Favorable Schedule Could Be Notre Dame's Ticket To The BCS

[phork]

Charlie Weis, Notre Dame could reach BCS with favorable schedule - Cory McCartney - SI.com

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I'm getting fired up.

 

[BGIF]

I'm getting fired up.

Startin' to salivate, myself.

Is that barbecued venison I smell?

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Bastage.

Fargin Icehole.

 

[BGIF]

Bastage.

Fargin Icehole.

Why you miserable cork-soaker!

 

[TDHeysus]

Good pic of the Fat Man in that article..

 

[WabashFalcon]

Flock you you shot eating pruck sooking cawk licking bastage!

 

[IrishAddiction]

If this is truly Weis' make-or-break season, he couldn't have asked for better timing. But on the off chance '09 ends with another Christmas trip to Hawaii, he might want to purchase a one-way ticket.

Love the quote at the end. Hell even if he does make the BCS, if no top 25 teams (at the end of the year) have a loss to ND, i will help charlie pack his bags.

Overall nice read, thanks phork.

 

[mooneytostle]

no doubt the schedule is weaker this year on paper. But Michigan, Michigan St., Pittsburgh, and Stanford will all be tougher games than we think.

 

[nd1988]

no doubt the schedule is weaker this year on paper. But Michigan, Michigan St., Pittsburgh, and Stanford will all be tougher games than we think.

the thing with college football is................you never know what you are gonna get the following year......... people think that michigan and and MI state are gonna be walk through games...MAN!!!!!!!!!!!! People wake up...!!!!! This years schedule is very favorable BUT it's not always guarantee...... You always gotta watch out for those sleeper games..UCONN.....?????

 

[BGIF]

the thing with college football is................you never know what you are gonna get the following year......... people think that michigan and and MI state are gonna be walk through games...MAN!!!!!!!!!!!! People wake up...!!!!! This years schedule is very favorable BUT it's not always guarantee...... You always gotta watch out for those sleeper games..UCONN.....?????

Michigan wasn't a walk through last year. At times they looked like they were sleep walking. They were careless with the football and we capitialized on the turnovers. Take a look at the drive chart. Did we have an offense? It looked like a game from Willingham's first 8 games.

 

[BGIF]

no doubt the schedule is weaker this year on paper. But Michigan, Michigan St., Pittsburgh, and Stanford will all be tougher games than we think.

Check Easton's post ND's real strength of schedule...

He notes the number crunching gurus like Sagarin actually show the '09 schedule is a little bit tougher. I posted my contrary thoughts in that thread.

 

[phork]

Michigan wasn't a walk through last year. At times they looked like they were sleep walking. They were careless with the football and we capitialized on the turnovers. Take a look at the drive chart. Did we have an offense? It looked like a game from Willingham's first 8 games.

Oh but dont say that! We destroyed them! (/sarcarsm).

 

[FrankMA]

the thing with college football is................you never know what you are gonna get the following year......... people think that michigan and and MI state are gonna be walk through games...MAN!!!!!!!!!!!! People wake up...!!!!! This years schedule is very favorable BUT it's not always guarantee...... You always gotta watch out for those sleeper games..UCONN.....?????

Don’t underestimate B.C. either. They always bring their A game against ND because they look at ND as their big rivalry game. That always makes them dangerous. Does anyone remember 93? Does anyone remember the last several years for that matter?

 

[laservet]

the thing with college football is................you never know what you are gonna get the following year......... people think that michigan and and MI state are gonna be walk through games...MAN!!!!!!!!!!!! People wake up...!!!!! This years schedule is very favorable BUT it's not always guarantee...... You always gotta watch out for those sleeper games..UCONN.....?????

Here's Phil Steele's list of returning offensive line career starts:

Phil Steele

The Irish are sitting pretty at #9 with 100 returning starts. Michigan is far behind at #35 with 76; but last year they had thirteen (!) returning starts and those were all one guy, so they could be better this year with an offensive line that can protect their freshman qb. And MSU might be better as well if their qb's produce.

No game should be considered an easy win.

 

[phork]

I'm sorry, but if we don't flat out run over and demolish Michigan this year, then it will never happen. This team will be worse than last years just because of the defensive losses. Throw in a freshman QB and frankly I don't see them winning much more than they did last year.

 

[ARALOU]

You never know about a schedule. Plus, Michigan on paper, looks worse but you never know. Motivation is such a big part of college football. Every team that plays Notre Dame is highly motivated because they are playing ND. Just like the Irish should be highly motivated every game because "THEY ARE ND". So honestly, you never about a schedule until it plays out.

 

[BGIF]

Don’t underestimate B.C. either. They always bring their A game against ND because they look at ND as their big rivalry game. That always makes them dangerous. Does anyone remember 93? Does anyone remember the last several years for that matter?

I agree BC sees this game as rivalry. They may be their "A" game but their "A" game this year is going to be a "D".

They lost too much material. Start with Jags at HC. Spaziani got bumped up from DC which means he had to hire a new DC AND a new OC. 3rd new HC in 4 years.

Nobody confused Crane with Ryan at QB but Crane didn't make mistakes against ND. We made them. The heir apparent at QB transfers. They're in chaos at QB. Last year was the first shutout in the series. This year could be the second.

BC should still have a good rushing game but without a pass attack the box will be packed.

They're dominanting defense lost Raji and Brace up front. Key losses. Didn't Raji have something like 15 tackles against ND? They lost LBs to graduation but they lost ACC Player of the Year Mark Herzlich to cancer. Spaz can't be using his defensive expertise to rebuild this side of the ball with all the chaos on the offensive side (with a new O.C.).

Without the loss of the QB and Herzlich BC might have had a winning season. I doubt they will now. They should still be the likes of Div AA Northeastern and Kent St but could get bit on the butt by CMU.

