Eliminate a Loss from the Kelly Era

[gkIrish]

Besides the championship game against Alabama, if you could go back in time and change one game from a loss to a win, which game would you choose. Provide an explanation.

Here are a list of all the losses:
2010:
Michigan
@Michigan St.
#16 Stanford
Navy
Tulsa

2011:
South Florida
@Michigan
USC
@#6 Stanford
Florida St. (bowl)

2013:
@#17 Michigan
#14 Oklahoma
@ Pittsburgh
@#8 Stanford



Personally I would choose South Florida. Killed any chance we had at a good season. Likely don't lose to Michigan the following week either.

 

[irishog77]

eddie vanderdoes

 

[tko]

@ Michigan in the throwback uniform game.

 

[tussin]

South Florida or Oklahoma last year.

 

[tussin]

Or any Michigan loss.

 

[#1rish]

Or any Michigan loss.

Yeah, pretty much this.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Or any Michigan loss.

Nailed it.

Close second is the loss to USC in 2011

 

[GoIrish41]

there have been some gut punches. The Michigan losses at the last second and the MSU fake that resulted in the winning TD stand out.

 

[tussin]

I distinctly remember each time thinking, "WTF HOW DID WE LOSE THAT," after each Michigan game.

 

[gkIrish]

Pick one game gentlemen. Which Michigan loss stands out? 2011 was obviously the biggest gut punch but was it that impactful compared to other games? We did win the next 4 after that game...

 

[EuropeanDomer]

Tommy Rees throwing the ball to the end zone against Tulsa with an easy field goal to win the game.. oh man

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Damn you and your rules.

I hope the rangers lose so bad

 

[arrowryan]

Oklahoma 2013. We spotted them 14 points right away, played like complete shit that day, and still came closer to beating them than Bama

 

[gkIrish]

Damn you and your rules.

I hope the rangers lose so bad

I haven't given out a neg rep since like 2011. My trigger finger is itching.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

USC loss is a close second because it put a damper on a huge recruiting weekend, and was a gut punch under the lights to USC...but first for me is:

FSU bowl game. Any time you can win a bowl game, and a decent bowl game at that against a formidable and reputable opponent it is huge. That game could have helped push recruiting along and set the tone for the off season and following year. Plus, it was a game we should have won, and could have actually dominated had we kept our foot on the gas.

 

[eNDzone]

South Florida. My wife and I stayed thru the entire game. With a little more time we could have pulled it out but that would have made it a 7 hour game.

 

[Rudy89]

Either UM, USC, or the bowl from 2011 give me one of those as a win and I wouldn't regard 2011 as an utter disappointment of a season.

 

[#1rish]

Probably last year's Michigan loss. After Tuitt picked off that safety in the end zone for a TD I thought we'd come back and take that one. Would have been especially sweet in the Big House. Didn't help that I was in a bar with a bunch of scUM fans.

 

[stlnd01]

Emotionally: Michigan in 2011. That was brutal.

But when you look at what the games actually meant, I'd say Oklahoma last year. We win that game and we're still very much in BCS bowl contention, which means maybe we don't blow it against Pittsburgh, have more to play for against Stanford, etc. Could have been a very different season.

 

[Wild Bill]

As much as I want to say Michigan, I'm with you with South Florida. The weather, fumbling, interceptions, Kelly blowing up, the outcome, it was all just a disaster and an awful way to start the year.

 

[Emcee77]

Interesting question ... tough to answer.

First, I throw out 2010. That was the first year of a new regime, so you are going to have some crazy outcomes.

But Kelly says allll the time that the key to being a top program is consistency, and I agree. That's the essential characteristic of a top program ... quality execution no matter the opponent. So the losses that really burn me up in hindsight are the ones to teams that we unquestionably should have beaten: South Florida and Pitt. No excuse for either loss.

Again, hard question to answer though. As I look at that list, I'm not sure there was a single game, besides the 2011 UMich game, which was a game that the defense could have and should have won for us in the 4th quarter, that didn't come down to offensive mistakes or ineptitude. I want 'em all back.

I was a big Rees fan while he was at ND ... now that he is gone I am really looking forward to having a playmaking QB.

 

[GoIrish41]

Pick one game gentlemen. Which Michigan loss stands out? 2011 was obviously the biggest gut punch but was it that impactful compared to other games? We did win the next 4 after that game...

OK, I pick the Alabama game for the national championship.

 

[bobbyok1]

Tommy Rees throwing the ball to the end zone against Tulsa with an easy field goal to win the game.. oh man

Precisely

 

[Irish Insanity]

Last year's loss at Michigan. Because, well, #FuckMichigan

But for me it was Lynch. I still have a man crush on him as a player. I just can't quit.

 

[NDohio]

Losing EG for a year was pretty tough to swallow.

For me it is the South Florida game. It put the entire program in such a huge hole to start the season. And seeing the purple faced Kelly was a disaster. At the time I was very concerned about ND football and where it was heading. I am glad in hind sight it wasn't as big of a deal as what it seemed in the moment.

 

[GATTACA!]

Easily KSU losing to Baylor in 2012

 

[ACamp1900]

eddie vanderdoes

Honestly... yeah.

Or any UM loss. The USF loss was brutal too.

 

[ACamp1900]

Easily KSU losing to Baylor in 2012

OMG... this is gold... perfect.

 

[stlnd01]

Easily KSU losing to Baylor in 2012

God, we would have destroyed them and that big goofy-ass quarterback of theirs.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

Well Hoke is still riding the coattails of the 2011 season, so maybe that loss isn't the worst thing that ever happened. I hope they keep him for a long time....