BCS Bowl

[irishX25]

Was just reading si.com. They predict that we will be playing Florida or Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl. That means we lose to USC. I think we could play with Tennessee but I don't know about Florida. Just wondered how any one else felt about us playing these teams.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/ncaa/10/12/midseason.crystal.ball/index.html

 

[marv81s]

don't ask irishX. Your going to start a huge debate and people will doubt that your a fan if you say something about ND getting smoked by either of those two teams, which I think would happen.

 

[jiggafini19]

don't ask irishX. Your going to start a huge debate and people will doubt that your a fan if you say something about ND getting smoked by either of those two teams, which I think would happen.

Pretty much dead on.

I'm going to wait and take it game by game like some boring person that doesn't care about predictions.

How often are these SI, TSN, USA Today preseason magazines you pay $7 for ever correct four months later?

Look at all the jackasses that have been picking the Yankees to win the World Series the last ten years. They've been wrong for the last 6. Dopes.

Sit back and enjoy college football rather than worrying about something you can't control and hack writers won't over predict correctly.

 

[NDAlumSon]

Sit back and enjoy college football rather than worrying about something you can't control and hack writers won't ever predict correctly.

Amen.
If 'ifs' and 'buts' where candy and nuts....

 

[irishX25]

I was just curious what people thought about those predictions. Trust me, I am enjoying this football season.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

I'd rather play UT. But both look like bad matchups for ND because of their D.

 

[scooper]

don't ask irishX. Your going to start a huge debate and people will doubt that your a fan if you say something about ND getting smoked by either of those two teams, which I think would happen.

I never said you were not a fan. I would never question that. I said you were chicken.

 

[punishment]

You're all chickens. Heck, I'm a chicken too, that does not want to be fed to a gator. grin:

 

[tommy]

even if i thought a team could be nd i wouldnt admit it its like talking about something ussualy makes it happen i will vomite if we play florida and loss which i dont think we will but i hate florida teams

 

[jiggafini19]

UCLA. UCLA. Let the chips fall where they may.

Mark May brought up a really great point last night. Yeah, Mark May.

One week ago, everyone was on Auburn's nuts about their being the best SEC team and #2 in America. They had a Heisman Trophy candidate, a great defense and the arrow was pointing up.

They lose to Arkansas and now they're dogshit. (Yeah, I know. Unranked, at home, etc.)

To me, that just isn't right. All of the sudden they're garbage? I'll go out on a limb and say Auburn is pretty good. Pretty shallow minded to just forget them. Whose fault is it that Arkansas wasn't ranked, by the way? The idiots voting.

I'll also go out on a limb and say that Sports Illustrated's bowl projections won't even come close to being accurate.

 

[BGIF]

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by jiggafini19
Sit back and enjoy college football rather than worrying about something you can't control and hack writers won't ever predict correctly.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Amen.
If 'ifs' and 'buts' where candy and nuts....

Hmm, 'ifs' and 'buts'. As we fans don't control practices, there's no point in worrying about it by posting a thread that ND need to practice live tackling then, is there?

No need to post polls or talk about scheduling, we don't control them either.

Recruiting? Nope we don't have contol there either, no point in discussing DTs and LBs, visits, and "silents". We don't control high school kids so why postulate a recruiting class?

As for the team and games Charlie's clearly established he's in control so no need to discuss play calling, personnel, scheme, interviews, or Minter as he's not in control either (see "Charlie's ... in control).

Upon review, if we don't "debate" what we don't control, what's the point of the board?

Oh yeah, "Hug me, I'm Irish."

"my team doesn't deserve to be ranked in the Top 10",

"the pollsters are unfair to ND",

"my team shouldn't play with anyone ranked in the Top 10 either 'cause we'll get smoked and then I can't face my co-workers ",

"why play a top ranked team in a major bowl, we need to play somebody we can beat in any bowl so I won't be embarrassed anymore",

"this is the worst _________ (insert cause of angst of the moment),

hyperbole, hyperbole, blah, blah, blah.


As for your original post irishX25, ND can play with Tennessee, Florida, OSU, or Texas (FoxSports current pick for an ND opponent). We may not beat them all on a given day but we can play with any of them on any day! And if we don't turn the ball over 5 times ...

