How Important do you guys think the bowl game is?

[North Buffalo Irish]

You clearly have not actually watched them play in the second half of the season. Absolutely shut down by NC State, South Carolina, and Georgia Tech... and shut down by Wake for a solid 3 quarters. I'd much rather play them than FSU. FSU at least has a defense.

You're right, I haven't seen them play much since they beat Auburn/FSU/VT in consecutive weeks and hung 56 in that comeback against Maryland. I saw pieces of the NC State and South Carolina games, but didn't note much other than Clemson being Clemson (i.e. choking).

I also didn't consider that they will not be all that intrigued by the Champs Sports Bowl if they lose the ACC Championship game and miss out on a BCS bowl. Either way, both FSU and Clemson would pose a major challenge for Notre Dame.

How dumb is it that making it to a conference championship game can ruin someone's chance to reach the BCS?

I hate conference championships games.

Michigan State already beat Wisconsin. Alabama is sitting pretty for the BCSNCG, while LSU (who, of course, beat Bama in their own stadium) has to play an additional game against a top-15 team. Oregon has to play a 6-6 team, ffs! At least the Pac-12 has gotten something right in that the Ducks get to play at home. And speaking of Clemson, they already beat VaTech at Lane Stadium BY TWENTY POINTS!!!

Look at the Big 12... they drop their conference championship (out of necessity, it must be said) and they end up with a de facto championship game between two in-state rivals. That is college football at its pinnacle, not teams playing each other twice in a matter of weeks so some extra ca$$$h can be made.

So were we. It would be the preseason national champions going head to head.

Mm... no, not really. Notre Dame was preseason ranked #16 in the AP Poll and #18 in the Coaches Poll; FSU, on the other hand, was ranked #6 and #5 in those same polls, respectively. In the end, both teams turned out to be overrated. However, a win over Stanford would have seen the Irish finish their regular season ranked ahead of the preseason predictions. Obviously, that didn't happen. But this season featured a hell of a lot more adversity than was expected.

 

[KAPLAN]

Bowl game is huge. Leaves a good taste in your mouth for the next 8 months. Great for recruiting. Gives all of the young QB 15 more practices. Also is a reward to the players for all of their hard work. ND/ FSU would be a huge matchup.

 

[Bambino Lino]

2011 Bowl Projections: Notre Dame Likely A Lock For Champs Sports Bowl - SB Nation Indiana

It's looking like a sure bet that it's gonna be Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

 

[tko]

2011 Bowl Projections: Notre Dame Likely A Lock For Champs Sports Bowl - SB Nation Indiana

It's looking like a sure bet that it's gonna be Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Aaron Lynch will be so jacked up for this game.

 

[DCirishfan]

It is the most important game of the last 15 years imo. We are either getting legit or we are staying crappy. No reall analysis needed, do we belong with top tier programs or are we just a golden colored mediocrity on wheels.

 

[gspjeb]

I think a good showing is the most important thing. Recruiting will be effected if we get creamed but a close game will not hurt us that much. In my humble opinion anyway

 

[DillonHall]

It is the most important game of the last 15 years imo. We are either getting legit or we are staying crappy. No reall analysis needed, do we belong with top tier programs or are we just a golden colored mediocrity on wheels.

This is a huge overstatement. The outcome of the game won't mean that much in the long run.

 

[rikkitikki08]

Its huge, simply for the fact it looks as if aaron lynch will get to play FSU.......kid has to be chomping at the bit

 

[Rudy89]

I know it means the same regardless of what its called but maybe I would feel better if the game wasnt called the champs sports bowl? I mean champs sports would still get good advertising if it was the Orlando Bowl presented by champs sports right? I know that name sucks too but cant they just give the game a respectable name and tack on the champs sports?
The same goes for the capital one and chik-fil-a bowls as well couldnt they have stayed the citrus and peach bowls and not just been turned into an ad? I know the bowlas are about making money but to me it would give more bragging rights to the team and fans if they could brag they won the citrus bowl than the capital one bowl. Sorry about the rambling but thats just one thing that irritates me about the bowls.

 

[DCirishfan]

This is a huge overstatement. The outcome of the game won't mean that much in the long run.

You are wrong,

 

[kmoose]

You are wrong,

I don't know just how much of an impact this one game will have, but one thing that is for sure:

It's sure as hell an overstatement to say that this game will determine the future of ND football, and that it will be doomed to mediocrity if they lose.

 

[Rudy89]

While it would suck losing especially after having disappointments in 3 of our 5 biggest rivalry games (with one being a close game against a vastly inferior opponent) to say this could doom our program is kinda too much (and this is coming from a guy who raised the white flag after usf this year and navy last year) to my knowledge didnt georgia lose a low tier bowl last year and end up below .500? Tommorow they might pull off the upset of the decade punch their ticket to the sugar bowl and send the bcs into a tailspin so while losing this game would be pretty sucky and make me have an unfavorable opinion on this season, i dont think the champs sports bowl will doom us.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

2011 Bowl Projections: Notre Dame Likely A Lock For Champs Sports Bowl - SB Nation Indiana

It's looking like a sure bet that it's gonna be Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

FWIW, Mandel is still predicting Clemson.

 

[phork]

Frankly everyone has to get over this ranking BS. The only game that matters is BCS #1 vs BCS #2. This year I think it is pretty clear that the top 2 teams are Bama and LSU.
For all those who questioned my Houston carving up Michigan because Houston barely beat UCLA, UCLA hung on with Oregon.

Outside of this it should just flat out be the top10 teams regardless of conference. Want a BCS game? Finish in the top10. I feel bad for those kids who work their *** off to get to their conference championship only to have a bad play or 2 define their season and cost them big time. I feel extra bad for MSU who got hosed last year because the buckeyes got in knowing full well they were cheaters. And now it looks like they get passed over this year because losing in a conference championship game will allow a team that they curb stomped to leap frog them.

Criteria for BCS selection: Conference Champ & Runner up.

 

[Long Time Irish]

It is the most important game of the last 15 years imo. We are either getting legit or we are staying crappy. No reall analysis needed, do we belong with top tier programs or are we just a golden colored mediocrity on wheels.

You are allowed your opinion...but I do not agree. It did not doom ND football when Dr. Lou lost the bowl game in his second season. This is a great chance to get some more practices in, and reward the kids for the season. I want ND to win. I hope they win by 60 points. But as far as this being the test to being legit, really?? We lost 4 games this year, by a total of 35 points. We played more freshman this year than I can remember in recent history. We also had a run of bad luck. (Michigan fumble at goal line that rolled right into Denards hands...) (Cave out with injury)(Gray out with injury)We have kids that are still learning a lot of things as they play. The hardest transition that a kid will ever make playing football is going from HS to college. The speed of the game is the thing you always hear about, but also the physical play(guys are a lot stronger), and the mental complexity of the game. All this plus the first time you are on our own and your mom is not asking you if you got your homework done.
I have been following ND for 40 years or so.....and I think they are headed the right way. There are ALOT of positives, and I think Kelly is doing things right.