....didn't they cancel a series with Michigan State?


Bet they settle on BYU. They already have a FCS team planned on probably can't get away with playing 2 of them.

We should play them

 

[Irish#1]

TTT, where are you?

 

[Cackalacky]

Love it. This falls right in with my thoughts on all the big teams scrambling to ink new schedules for the playoff because they all realize how important your opponents will be.

He says they called everyone they knew? You mean no one wants to travel to Tuscaloosa for a single game in 2015? You mean no one wants to help you out of the pickle? If I was any other big school I would say hell no too.

 

[irishfan]

What's annoying is that if they scheduled two FCS teams, they could go 11-1, win the SEC West, win the SEC Championship, and I've have 0 problem with them making the playoffs.

I think SOS will play a role in seeding and maybe a debate over the #4/5 team, but a team in the SEC could play 4 Sun Belt teams and still make the playoff with a 12-1 record. No team the last 4 years has finished in the BCS final Top 4 with more than 1 loss. I honestly think that future SOS is being very overhyped but we shall see I guess.

EDIT: which considering ND is at a disadvantage without the conf championship game, I legitimately only see us making the Top 4 with an 11-1 record if we play a Top 5-10 schedule. Too many teams will be 12-1 with a massive season-ending win.

 

[ACamp1900]

They can play with themselves...

 

[Cackalacky]

What's annoying is that if they scheduled two FCS teams, they could go 11-1, win the SEC West, win the SEC Championship, and I've have 0 problem with them making the playoffs.

I think SOS will play a role in seeding and maybe a debate over the #4/5 team, but a team in the SEC could play 4 Sun Belt teams and still make the playoff with a 12-1 record. No team the last 4 years has finished in the BCS final Top 4 with more than 1 loss. I honestly think that future SOS is being very overhyped but we shall see I guess.

EDIT: which considering ND is at a disadvantage without the conf championship game, I legitimately only see us making the Top 4 with an 11-1 record if we play a Top 5-10 schedule. Too many teams will be 12-1 with a massive season-ending win.

I am not sure about this given the selection committee. I believe that the winner of the SEC conference game will surely get a spot... but like last year, Alabama would have an argument for a spot in the playoff but I am not sure they would get it if they played 3 FCS teams.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Actually, they have Wisconsin scheduled for 2015 and have been turned down by many teams in the Big 5 already. The sticking point is the fact that they are looking for a home game to offset the fact that the Wisconsin game is on a neutral site.

Seems like to me they could get a home and home with somebody in the upper levels of the Big 5 even if it took 3-4 years before Bama could travel to their school.

If ND is interested, give Bill Battle a call. I am sure he would take ND in a heartbeat.

Right now, it appears the only school interested is Southern Miss and Bama just doesn't want to take them. Saban may be a lot of things... but not wanting to play stiff competition isn't one of them.

 

[aubeirish]

With our schedule, it wouldn't make much sense to play Bama. It would be a fun game, though.

 

[ACamp1900]

With our schedule, it wouldn't make much sense to play Bama. It would be a fun game, though.

Is Southwestern Alabama Polytechnic Institute of Northern Arkansas available?? We can schedule them…

 

[T Town Tommy]

With our schedule, it wouldn't make much sense to play Bama. It would be a fun game, though.

I dunno... with the ACC only having two teams that fall in what most consider "elite" status - FSU and Clemson - I would think getting Bama on board would really help the Irish. But yeah... it would be a good one if it ever happened.

 

[GoIrish41]

With our schedule, it wouldn't make much sense to play Bama. It would be a fun game, though.

Yeah, remember how much fun it was last time we played them?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Is Southwestern Alabama Polytechnic Institute of Northern Arkansas available?? We can schedule them…

Just stick to Pitt, BYU, Navy, Purdue, and you will be fine.

 

[Cackalacky]

TTT,

The Crimson Tide has played a team from the Football Championship Subdivision every year since Saban arrived in 2007 (winning by a combined 341-41)

"You ever try to schedule a game? Do you know what goes into that? And it's very difficult to do home and home with quality teams. And there's only certain teams, to be honest with you, you almost have to buy games to get people to play you. Outside of the neutral site game we do and our conference games, we struggle to schedule three other games."