ND's played the toughest schedule of the bunch. Not one of them didn't get their high ranking without wins over such current powerhouses as Marshall, Memphis, Central Florida, Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Cincinnati, North Texas, Rice, and Sam Houston State.

 

[jiggafini19]

A little bit cerebral for me on a Friday.

I will worry about the games that are actually on the schedule, not a tentative bowl game that could be against....anyone.

Having not seen a bowl victory in over a decade I honestly don't care who they play. I hope they win the next 6 before whoever it is.

 

[FleaFlicker]

We can play with either of them. Both have obviously been fulverable at one point or another. They have better defenses. I think our offense is a bit better than Florida's though, Tennessee is hot or cold. If they are on, we are in trouble, but remember, Ainge is the same QB that wasn't perfect last year, he was mediocre at best. He's had some great games, but the guy isn't infallible.

 

[jiggafini19]

Ainge has Coach Cutcliffe this year.

Major difference.

Chances are, it is a BCS game and the opponent will be good. ND can compete with anyone, but clearly these SEC defenses can cause major problems for any offense in America.

The Bears are going 19-0, too. Or so I'm told.

 

[marv81s]

totally a different offense last year at Tenn. This isn't anywhere near the same Tenn team that ND beat up on last year. Lets be honest, ND isn't up to par talent wise with anyone in the top 5 right now, with the exception of WV. We will be there after this years recruiting class. That isn't being chicken, its realistic. We could probably hang if they made mistakes and if ND played their hearts out and executed plays flawlessly at all aspects of the game. I'll be thrilled when ND makes it to another BCS bowl this year. But we have about 10 weeks to think about that and ND has 6 more games to win beforehand.

 

[dylan020]

hell yah man, i got tickets to UF and Auburn thanks to my parents in Gainesville....LORD, IF YOU HEAR ME....PLEASE LET AUBURN WIN, for nd's sake and my drinking after that game

 

[jiggafini19]

Tennessee was one of the worst environments in all of college football last year. That team went right into the tank and never came close to showing an ounce of desire at all. They gave ND all they could handle in that game until Samardzija's big catch and Zbikowski's pick TD.

They lost to Florida and went into the bag.

Cutcliffe's presence has been a breath of fresh air that was desperately needed.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Before we all start cringing at the thought of Tennessee, they had a tough time with Air Force. I'm not saying Air Force is a bad team, but does anyone really believe that ND has NO chance against a team that struggled with Air Force. Yes, they pounded Georgia but didn't Colorado almost beat Georgia?

Florida is MUCH more dangerous. I still think ND would give them more game then alot of people think. I always go back to the idea that SEC defenses play A LOT better against the vanilla SEC offenses they see all the time. They are good defenses, but can definitely be lit up by talented, creative offenses(See Urban Meyer's/Steve Spurrier's Gators). WVU apparently had enough talent to scorch an SEC defense last year in the BCS. I honestly think this ND team has the talent and creativity to do the same.

 

[rontdtarchala]

We can play with anyone...I'm usually the first one to complain about different aspects of the game and thats because I love them and this is what you call tough love...lol...we gave up the ball 5 P(*(*(H*H^%RU(( times against the *)&^%$E^%%$&*(*)_(^% skunkbears you can't beat wala wala high school like that...If we play to our capabilities we are as good as anyone...yes I said it anyone! So....let's go out and win the rest of our games and then see where we are....
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IRISH!!!!!!!

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

UCLA. UCLA. Let the chips fall where they may.

Mark May brought up a really great point last night. Yeah, Mark May.

Props to Mark May? No one makes me angrier than that guy.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Before we all start cringing at the thought of Tennessee, they had a tough time with Air Force. I'm not saying Air Force is a bad team, but does anyone really believe that ND has NO chance against a team that struggled with Air Force. Yes, they pounded Georgia but didn't Colorado almost beat Georgia?

Florida is MUCH more dangerous. I still think ND would give them more game then alot of people think. I always go back to the idea that SEC defenses play A LOT better against the vanilla SEC offenses they see all the time. They are good defenses, but can definitely be lit up by talented, creative offenses(See Urban Meyer's/Steve Spurrier's Gators). WVU apparently had enough talent to scorch an SEC defense last year in the BCS. I honestly think this ND team has the talent and creativity to do the same.

