The Optimal Notre Dame Scheduling Model

[pumpdog20]

It's more like P2, M2(Mid), and G6.

Agree, it needs to be changed to the P2 and G7

 

[NDPhilly]

Going to Need another big game for 2027 bc we can’t count on any of our current games to even win 8 games let alone 10.

 

[T-Boone]

What about if ND said to the Big 12:

1. Do away with your conference final - appoint a champion just based on record and a vote or whatever - call them super champ (old boxing term).

2. On conference finals weekend the highest ranked Independent (try to talk some schools into being Independent by playing them each year) will play your second-best team and you can broadcast it and we divide the funds 50/50 or they keep 90% (I don't care about that part).

That gives them a much better chance to get 2 into the play offs and probably saves more boring rematches like TT v BYU etc.

I suppose we could propose the same to the ACC but I think we all want out of that.

 

[NDPhilly]

Seeing some rumors on X that the Stanford game for 2026 isn’t finalized. Any chatter of that on the insider boards? I’d hate to lose a rivalry, but we could use a schedule upgrade for 2026 (if one exists at this point)

 

[pumpdog20]

Fingers crossed if there's an opportunity to replace Stanford with a better opportunity.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

Seeing some rumors on X that the Stanford game for 2026 isn’t finalized. Any chatter of that on the insider boards? I’d hate to lose a rivalry, but we could use a schedule upgrade for 2026 (if one exists at this point)

Tremendous.

Stanford is NOT a rival. Just some trash-ass team we’ve played frequently, unfortunately, since the 90s. They are a net negative to Notre Dame. If we never play that garbage program ever again, it will be far too soon.

Hopefully, they will make the baller move and schedule UCLA in the Southern Cal spot going forward.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

Tremendous.

Stanford is NOT a rival. Just some trash-ass team we’ve played frequently, unfortunately, since the 90s. They are a net negative to Notre Dame. If we never play that garbage program ever again, it will be far too soon.

Hopefully, they will make the baller move and schedule UCLA in the Southern Cal spot going forward.

I’d be okay with trading Stanford for ucla but that’s usc weekend for them. Miami on rivalry weekend permanently would be awesome but no shot they’d go for that. Playing in south bend in late never every other year would be guaranteed losses.

 

[arndtjc]

Whenever someone says “ND needs to join a conference because their schedule is too weak” you just need to ignore them. Non-con of Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo

 

[IrishBryan77]

Whenever someone says “ND needs to join a conference because their schedule is too weak” you just need to ignore them. Non-con of Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo

Well State Penn sucks......so there is that. 🤪

 

[Huntr]

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Whenever someone says “ND needs to join a conference because their schedule is too weak” you just need to ignore them. Non-con of Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo

Indiana's is even worse. And so was this past season. They aren't even pretending to do anything other than set up scrimmages.

 

[bpob55]

Seeing some rumors on X that the Stanford game for 2026 isn’t finalized. Any chatter of that on the insider boards? I’d hate to lose a rivalry, but we could use a schedule upgrade for 2026 (if one exists at this point)

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If this is correct, the only two power 4 schools left with an OOC opening for next year are Stanford and USC. I don't think we'll be able to upgrade from Stanford.

 

[stlnd01]

Future College Football Schedules | FBSchedules.com

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If this is correct, the only two power 4 schools left with an OOC opening for next year are Stanford and USC. I don't think we'll be able to upgrade from Stanford.

I saw a piece from the USC beat contending that they should schedule Stanford to replace our game, which makes sense as they are also sort of longtime rivals, except Stanford isn't good and USC wouldn't have to leave the Pacific time zone. I don't know where else USC gets a P4 nonconference game at this point either.

I certainly hope Stanford would not drop us to play USC after we saved their ass by bringing them into the ACC, but stranger things have happened.

 

[IrishTusker]

A "tougher schedule to start the season" can mean one "tough" game, not two. It was very unwise to play the two toughest opponents in the first two games. I can't think offhand of another ND season (or, indeed, any team's season) where that happened. I'm sure it has happened, but it's rare.

Also, the difference between our season and TTU and Oregon's season is that they went 11-1 and we didn't. They didn't play harder schedules. (You can throw in IU and OSU, too.)

 

[jerseyborn1971]

USC isn't looking for a P4 game. They are looking for a "bye" week against Pacific Palisades Jr College.

 

[Pete]

USC isn't looking for a P4 game. They are looking for a "bye" week against Pacific Palisades Jr College.

I mean, I don’t really see a difference between Stanford and Pacific Palisades Jr College

 

[ulukinatme]

USC isn't looking for a P4 game. They are looking for a "bye" week against Pacific Palisades Jr College.

I love how all the USC accounts keep talking about the Irish "dodging" USC, which is so ridiculous Bitch, ya'll have won all of 2 games in the last decade, and we upgraded the schedule by replacing USC with BYU. The Mormons have gotten closer than the Trojans to making the playoff.