LOL.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Yeah, remember how much fun it was last time we played them?

ND has made up ground with Bama. You never know....

 

[GoIrish41]

ND has made up ground with Bama. You never know....

Have they? I'm not so sure. We don't have the defensive line talent we had back then and we don't have an that all-american MLB either. Bama keeps pulling in the hands-down #1 class every year, so I can't see them sliding too far back. We may be improving a little every year, but I don't think we're there yet. I think we have a couple more classes and years of player development to go before we schedule Bama for a home and home. Besides, our schedule is already pretty solid for 15 -- especially if the GA game comes to pass.

 

[T Town Tommy]

TTT,




LOL.

Do you know who all has turned Bama down cacky? The list is pretty darn impressive. Can't say Saban won't play the elite schools. Have the Irish give him a call... he wouldn't hesitate to get that one on the books. Maybe ND could pay off Purdue and get it done. I mean Purdue isn't exactly a notch in anyone's belt and is really no better than most upper level FBS schools anyway.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Have they? I'm not so sure. We don't have the defensive line talent we had back then and we don't have an that all-american MLB either. Bama keeps pulling in the hands-down #1 class every year, so I can't see them sliding too far back. We may be improving a little every year, but I don't think we're there yet. I think we have a couple more classes and years of player development to go before we schedule Bama for a home and home. Besides, our schedule is already pretty solid for 15 -- especially if the GA game comes to pass.

I think Kelly has done a lot to build that depth. This year should go a long way in determining if that depth, especially at D Line, pans out. If so, I would think 2015 would be a solid year for the Irish and one where they could line up pretty well with Bama.

 

[GoIrish41]

I think Kelly has done a lot to build that depth. This year should go a long way in determining if that depth, especially at D Line, pans out. If so, I would think 2015 would be a solid year for the Irish and one where they could line up pretty well with Bama.

Obviously I hope you are right, but just to be safe let's see how this season plays out before we pencil that ND-Bama game.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Obviously I hope you are right, but just to be safe let's see how this season plays out before we pencil that ND-Bama game.

For recruiting purposes, the Ga game makes more sense for ND. But it would be fun to see another Tide / Irish game. Maybe soon.

 

[Cackalacky]

Do you know who all has turned Bama down cacky? The list is pretty darn impressive. Can't say Saban won't play the elite schools. Have the Irish give him a call... he wouldn't hesitate to get that one on the books. Maybe ND could pay off Purdue and get it done. I mean Purdue isn't exactly a notch in anyone's belt and is really no better than most upper level FBS schools anyway.

I only know whats on the books. And you have to start scheduling a few years out. It takes time to negotiate these things. This practice of having FCS teams on your schedule is BCS era bullshit and widespread so I am not convinced they really tried at all. Do you know how hard they tried and why they failed to secure teams? Why were they turned down? Were they already scheduled because Alabama is trying to schedule a 2015 game right now so I am not surprised that other teams schedules are already full. Them and all the other teams that paid FCS schools to take a beating are scrambling this year, because of the playoff.

 

[GoIrish41]

For recruiting purposes, the Ga game makes more sense for ND. But it would be fun to see another Tide / Irish game. Maybe soon.

I could see it happening a bit down the road. I think next year might be too early. Lose big again and ND risks being labled as a team that can't compete with the big boys. FSU is going to be our big challenge this year. If we can hang with them, I'll feel a lot better about the next few years. Right now, I think there is a lot up in the air that needs to be sorted out.

 

[T Town Tommy]

I only know whats on the books. And you have to start scheduling a few years out. It takes time to negotiate these things. This practice of having FCS teams on your schedule is BCS era bullshit and widespread so I am not convinced they really tried at all. Do you know how hard they tried and why they failed to secure teams? Why were they turned down? Were they already scheduled because Alabama is trying to schedule a 2015 game right now so I am not surprised that other teams schedules are already full. Them and all the other teams that paid FCS schools to take a beating are scrambling this year, because of the playoff.