Maybe your're right. SC scorched Arkansas.

 

[marv81s]

lately Craig James is getting up there on my list. Mark May is still in the lead, but not by much.

 

[proudndfan]

SI has Ohio State and West Virginia in the BCS championship!! what do you all think about that?

 

[irishfan]

hell yah man, i got tickets to UF and Auburn thanks to my parents in Gainesville....LORD, IF YOU HEAR ME....PLEASE LET AUBURN WIN, for nd's sake and my drinking after that game

i cant see that helping notre dame much. if its a close game, which it will be, and auburn wins, then auburn may jump us and florida will stay ahead.

 

[WinOverAll08]

Guys, hear me out on this one. Now, I know we are 5-1, but don't rule out the national championship. Ohio State, almost certainly, will be crowned the BCS #1 for the championship. The current #2, Florida, has many tough games ahead, including Auburn and the SEC tourney. USC has Cal, Oregon, Notre Dame, and UCLA in its last four games, a stretch that I believe it won't be able to control. Michigan has Penn State tomorrow as well as Ohio State at the end of the season. These teams all seem susceptible to me as suffering 1 or more losses. After these teams come West Virginia and Louisville, two teams that should be undefeated up until their match together. The winner of this game is the one that scares me, because I know that if they go undefeated then they could claim the other BCS spot. So, in summary, don't count us out just yet...
In relation to the question asked, I believe that beating Tennessee last year will still be to our advantage. Charlie Weis is a very intelligent man, and he will have all that information in his head on how to dethrone Tennessee. Florida, on the other hand, could be dangerous, but not a team to definitley to lose sleep over. Quinn and the offense's chemistry will come alive down this stretch, whcih is something that will be toward our advantage in the BCS bowl.

 

[marv81s]

All good points, but the question will be, who is a better one loss team? Do you think a one loss ND, if that is the way we end up, is better than a one loss Michigan who smoked us at our place by 26. Is a one loss ND better than a one loss Auburn if they only end up with one loss, etc. Pollsters will not have ND #2 again this year. Auburn beats Fla and finishes out the year with just one loss, they will be ahead of ND. Same with Michigan, same with Florida, same with USC. With that loss to Michigan it just confirmed with all the doubters out there that ND isn't ready to play with the elite programs again. I think ND is right where they belong right now and probably won't crack the top 5 if we win out to till the USC game. We will need that game in a huge way. There are about 15 things that need to happen in between now and that game and we are on #2, long way to go. We just take it one week at a time and hope for the best. At worst ND goes to the Gator Bowl, and hopefully we break that miserable ass bowl losing streak this year. Give a shout out if your tired of hearing about that yet!

 

[dylan020]

lol i wouldnt mind the gator bowl...least i'll have definite tickets

 

[Stealingshrimp]

Tennessee is very inconsistent, much like us. Their special teams are atrocious. Ainge is much like quinn, any pressure and you have NO idea what type of passer he will be. Ainge is a horrible leader though, so ND has the edge there. Defensively, they are quick - but are often out of position(much like us) but their speed makes up for it more times than not. Tennessee's play calling is night and day from last year. This really would be a toss up, and when you add the intangible of us not winning a bowl game since the saviors birth, this matchup favors us, IMO.
Florida is better than us in every aspect. They will humiliate us. Pray we don't play them.

 

[proudndfan]

All good points, but the question will be, who is a better one loss team? Do you think a one loss ND, if that is the way we end up, is better than a one loss Michigan who smoked us at our place by 26. Is a one loss ND better than a one loss Auburn if they only end up with one loss, etc. Pollsters will not have ND #2 again this year. Auburn beats Fla and finishes out the year with just one loss, they will be ahead of ND. Same with Michigan, same with Florida, same with USC. With that loss to Michigan it just confirmed with all the doubters out there that ND isn't ready to play with the elite programs again. I think ND is right where they belong right now and probably won't crack the top 5 if we win out to till the USC game. We will need that game in a huge way. There are about 15 things that need to happen in between now and that game and we are on #2, long way to go. We just take it one week at a time and hope for the best. At worst ND goes to the Gator Bowl, and hopefully we break that miserable ass bowl losing streak this year. Give a shout out if your tired of hearing about that yet!

I am! That always comes up when arguing about different schools!