The Optimal Notre Dame Scheduling Model

[stlnd01]

The question is was it scheduled to be an easy game? Not if they are actually good when the game happens. I'd say Purdue is usually an easy game, unless you're Ohio State once a decade. Stanford is not on the schedule because it's a free win.

Navy's not on our schedule because it's a free win either. If we just wanted a free win we wouldn't play a team that requires installing a whole special defense, nor would we play them on the road every third year. We'd just pay Northern Illinois or Marshall to come by. 🙃

 

[stpeteirish]

Navy's not on our schedule because it's a free win either. If we just wanted a free win we wouldn't play a team that requires installing a whole special defense, nor would we play them on the road every third year. We'd just pay Northern Illinois or Marshall to come by. 🙃

We've never played them in Annapolis. The neutral site games (which are every other year, not every third year)
are true neutral site games.

 

[stlnd01]

We've never played them in Annapolis. The neutral site games (which are every other year, not every third year)
are true neutral site games.

I guess. We’re still traveling, usually to the east coast, for what is not a home game. To play a tricky and physical opponent usually later in the season when wear-and-tear is taking a toll.
It’s different than the typical G5 buy game tune-up, is my point.

 

[Notre Dame Joe]

Iowa today provided a perfect example. When you schedule Iowa you expect a 7 win team with a 1/4 chance of being a 10 win team. But no one is safe playing @Iowa.

 

[bobbyok1]

Announcer praising the Navy defender for what would have been a clear PI if the ball was catchable

 

[MacIrish75]

Holy crap KVA.

 

[IrishTusker]

Here is a list of the first two opponents for each team currently ranked in the top 12, with the current CFP rank of the opponent in parenthesis:

OSU: Texas (17), Grambling (UR)
IU: ODU (UR), Kennesaw State (UR)
A&M: UTSA (UR), Utah State (UR)
TTU: Arkansas-PB (UR), Kent State (UR)
UGA: Marshall (UR), Austin Peay (UR)
Ole Miss: GA State (UR), Kentucky (UR)
Oregon: MT State (UR), OK State (UR)
OU: Illinois State (UR), Michigan (18)
ND: Miami (13), A&M (3)
Alabama: FSU (UR), UL-Monroe (UR)
BYU: Portland State (UR), Stanford (UR)
Utah: UCLA (UR), Cal Poly (UR)

So every team currently ranked in the top 12, except for ND, had at least one game against a non-P4 opponent in their first two games. No team had two games like ND did. If a team is still getting its footing early in the season, it can play poorly and still beat a weak opponent. But if a team plays poorly against Miami and A&M, as we did, then they might lose. This sort of scheduling cannot happen again. An 11-1 ND team that lost to Miami and then beat a cupcake in the second game wouldn't have to worry about making the playoffs.

And yeah, I know how badly we played in those games. This is not meant to excuse the coaches/players. But the team has improved a lot since then and is still weighed down by these early mistakes.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

Random thought: what if ND could convince the following schools to split from ACC at the end of the current contract (I believe ends in 2036) and form a new conference with 9 teams (8 conference games - everybody plays everybody):
1. ND
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. FSU
5. Georgia Tech
6. Navy
7. Pittsburgh
8. Syracuse
9. Boston College

This in my opinion would be the clear 3rd best conference behind SEC and B1G. Would keep many/most of ND's rivalries together and should be able to deliver a good TV contract. Who says no?

 

[drayer54]

Random thought: what if ND could convince the following schools to split from ACC at the end of the current contract (I believe ends in 2036) and form a new conference with 9 teams (8 conference games - everybody plays everybody):
1. ND
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. FSU
5. Georgia Tech
6. Navy
7. Pittsburgh
8. Syracuse
9. Boston College

This in my opinion would be the clear 3rd best conference behind SEC and B1G. Would keep many/most of ND's rivalries together and should be able to deliver a good TV contract. Who says no?

Lost me at joining a conference. Especially the 3rd best conference.

 

[Kingbish01]

Only conference I'd want ND to join is the SEC 😏

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Only conference I'd want ND to join is the SEC 😏

Not enough travel, although home night games in November would be a great advantage.

 

[pumpdog20]

Random thought: what if ND could convince the following schools to split from ACC at the end of the current contract (I believe ends in 2036) and form a new conference with 9 teams (8 conference games - everybody plays everybody):
1. ND
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. FSU
5. Georgia Tech
6. Navy
7. Pittsburgh
8. Syracuse
9. Boston College

This in my opinion would be the clear 3rd best conference behind SEC and B1G. Would keep many/most of ND's rivalries together and should be able to deliver a good TV contract. Who says no?

