Weekly Upset Alert (Who we need to lose this week)

[ACamp1900]

For the record, losing a game or two a year is not disappointing... Unless every team that doesn't go unbeaten is now a disappointment they've pretty much lived up to their hype every single year.

08- 10 wins
09- 10 wins
10- 12 wins
11- 12 wins
12- 12 wins
13- 11 wins

Including four bowl wins, and a Natty appearance that could have gone either way...

If that's 'disappointing' I would love for my Irish to 'disappoint'.

 

[T Town Tommy]

I like the fact that Oregon puts the number of natty's they have won on their helmets.

 

[ickythump1225]

I like the fact that Oregon puts the number of natty's they have won on their helmets.

 

[ACamp1900]

I like the fact that Oregon puts the number of natty's they have won on their helmets.

Another thing they have in common with Bama,... Only Oregon can actually count theirs correctly.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Any of them could lose... UT will get up for Bama eventually, too much of a traditional rivalry for it to continue to be so one sided... and that's the most, 'ain't gonna happen' game that I see there... LSU has not looked like a legit team all year but they do have the talent to get up for a big game... all of the others I could definitely see happening.

UT doesn't have the depth just yet to go the distance with Bama. But their defense is looking better and better each week. They just need their offense to help them out. Jones is doing a tremendous job and I expect the Vols to get back up there in the next few years.

LSU is starting to figure it out a little bit. Them young guys on defense are getting better every week. They just need much better play from their QB position. I expect them to play Ole Miss tough this weekend. Don't think they beat the Rebs but I do think they play them tough. Plus, Sunshine is good for at least one loss this year. Why not this weekend in Death Valley?

 

[T Town Tommy]

Another thing they have in common with Bama,... Only Oregon can actually count theirs correctly.

Even a Bama fan can count to zero. Above ten... all bets are off.

I like the Ducks. But until they win one, they are just another flashy team with pretty uniforms. There is a reason they struggle against teams like Stanford. One thing most national champs have in common is the fact that they can win in the trenches. Oregon hasn't shown the ability to do that at the elite level. Ten plus wins a year is nice... but that's all it is.

 

[Cackalacky]

I like the fact that Oregon puts the number of natty's they have won on their helmets.

Thats quality right there.

 

[IRISH in MT]

I like the fact that Oregon puts the number of natty's they have won on their helmets.

Another thing they have in common with Bama,... Only Oregon can actually count theirs correctly.

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Speaking the truth right there.

 

[IRISH in MT]

I like the Ducks. But until they win one, they are just another flashy team with pretty uniforms. There is a reason they struggle against teams like Stanford. One thing most national champs have in common is the fact that they can win in the trenches. Oregon hasn't shown the ability to do that at the elite level. Ten plus wins a year is nice... but that's all it is.

AMEN! Couldn't have analyzed it better. Fast n Flashy will never beat Tough n Nasty

 

[NDALA]

So this is a pretty obvious/stupid "wet blanket" type post... but does anyone else not care about the playoffs at this juncture?

There's just so many permutations and combinations that it seems a bit fruitless to worry about more than our next game right now. The way I see it, after the ASU game -- if we win --- then I'll start closely looking at the landscape. But right now I think we're too far out to make any good judgments.

This is me Ive seen ND lose to many games they should've won over the years to worry about the playoffs already. If they still only have one lose going into USC then I'll get worried. But every team ahead of ND needs to lose but FSU and USC,ASU need to win out minus our games of course.

 

[IRISH in MT]

This is me Ive seen ND lose to many games they should've won over the years to worry about the playoffs already. If they still only have one lose going into USC then I'll get worried. But every team ahead of ND needs to lose but FSU and USC,ASU need to win out minus our games of course.

With the BYE week this helps me watch and root for games this weekend. I know a lot of stars need to align until the end of the season but each week we need some movement.

 

[irishfan]

Ole Miss at LSU is absolutely massive for us IMO. Need an LSU win.

Turns the Ole Miss/Auburn game in 1 week into an elimination game with two 1-loss teams.

The Auburn/Bama game is already shaping up as an elimination game.

We need these Mississippi schools to start losing...

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

If both FSU and ND win out I'm really not worried about missing out. Our SOS and loss is greater than both Oregon and MSU.

The SEC west is about to be a mess and a reeling LSU could topple the whole thing.

I'm more worried about ASU and USC.. They both look very solid. In addition, we don't exactly get a break with Northwestern and Louisville.

Let's hope we get through Navy healthy and the players keep a week to week focus NOT on the playoffs.

 

[Irish2155]

I think LSU wins a big one on the road. Some BS that the Hatter pulls from his ass.

 

[ACamp1900]

I'm frankly most worried about Louisville, if I had to point to the game I think will be most likely to trip our boys up, that's the one.

 

[Irish2155]

I'm frankly most worried about Louisville, if I had to point to the game I think will be most likely to trip our boys up, that's the one.

That and ASU...I honestly think we pumble USC this year.

 

[irishfan]

I think LSU wins a big one on the road. Some BS that the Hatter pulls from his ass.

The game is at LSU. Miles always seems to pull something out of his ass at home at night.

 

[Irish2155]

The game is at LSU. Miles always seems to pull something out of his ass at home at night.

Oh awesome, thought it was on the road...even better. He certainly does. Death Valley, where dreams die, right?...something like that he said.

 

[IRISH in MT]

Oh awesome, thought it was on the road...even better. He certainly does. Death Valley, where dreams die, right?...something like that he said.

IF/When LSU solves the QB issue, they will be back. I do think their defense will shine on Saturday night in Baton Rouge aka Death Valley. We all know a strong D can mitigate a weak QB as long as he doesn't turn the ball over and manages the game. I took LSU in my Pick Em pool this week based off these facts.

