With a loss to USC, Will Notre Dame go to a BCS Bowl?

[I Dont Miss Charlie]

We're currently not ranked.

Im pretty sure other than us losing to SC that we are going to run the table and go undefeated for the rest of the year.But after the SC game we dont have any real tests on the schedule.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Every week this season has been a real test. I would expect that most of the remaining games will be as well. I wouldn't call the SC game an automatic loss either. This will be the best shot we've had to beat them in years. Go Irish!

 

[irishfan]

I forget what the lowest possible BCS rank that we need, but you have to think if we're 10-2 and in the top 16 or 12 or whatever then some BCS game would take us. No idea if we would even be that high with 10-2 though. Pollsters this year have been pretty weird, and tend to move teams way up or way down very easily while for the most part ignoring unranked teams who play other unranked teams. Maybe a win over a previously-ranked team (Washington) could get us into the top 25 and then maybe into the top 20 after the bye week.

 

[JefMaj]

One at a time - too many of us took UM for granted. I hope USC beats Cal and we do the same to them, however, I hope we beat UW first - in fact, all I want today, tomorrow, & Saturday is to beat UW. I'll have other wants on Sunday.

 

[irishandy]

We haven't even played USC yet, who says were going to lose?? Lets think optimistically, if Washington can beat USC and if ND can beat Washington...I think you know where I am going on this one.

 

[NDinL.A.]

We're currently not ranked.

Im pretty sure other than us losing to SC that we are going to run the table and go undefeated for the rest of the year.But after the SC game we dont have any real tests on the schedule.

I personally don't think we'll beat U$C either (their lines are so damn good), but hell no am I penciling it in as a loss, in fact I'm sure I'll talk myself into us beating them by the time the game rolls around. But no tests on our schedule? Please.

* UW - Locker has me scared to death. They hung with LSU and beat USC. Major test.

* Stanford - as much as I hate them, they are all-day tough, and have a fantastic running attack. They're better than Purdue IMO and we struggled with Purdue.

* Pitt - They were supposed to struggle without McCoy, but their new RB is tearing it up. Their defense was supposed to be a strength but haven't played well, but I'm sure they'll play well against us. They are much better than anticipated.

* UConn - See, Pitt.

* Navy - barely lost at the Shoe. I know, it's only Navy and We Are ND, but we can't afford to take anyone lightly.

WSU - They have a stud freshman QB and they...........OK, they suck, but still, the point is we shouldn't take anyone lightly. We just haven't proven ourselves to beat decent teams into submission yet...

 

[irish4ever]

We're currently not ranked.

Im pretty sure other than us losing to SC that we are going to run the table and go undefeated for the rest of the year.But after the SC game we dont have any real tests on the schedule.

You need to put the 'ol crack pipe down! UW this weekend .... we know what they did to U$C. Pitt and Stanford on the road or NOT going to be gimme games! Plus, though it's at home, Navy seems to give ND fits!

 

[phork]

NDinLA, you aren't coming to the darkside, are you?

If ND beats UW then I think ND will be in the Top25. And 2 weeks later ND will be bounced out. With 6 games left it will be a tough task to run up the standings and be in position for a BCS bowl. And thats IF ND runs the table. If the USC game is a loss, the Gator bowl is the best you can hope for.

With Floyd out for the year and Clausen hampered by the turf toe its going to be hard to run the table after USC.

 

[Honey Nut Irish]

I think it will take a blowout win over UW for us to crack the top 25. Like 49-10 or something (not likely with Jimmy's ailing toe). Even with a big win its going to be a tough call.

To make the BCS I think not only do we have to beat SC, we have to beat them by a decent margin, 10 points or more. I think USC will lose at least 1 more game this year (not counting us). They might not even finish in the top 15. So a win over them might not help much.

With the close games we have played against average football teams, its going to take a lot to convince people that ND is a BCS caliber team, regardless of our record.