The reason teams have turned them down is Bama is seeking the home game in 2015. Several Big 5 schools have the ability to get the game, but they don't want to play Bama. That list includes several of the "elite" Big 5 teams. Personally, I hope they bypass Southern Miss and end up giving up the home game in favor of playing an Oregon, Okla State, Clemson, FSU type opponent. Then they can get repaid in 3-4 years. Can't argue with Bama and the teams they have played the last few years from the Big 5.

 

[Cackalacky]

From what I have seen, Gt had a series with them that was pushed back to 2019-2020 and then cancelled. They also had a series with MSU pushed back and then cancelled. I don't really have any sympathy for them trying to schedule a home game next year with no confirmation that they will leave the south to play a road game. They will play in Dallas against WVU this year. All other road games are SEC.

I also just found this nugget. So playing the recent Big 10 Champion and Rose Bowl Winner does not make much business sense? And UA pulled out?

Alabama had a home-and-home series with Michigan State set for 2016 and 2017, but UA pulled out of the arrangement last fall. Saban in September said the series "doesn't make much business sense," speaking on his radio show.

Alabama still searching for 2015 football opponent as schedules fill up | AL.com

Right.... 'We will take any body but they have to play only one game at our house and maybe we will schedule an away game (lol)." Not buying what's being sold.

 

[T Town Tommy]

From what I have seen, Gt had a series with them that was pushed back to 2019-2020 and then cancelled. They also had a series with MSU pushed back and then cancelled. I don't really have any sympathy for them trying to schedule a home game next year with no confirmation that they will leave the south to play a road game. They will play in Dallas against WVU this year. All other road games are SEC.

They open 2015 against Wisconsin on a neutral site. Then they have USC in Jerry's house in 2016. Can't blame them for wanting to get the home game to offset the neutral site games. Several teams are in need of games... Bama is no different. But like I said, when none of the Big Boys want to play you what can you do? I say give up the home game, go whip up on a Stanford or somebody and then whip 'em again in a few years when they come to your school. Shaw keeps running his mouth... but when it comes to getting it done, he usually goes quiet.

 

[Cackalacky]

They open 2015 against Wisconsin on a neutral site. Then they have USC in Jerry's house in 2016. Can't blame them for wanting to get the home game to offset the neutral site games. Several teams are in need of games... Bama is no different. But like I said, when none of the Big Boys want to play you what can you do? I say give up the home game, go whip up on a Stanford or somebody and then whip 'em again in a few years when they come to your school. Shaw keeps running his mouth... but when it comes to getting it done, he usually goes quiet.

Read above. UA backed out of the MSU series and the USC series is not finalized yet.

 

[GoIrish41]

They open 2015 against Wisconsin on a neutral site. Then they have USC in Jerry's house in 2016. Can't blame them for wanting to get the home game to offset the neutral site games. Several teams are in need of games... Bama is no different. But like I said, when none of the Big Boys want to play you what can you do? I say give up the home game, go whip up on a Stanford or somebody and then whip 'em again in a few years when they come to your school. Shaw keeps running his mouth... but when it comes to getting it done, he usually goes quiet.

Stanford-Bama would be a game I'd like to see. Two very physical teams, and I wouldn't give a shit one way or the other who won. It would just be fun to watch them pound each other.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Uhh... let's get a very competent quarterback, well-seasoned, and a fast well-learned Van Gorder defense before we start over-scheduling shall we?

... and TTT, I like you, but get serious about downplaying ANYTHING about the current and past ND schedules. Playing schools with large powerful athletes EVERY week is not good for winning every game, nor piling up first half victories every other game. Tell me that Purdue hasn't had any DLine monsters recently that we had to bash into for four quarters on our "off" week.

 

[aubeirish]

Is Southwestern Alabama Polytechnic Institute of Northern Arkansas available?? We can schedule them…

It would be nice to play someone like that early in the season. Yes. Are they real schools though?. I might have to google this one later.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Read above. UA backed out of the MSU series and the USC series is not finalized yet.

I don't remember why they bcaked out of the MSU series. I will have to check. That would have been a great matchup. The USC game should get done rather easily. But again... with everyone having needs for games it would seem getting one on the schedule would be pretty easy. But then again, when teams such as Stanford, Oregon, Okla St, tOSU run their mouths they sure go quiet when Bama comes looking.

edit: the series was cancelled due to the SEC determining if they were going from 8 to 9 games.