 

[BilboBaggins]

Whenever someone says “ND needs to join a conference because their schedule is too weak” you just need to ignore them. Non-con of Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo

People say "ND should join the Big Ten because that's where USC, Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue are, and we'd like to keep playing them."

 

[NorthDakota]

People say "ND should join the Big Ten because that's where USC, Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue are, and we'd like to keep playing them."

The most protected games the B1G provides i(at this time) s three. Suppose they let ND protect three, who would get left off? Michigan?

 

[jerseyborn1971]

So this guy has been kicking my ass every week on Friday afternoon for like a year. Today, I said, "Hey, let's fight Sunday night at 3:30am in New Zealand next time." Fucking guy pussied out.

 

[stlnd01]

The most protected games the B1G provides i(at this time) s three. Suppose they let ND protect three, who would get left off? Michigan?

I'd vote we leave off Purdue.
I hate Michigan too, but the point of joining the Big 10 would be to play more big fun games, and at least in my 30-plus years as a fan, we've had a lot of big fun games with Michigan, whereas aside from the Drew Brees years Purdue has mostly been just another game.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

In theory, they should play Rice at home for the first game, then head to Lambeau for Wisconsin.

Then again, as I've been reminded often, Freeman lost to NIU and Marshall so who the fuck knows.

Just play who you play when you play them and beat their ass.

 

[BilboBaggins]

The most protected games the B1G provides i(at this time) s three. Suppose they let ND protect three, who would get left off? Michigan?

Purdue

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I want to beat Purdue by 100 every year for the next 1000 years. I'm petty and small, but I want the "0 and 5!" chant from 2007 to ring in their ears every fall when ND is humiliating them.

 

[ulukinatme]

I don't think you protect 3 between USC, Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue. I like the idea of playing Michigan, but it doesn't have to be every year and they already have two protected rivalries with OSU and MSU. We've got years we'll have to play OSU too, and maybe a resurging PSU at some point.

1. You have to protect USC first if we're in the B1G, they're our #1 rival from a number of games standpoint after Navy. Plus there's way too much history and records to take into account. Plus we get to keep some hardware as bragging rights every time we win, the Jeweled Shillelagh.
2. I think Purdue has to go here as they're the team we've played the most after USC, plus it's a regional thing. On a lesser note, there's also a trophy for this rivalry which adds a small factor.
3. If there's a third team it should be Michigan State, for the same reasons as above, 5th most played team all time and there's again a trophy involved which actually has some good history, the Megaphone. If only two teams are protected, I stick with USC and Purdue with MSU just on a rotating basis.

For those reasons I think Michigan is on a rotating basis and not protected, which is fine, especially in years we also have OSU to play and/or PSU. Also, to keep with the McGuffin theme above...no rivalry trophy with Michigan.

 

[BilboBaggins]

I don't think you protect 3 between USC, Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue. I like the idea of playing Michigan, but it doesn't have to be every year and they already have two protected rivalries with OSU and MSU. We've got years we'll have to play OSU too, and maybe a resurging PSU at some point.

1. You have to protect USC first if we're in the B1G, they're our #1 rival from a number of games standpoint after Navy. Plus there's way too much history and records to take into account. Plus we get to keep some hardware as bragging rights every time we win, the Jeweled Shillelagh.
2. I think Purdue has to go here as they're the team we've played the most after USC, plus it's a regional thing. On a lesser note, there's also a trophy for this rivalry which adds a small factor.
3. If there's a third team it should be Michigan State, for the same reasons as above, 5th most played team all time and there's again a trophy involved which actually has some good history, the Megaphone. If only two teams are protected, I stick with USC and Purdue with MSU just on a rotating basis.

For those reasons I think Michigan is on a rotating basis and not protected, which is fine, especially in years we also have OSU to play and/or PSU. Also, to keep with the McGuffin theme above...no rivalry trophy with Michigan.

I agree that is probably how it would play out. Michigan would probably object to having to play Notre Dame and Ohio State, plus the rest of the schedule, every year.

 

[stlnd01]

I agree that is probably how it would play out. Michigan would probably object to having to play Notre Dame and Ohio State, plus the rest of the schedule, every year.

From 1978 through 2019, Michigan played both Notre Dame and Ohio State 33 times in 41 years. And it was good.

 

[ulukinatme]

From 1978 through 2019, Michigan played both Notre Dame and Ohio State 33 times in 41 years. And it was good.

Yeah, but before '78 Michigan kept dodging us and cancelling the series anytime we were good cause they didn't want none

 

[BilboBaggins]

From 1978 through 2019, Michigan played both Notre Dame and Ohio State 33 times in 41 years. And it was good.

I was unaware. /s

They probably wouldn't agree to that setup in a megaconference, because they could get Oregon, USC, Penn State, etc. The level scheduling within megaconferences is a real problem.

 

[NorthDakota]

I was unaware. /s

They probably wouldn't agree to that setup in a megaconference, because they could get Oregon, USC, Penn State, etc. The level scheduling within megaconferences is a real problem.

The megaconference schedules are absolutely screwing some while exempting others on a year by year thing.