 

[mick2]

the sc game will be a season defining game, we win we shoot up the polls we lose and, we're back to clawing back out of another hole.

also when we beat sc we will have to avoid the letdown game a week later vs bc. this schedule never really looked easy to me, so every game has me riled up, but this team is very good and damn near elite on offense when fully healthy. fighting injuries and playing solid defense will be the key.

I enjoyed the improvisation on the offense last saturday but I just hope we arent forced to drawing up plays in the dirt because of injuries.

 

[Bubba]

I* UW - Locker has me scared to death. They hung with LSU and beat USC. Major test.

Mark my words, if they get into the red zone, Locker will run at least one QB draw in for a score a la Forcier. They'll spread our guys out and there will be a huge lane for him to run through.

With that said, I don't think their D can keep us from scoring either. This will be a test again, but I think we will pull it out.

 

[Riddickulous]

I personally don't think we'll beat U$C either (their lines are so damn good), but hell no am I penciling it in as a loss, in fact I'm sure I'll talk myself into us beating them by the time the game rolls around. But no tests on our schedule? Please.

* UW - Locker has me scared to death. They hung with LSU and beat USC. Major test.

* Stanford - as much as I hate them, they are all-day tough, and have a fantastic running attack. They're better than Purdue IMO and we struggled with Purdue.

* Pitt - They were supposed to struggle without McCoy, but their new RB is tearing it up. Their defense was supposed to be a strength but haven't played well, but I'm sure they'll play well against us. They are much better than anticipated.

* UConn - See, Pitt.

* Navy - barely lost at the Shoe. I know, it's only Navy and We Are ND, but we can't afford to take anyone lightly.

WSU - They have a stud freshman QB and they...........OK, they suck, but still, the point is we shouldn't take anyone lightly. We just haven't proven ourselves to beat decent teams into submission yet...

Agree with everything said.

 

[DomeX2 eNVy]

* UW - Locker has me scared to death. They hung with LSU and beat USC. Major test.

* Stanford - as much as I hate them, they are all-day tough, and have a fantastic running attack. They're better than Purdue IMO and we struggled with Purdue.

* Pitt - They were supposed to struggle without McCoy, but their new RB is tearing it up. Their defense was supposed to be a strength but haven't played well, but I'm sure they'll play well against us. They are much better than anticipated.

* UConn - See, Pitt.

* Navy - barely lost at the Shoe. I know, it's only Navy and We Are ND, but we can't afford to take anyone lightly.

WSU - They have a stud freshman QB and they...........OK, they suck, but still, the point is we shouldn't take anyone lightly. We just haven't proven ourselves to beat decent teams into submission yet...

* And don't forget BC - it doesn't matter how down they are. Definitely not many sure things here. With maybe the exception of WSU, we are a 'circle' game on each of these teams schedule IMO. At least we get Stanford after BIG GAME, so they usually aren't fully up in the first quarter.

 

[irishtrain]

They aint losing to SC but there is another loss in the pile.

 

[Junkhead]

They aint losing to SC but there is another loss in the pile.

I wish I could guarantee a USC win. USC has games where they look very average. Somehow, they (and everyone else) look like they ate their wheaties before the ND game. If we are within 20 pts of USC, it will be an improvement. Not good enough, but an improvement.

 

[irishtrain]

SC

SC

I've been saying all along they are still a bit better than we are, edge to them on overall athleticism, they are winners, and they dont even think for one iota that they could lose on Oct 17, I have had my butt laughed at by friends when I told them Notre Dame will win this game, you watch we are going to win, I have no idea why or how but we win this game.

 

[jason_h537]

Offensively we are better, even without Floyd. Defensively we are still playing catch up.

There is something to be said for playing inspired football. The 05 team was not as talented as USC, that was with 2 heisman winners and back 2 back Championships.

Washington is better but there is no way they are as talented as USC. They were well prepared and wanted it more