 

[drayer54]

The good news is that we can at least hope for a chance to go big. A year ago, we would be hoping for a BCS bid at this point.

 

[BobbyMac]

TCU dropping 82 on Tech is no bueno, regardless of how bad you wanna say Tech is.

Everybody else has held serve so far today, Auburn and Ole Miss have a chance to go down which would be sweet though both lead by a score in the 3rd. 'Cuse tied down in Clemson which would be a nice win for them and a bump for ND's SOS.

Hopefully SC and ASU take care of business tonight. SC's game is important as it improves ND's SOS with a W and it eliminates Utah from the 1 loss club.

.

 

[irishfan]

TCU dropping 82 on Tech is no bueno, regardless of how bad you wanna say Tech is.

Everybody else has held serve so far today, Auburn and Ole Miss have a chance to go down which would be sweet though both lead by a score in the 3rd. 'Cuse tied down in Clemson which would be a nice win for them and a bump for ND's SOS.

Hopefully SC and ASU take care of business tonight. SC's game is important as it improves ND's SOS with a W and it eliminates Utah from the 1 loss club.

.

Yep. 11-1 TCU or 11-1 K-State (they play soon) would have a good argument to make it in over an 11-1 ND. They'll have better wins and both have a strong loss.

Big-12 has 6 strong teams (TCU, KState, OU, Baylor, WVU, Ok State). Any team who goes 5-1 against them has a very strong argument at a Top 4 spot.

 

[Crazy Balki]

If we go 11-1....

ACC: Obviously, we need FSU to win out.

B1G: I think we would get in over a 12-1 OSU. Would be tight with 12-1 MSU. If neither can get upset along the way, we need their game to be as close/ugly as possible.

Big-12: 11-1 TCU and 11-1 K-State could beat us out. I think we get in over 11-1 Baylor.

PAC-12: Only a 12-1 Oregon could beat us out from this conference.

SEC: Ideally Georgia goes 11-1 and just one West team goes 11-1, making the SEC Champ Game an elimination game. Disaster scenario is UGA 11-1, Ole Miss 12-0, Bama 11-1. UGA beats Ole Miss in Champ.

ACC: FSU winning out would help us out in the polls, but them losing would allow us to jump them too.

B1G: We'd get in over OSU or MSU. We have two similar matchups to compare between Purdue and Michigan, and ND looked better in both contests. Not to mention, ND has the better loss. 4-point controversial loss is better than a 19 point blowout. OSU lost to a really bad VT team.

Big 12: Virtually no chance against 11-1 ND team of getting in. No conference title game hurts their chances. Only chance for them is for ND to lose.

Pac 12: There's a chance, but it's unlikely that a 12-1 Oregon team gets in over ND. Both would have similar victories over Stanford and presumably Arizona State in the Pac-12 title, but loss-wise, Oregon got beat by an unranked team at home.

SEC: Cannibalization in full throttle. Auburn is currently fending off South Carolina, who is terrible. Ole Miss is totally hapless against a very bad LSU team. Mississippi State has not impressed me at all. They beat two horrible teams in Texas A&M and LSU, and got lucky against an overrated Auburn team. Turn the ball over 2 times on the first 2 plays and generally you'll lose. Alabama or Georgia look likes the teams that may be there, depending on who wins the SEC title. I don't see 2 SEC teams making it in, unless Oregon/MSU loses.

1. FSU
2. Bama
3. ND
4. Oregon

 

[Crazy Balki]

Yep. 11-1 TCU or 11-1 K-State (they play soon) would have a good argument to make it in over an 11-1 ND. They'll have better wins and both have a strong loss.

Big-12 has 6 strong teams (TCU, KState, OU, Baylor, WVU, Ok State). Any team who goes 5-1 against them has a very strong argument at a Top 4 spot.

Neither would get in over ND. ND's loss is better than either and the Big 12's power teams were severely overrated. TCU blew it against Baylor, who got clobbered by West Virginia. K-State lost to a very overrated Auburn team, who is having trouble with South Carolina at home.

You forget that ND will, presumably have wins over ASU, Louisville and USC on their resume.

 

[irishfan]

Neither would get in over ND. ND's loss is better than either and the Big 12's power teams were severely overrated. TCU blew it against Baylor, who got clobbered by West Virginia. K-State lost to a very overrated Auburn team, who is having trouble with South Carolina at home.

You forget that ND will, presumably have wins over ASU, Louisville and USC on their resume.

I don't forget. Believe it or not, I know our schedule pretty well. Let's say TCU goes 11-1. Our best wins would be ASU, USC, Stanford, Louisville. A brutal loss at FSU. TCU has wins over OU, Baylor, K-State, WVU, OK State. A brutal loss at Baylor where they lost a 21 point lead in the 4th. Plus, they'd be conference champs, something emphasized by the committee.

I think we'd beat TCU on a neutral field, but an 11-1 TCU would have a solid argument over an 11-1 ND. I wouldn't want to leave it up to a 12-person random committee.

 

[irishfan]

ACC: FSU winning out would help us out in the polls, but them losing would allow us to jump them too.

Right or wrong, an 11-1 ND isn't getting in over a 12-1 conference champ FSU. Not after losing head-to-head. Again, something emphasized by the committee.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

TD LSU!

 

[SoJerseyIrish]

Geaux Tigers! Beating Ole miss helps ND!

 

[BobbyMac]

Right or wrong, an 11-1 ND isn't getting in over a 12-1 conference champ FSU. Not after losing head-to-head. Again, something emphasized by the committee.

I wouldn't vote for ND in that situation but if you apply '93 metrics, FSU is going home because of a bad loss on their resume.

 

[SoJerseyIrish]

See ya for now Ole Piss!