Big Ten or bust

 

[Dale]

2026 Schedule:

- Pat Fitzgerald, Bill Belichik

2027 Schedule:

- James Franklin, Alex Golesh

 

[Huntr]

2026 Schedule:

- Pat Fitzgerald, Bill Belichik

2027 Schedule:

- James Franklin, Alex Golesh

Looking forward to beating Fitzgerald's ass

 

[BilboBaggins]

Random thought: what if ND could convince the following schools to split from ACC at the end of the current contract (I believe ends in 2036) and form a new conference with 9 teams (8 conference games - everybody plays everybody):
1. ND
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. FSU
5. Georgia Tech
6. Navy
7. Pittsburgh
8. Syracuse
9. Boston College

This in my opinion would be the clear 3rd best conference behind SEC and B1G. Would keep many/most of ND's rivalries together and should be able to deliver a good TV contract. Who says no?

ND could join the ACC and force this to be a division.

But just join the Big Ten already.

 

[Irish Norseman]

Random thought: what if ND could convince the following schools to split from ACC at the end of the current contract (I believe ends in 2036) and form a new conference with 9 teams (8 conference games - everybody plays everybody):
1. ND
2. Clemson
3. Miami
4. FSU
5. Georgia Tech
6. Navy
7. Pittsburgh
8. Syracuse
9. Boston College

This in my opinion would be the clear 3rd best conference behind SEC and B1G. Would keep many/most of ND's rivalries together and should be able to deliver a good TV contract. Who says no?

No

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Stay Independent forever. I am enjoying the haters crying on social media that ND should have to join a conference.

 

[stlnd01]

Stay Independent forever. I am enjoying the haters crying on social media that ND should have to join a conference.

I don’t get why these people think that joining a conference would somehow put us in our place. We would simply win the ACC almost every year.

 

[MPClinton22]

ND could join the ACC and force this to be a division.

But just join the Big Ten already.

The other division would be hilariously bad

Duke
UNC
NC State
SMU
Cal
Stanford
Louisville
UVA
Va Tech
Wake

 

[ACamp1900]

The other division would be hilariously bad

Duke
UNC
NC State
SMU
Cal
Stanford
Louisville
UVA
Va Tech
Wake

ND can take NC State's spot here...............

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

The other division would be hilariously bad

Duke
UNC
NC State
SMU
Cal
Stanford
Louisville
UVA
Va Tech
Wake

That is ass with a side of butt cheese

 

[T-Boone]

I wonder if ND should talk to Penn State about a rivalry round fixture each year (their game is against Rutgers FFS).
Make the California game tradition the first round rather than the last.

 

[JD Irish]

End ACC agreement


USC
Navy
Stanford
Michigan
Michigan State
Purdue
Pitt
BC
Miami
Georgia Tech/Indiana/Northwestern/Army/Air Force rotating
Ohio State/Penn State/Florida State/Clemson rotating
Major P4 (Alabama, Auburn, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, etc.)

 

[IrishinSyria]

End ACC agreement


USC
Navy
Stanford
Michigan
Michigan State
Purdue
Pitt
BC
Miami
Georgia Tech/Indiana/Northwestern/Army/Air Force rotating
Ohio State/Penn State/Florida State/Clemson rotating
Major P4 (Alabama, Auburn, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon, etc.)

USC is actively talking about kicking us off their schedule, Michigan and Michigan State successfully got us off theirs...

this might have worked in the BCS era but not in the mega conference era.

 

[Huntr]

Remember FSU dropped off the ND schedule for next year?

This is how FSU replaced that game:

 

[irishff1014]

Remember FSU dropped off the ND schedule for next year?

This is how FSU replaced that game:

What bitch move.

 

[drayer54]

What bitch move.

Worked for Cignetti to schedule garbage.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Didn't we drop FSU to ensure Vegas game with usc?

 

[Huntr]

Didn't we drop FSU to ensure Vegas game with usc?

Pretty sure that's right.

 

[ACamp1900]

Worked for Cignetti to schedule garbage.

The only ‘garbage schedule’ you’re hearing about anywhere is ours however,… I still say if ND is gonna catch yearly flack at least make it legit,… I’ll trade FSU for that NMSU game