Why not a title this year?

[ant80]

And just to make a point about how many ranked teams it takes to make it to the title game: Ohio State made it to the NC game last season playing three ranked teams, none of which were ranked higher than 20th. The season before that, the Buckeyes played four ranked teams, three of which were top 15. During tOSU's 2002 National Title run, they faced, again, three ranked teams.

The 2002 NC run was pretty tough year for us. In particular because it was a pretty good year for the Big10. I believe the Big10 went 6-1 in bowl games that season. So I am not entirely sure that we only played 3 ranked teams that year.

It's not their fault and it's not our fault that someone higher up schedules all the cream puff teams.

Um... people would beg to differ on that point. If there are easy teams on the schedule, it is the team's fault for scheduling them.

 

[Jason Pham]

The 2002 NC run was pretty tough year for us. In particular because it was a pretty good year for the Big10. I believe the Big10 went 6-1 in bowl games that season. So I am not entirely sure that we only played 3 ranked teams that year. Um... people would beg to differ on that point. If there are easy teams on the schedule, it is the team's fault for scheduling them.

I'm just going off the numbers given by ESPN records, which records what the team was ranked by the time they were played.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I disagree. The BCS is built on the idea that if you beat a team at a certain level then you are better than all the teams below them. ei. if you beat the number one team then you should logically be able to beat all the teams. So, playing top teams just means you play top teams, and if ND has a top team, and wins, it just means that they are THE top team. I realise full well it would be hard as hell. But saying that by playing more top teams we are definatly going to lose more games is a stretch.

It is not a stretch it's the God's own truth.

Throughout ND's storied 120+ year history, ND has never played schedules as tough as you like. And since 1945 (in 63 seasons) ND has had 4 unblemished seasons.

That's right 4.

You are now proposing a tougher schedule. That WILL cause more losses. That will eliminate us from ever playing for a Title. Sure, some games will be great...but ND would never be able to play for the Title again...never ever.

Why? Because ND would be pretty much guaranteed of never having less than 2 losses in each season.

College Football has an immense amount of parity now. The BEST teams are likely to lose 1 game. They survive with 1 loss because they play average schedules. If you make them harder they will lose more.

Make the schedule that much harder and you will kill Notre Dame football...

Ask yourself why we won 9 games in 2005 and 10 in 2006. The answer is that we got
lucky and our schedule was easier in those years. It was exiting. We all had a blast. but if we had played your idea of a schedule those would have been 7 win seasons at best...

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I am getting that we need a fine blend between hard teams and cream puffs. But I think, and its because we're ND, we need a slightly higher percentage of harder teams than the average good team out there. 6 to 7 top 25 teams distributed like this: 1 top 5, 1 top 10, 2 top 15 and 2 or 3 more top 25. And then just play solid middle weight teams like Washington, ASU, some middle weight SEC teams.

That would not be "slightly" higher, that would be off-the-chart higher.

 

[coachjohnson]

You know how the mentality is about ND, most either love them or hate them. I feel that every time ND steps on the field, their opponents really play to the max effort levels. Everyone wants to beat the Irish. We're the game everyone looks to when they look at their schedules. It's the same way with other schools, but you get the feeling that if we played many more top rated opponents in a year it would ultimately doom us. I have talked with many different fans (not ND fans and some who are) who share this belief, people want to beat the Irish and the tend to play harder against us. Just a thought.

 

[irishmarine]

its true. and good point. navy doesnt play big games usually. we are thier big game in most years. not to mention when ever a team plays us they are on tv. its great for recruiting and the coaches try that much harder and the players want to beat nd every time. we are that school with the name.

 

[coachjohnson]

Your definitely right about that, it's a huge recruiting tool for the schools we play.

 

[IrishFaninTX]

Um... people would beg to differ on that point. If there are easy teams on the schedule, it is the team's fault for scheduling them.

Yeah, but who gets all the blame if a team has a lousy schedule and beats everyone on it? Who do they say couldn't beat a real team and who doesn't get credit for winning, no matter who they played? The players, that's who. I have heard so much crap about how bad our ND players were this past year that I am sick of it. They are just kids! Most of them only freshman and sophomores and trying to learn the game at the college level. Very few kids can come out of high school and play like a pro the very first game no matter how good they are and if they do, they usually have an outstanding team to help them out. Yeah, Mallett did okay with Michigan, but he had an entire team of great players working with him and sure Sanches played really good for USC last year when Booty was hurt, but again, he had an O-line and great receivers and backs. Anyway, all I am saying is that the players do not schedule the games, so to rag on them for who they are playing or saying they couldn't beat real teams is wrong. If they aren't given the chance, then we will never know, will we?