 

[Riddickulous]

Michigan wasn't a walk through last year. At times they looked like they were sleep walking. They were careless with the football and we capitialized on the turnovers. Take a look at the drive chart. Did we have an offense? It looked like a game from Willingham's first 8 games.

If it was a game from Willingham's first 8 games, the score would've been something like 17-14 and Shane Walton would've scored both of our touchdowns.

 

[BGIF]

If it was a game from Willingham's first 8 games, the score would've been something like 17-14 and Shane Walton would've scored both of our touchdowns.

I was at Game 8 in Doak Campbell Stadium when a couple of turnovers turned a close game into a 34-10 route. That is until ND lined up a guy wearing a brace on the hands team expecting an onsides kick, he couldn't handle the ball and FSU kicked both right at him. A pair of muffs that let FSU make the final score look respectable.

 

[BGIF]

I'm sorry, but if we don't flat out run over and demolish Michigan this year, then it will never happen. This team will be worse than last years just because of the defensive losses. Throw in a freshman QB and frankly I don't see them winning much more than they did last year.

Michigan still has talent and R-Rod now has had bad seasons at two schools when implementing his offense. He won 3 games in first year at WVU, then won 9 the next. I don't see UM winning 9 but they've got WMU, EMU, IU, Delaware ST, and PU for 5 wins. One more puts them in a bowl. UM should be favored over WIS @ Camp Randall. ND, MSU , IOW, PSU, ILL, and OSU will all be favored.

Last year UM's OLine was a significant part of their problem. Sound familiar. This year both UM and ND should have much better OLines. QB is a question mark but at least whoever it is will have a stable supporting cast. The Weasels were -10 in turnovers last year with a huge chunk of those coming against us. We can't count on +4 turnovers this year.

Their defense is rebuilding and they gave up 7+ points per game in '08 over '07. The '07 defense gave up 6 points more than the '06 team. '08 gave up almost 2 touchdowns/game more than the '06 team did. The real difference was going from +14 on turnovers in '06 to -10 last year. A 24 turnover differential.

In '08 they gave it away and didn't take it away.

If Clausen can hit receivers in stride like he did in the Hawaii game and Verducci produces a respectable running game ND could hammer UM. But I don't see 38-0.

 

[phork]

But don't forget that last years UM squad the defense was supposed to be their strong suit, a lot of those players of graduated.

 

[irish4ever]

Michigan still has talent and R-Rod now has had bad seasons at two schools when implementing his offense...

If Clausen can hit receivers in stride like he did in the Hawaii game and Verducci produces a respectable running game ND could hammer UM. But I don't see 38-0.

I wouldn't make any preditions of rout for any of these 3 games ... scUM, MSU and BC. No matter what year, they usually are prepared for the Irish. I'm anticipating the scUM-ND game to be a close game since it's being played at the Pig House!

 

[FrankMA]

I agree BC sees this game as rivalry. They may be their "A" game but their "A" game this year is going to be a "D".

They lost too much material. Start with Jags at HC. Spaziani got bumped up from DC which means he had to hire a new DC AND a new OC. 3rd new HC in 4 years.

Nobody confused Crane with Ryan at QB but Crane didn't make mistakes against ND. We made them. The heir apparent at QB transfers. They're in chaos at QB. Last year was the first shutout in the series. This year could be the second.

BC should still have a good rushing game but without a pass attack the box will be packed.

They're dominanting defense lost Raji and Brace up front. Key losses. Didn't Raji have something like 15 tackles against ND? They lost LBs to graduation but they lost ACC Player of the Year Mark Herzlich to cancer. Spaz can't be using his defensive expertise to rebuild this side of the ball with all the chaos on the offensive side (with a new O.C.).

Without the loss of the QB and Herzlich BC might have had a winning season. I doubt they will now. They should still be the likes of Div AA Northeastern and Kent St but could get bit on the butt by CMU.

I agree on all points: but, the one thing that scares me is that we play BC the week after USC, our big game. It could be a trap game like 93 where we played Florida State the week before BC, and won our big game and then came out flat agaist BC while BC was all fired up for their big game agaist us. The 93 BC team wasn't very good either.

 

[JeremyND07]

I agree if we do not route michigan it will be a long year! Their defense kept them in games last year...freshman QB. We have to beat teams like this big to have a shot at being ranked high enough to get a BCS bid!

 

[leahy's lads]

no doubt the schedule is weaker this year on paper. But Michigan, Michigan St., Pittsburgh, and Stanford will all be tougher games than we think.

I agree with your statement........each of those teams will be loaded for bear!!

 

[IrishAlum1997]

I agree on all points: but, the one thing that scares me is that we play BC the week after USC, our big game. It could be a trap game like 93 where we played Florida State the week before BC, and won our big game and then came out flat agaist BC while BC was all fired up for their big game agaist us. The 93 BC team wasn't very good either.

I like the idea of a trap game. Usually that indicates we won the previous game, i.e.-USC. What a monkey off our backs that would be.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Oh yeah, and that '93 BC team was actually pretty good, FrankMA. I believe they finished in the top 15 in the final polls, with Glenn "It's a damn shame" Foley and Mike "All Combine" Mamula. This year's Eagles are a shell of that team.

 

[FrankMA]

I like the idea of a trap game. Usually that indicates we won the previous game, i.e.-USC. What a monkey off our backs that would be.

It would be a monkey off our backs to win both those games.

 

[BGIF]

But don't forget that last years UM squad the defense was supposed to be their strong suit, a lot of those players of graduated.

Agreed. They only return 5 starters.

But those 5 and the rest of the defense are still more talent than UM's new Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson had at Syracuse last year.

Robinson is a former NFL DC. I don't think we should take him for granted a second time.