 

[odeezynd]

My biggest fear for next year is that we get put in a bowl game that we don't belong in...

As much as I want us to win every game this year, I would hate for us to go to another BCS game where we are completely out matched...

having said that if the impossible happens and we end up in a bcs or NC game, at that point I would believe anything is possible and why couldn't we win the big game.

so what the heck lets do it. If we win every game why not win one more! we will be young next year but we have a lot of talent, and anything can happen.

 

[NDboy15]

Your definitely right about that, it's a huge recruiting tool for the schools we play.

Especially the service academies, especially Navy.

 

[kfitzgerald]

In regards to ND's schedule, yeah you can say it's easy, although any team can be beaten by an "easier" opponent on any day. In all reality though, outside of the SEC and to a lesser extent the PAC 10, does any big program school have a really hard schedule? I believe West Virginia, Ohio State and Kansas played mostly sub .500 teams when averaged out. Irregardless, I'd love to see ND have a great season, but a national championship? I think that may be a stretch, as would be a winning record. I'd be happy with a .500 season, and I'm an optimist.

 

[coachjohnson]

Kfit, we will win more games than 6, that is certain.

 

[irishmarine]

yeah, barring injury

 

[GoldenDomer21]

Kfit, How can you limit us to a .500 season? Thats crazy, with this schedule? Most people are expecting 7 or better. I think your nuts.

 

[kfitzgerald]

Yeah, I am a little. I should've written that I wouldn't be suprised if we were over .500, but would be happy with a .500 season. I guess my boss, who's the eternal pessimistic ND fan must've gotten into my head. Sorry for the momentary lapse of optimism.

 

[ant80]

Yeah, but who gets all the blame if a team has a lousy schedule and beats everyone on it? Who do they say couldn't beat a real team and who doesn't get credit for winning, no matter who they played? The players, that's who. I have heard so much crap about how bad our ND players were this past year that I am sick of it. They are just kids! Most of them only freshman and sophomores and trying to learn the game at the college level. Very few kids can come out of high school and play like a pro the very first game no matter how good they are and if they do, they usually have an outstanding team to help them out. Yeah, Mallett did okay with Michigan, but he had an entire team of great players working with him and sure Sanches played really good for USC last year when Booty was hurt, but again, he had an O-line and great receivers and backs. Anyway, all I am saying is that the players do not schedule the games, so to rag on them for who they are playing or saying they couldn't beat real teams is wrong. If they aren't given the chance, then we will never know, will we?

Don't see the point you are making with respect to the discussion, but I'll play along. The way you are portraying it, it seems that all the people dragged the players through the mud for not performing adequately. I didn't see that at all. From even before the season started, the media and almost everyone outside of the ND fan base was saying that the ND team was young and not going to do well. Everybody was mad because the team was losing badly. And the reason for that was because of piss poor coaching. Weis recruited, and he assumed that the recruiting would translate on the field. But it doesn't work that way in college football. There needs to be a LOT of player development, and team creation before you can see results on the field. Weis did not do that apparently.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Kfit, How can you limit us to a .500 season? Thats crazy, with this schedule? Most people are expecting 7 or better. I think your nuts.

Let's hope we go over .500

No one would have bet we would have only won 3 games last year either.

 

[phork]

I see more wins than just .500. Frankly there wasn't too many games we were out of last year, aside from UM & USC. We were in most games until halftime then it seemed like the other team got 2 quick TDs before we could even start.
This year holds promise.

 

[GoldenDomer21]

Back to the discussion. We obviously want a title. But we need to be careful about getting placed in another bowl where we are completly outmatched and dominated. I would rather go 12-0 and play in managable bowl and win that 12-0 and get our butts kicked by a legitamate contendor.
Granted, it be nice to get to the NC and actually win. Just don' t think its possible to be one of the worst teams on year and the best team the next. Kind of a stretch, don'cha think?

 

[phork]

Talk to the Boston Celtics about that.