Notre Dame to play UMass in 2015

[Cali_domer]

Molnar reunion
Charley Molnar, UMass football reportedly to play at Notre Dame in 2015 | GazetteNET

 

[returnofthemack]

At first, I was worried this would be our first FCS opponent, but UMass will be in the MAC starting this season: UMass football to join FBS, Mid-American Conference - USATODAY.com

 

[returnofthemack]

This is great for UMass, and also good for ND because we'll finally have a legitimate tuneup game (unless Molnar turns out to be a beastly HC).

 

[Black Irish]

I think this does a lot more for UMass then it does for Notre Dame

 

[greyhammer90]

At first, I was worried this would be our first FCS opponent, but UMass will be in the MAC starting this season: UMass football to join FBS, Mid-American Conference - USATODAY.com

 

[Zbi]

I dislike this. Student-athletes do not come to Notre Dame to play UMass.

 

[gkIrish]

I dislike this. Student-athletes do not come to Notre Dame to play UMass.

They come in large part to win games/championships (as a student at every quality football school does). Playing UMass doesn't affect us negatively in that respect.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I dislike this. Student-athletes do not come to Notre Dame to play UMass.

I don't get it either, especially because there is no guarantee Molnar will even be at UMass in 2015. But, I also don't get your point. Where are kids going to go and not play anyone worse than UMass? UMass could beat most of the non-conference opponents that the other elite programs play, and they haven't even moved to the FBS yet.

 

[Damion704]

Yes! Cupcakes. Also, Zbi are you serious about that comment u just made.

 

[Zbi]

Yes, I am serious. ND is known for having the toughest schedules in the country. We should not be scheduling UMass. I think that a good amount of kids come to ND to play the best the NCAAF has to offer. I just do not see how this benefits ND at all.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

They played scUM well in 2010, and K-State well in 2009.

Whatever though, I'm not a huge fan of this, and think a state school like Ball State deserves the charity more than Molnar does.

 

[Zbi]

They played scUM well in 2010, and K-State well in 2009.

Whatever though, I'm not a huge fan of this, and think a state school like Ball State deserves the charity more than Molnar does.

Okay? Just because they played a team close does not mean that should be scheduled.

 

[Damion704]

Guess you are happy with 8-5 seasons

 

[gkIrish]

Yes, I am serious. ND is known for having the toughest schedules in the country. We should not be scheduling UMass. I think that a good amount of kids come to ND to play the best the NCAAF has to offer. I just do not see how this benefits ND at all.

Aside from the obvious reasons to want to play a cupcake or two I'll give a specific reason why it is good to play UMass:

Having a good supporting coaching staff to back up your head coach is a good thing. Many if not all assistant coaches have aspirations to become a head coach one day. And most of them start off at a mediocre to low-level school like UMass. Playing your former assistant coach (Molnar) shows other potential assistants that you are willing to help their careers by playing their mediocre school. In other words, you don't want your head coach to be known as the guy that doesn't give a **** about his former assistants after they leave.

This, coupled with the fact that playing UMass isn't all that different from playing Army makes this a good or at worst neutral decision by Notre Dame

 

[Damion704]

I dont see Alabama, LSU, USC, Michigan, and VT fans complaining about cupcake teams when they start off 6-0 with all kinds of national buzz and in the top 5.

 

[greyhammer90]

Yes, I am serious. ND is known for having the toughest schedules in the country. We should not be scheduling UMass. I think that a good amount of kids come to ND to play the best the NCAAF has to offer. I just do not see how this benefits ND at all.

No we aren't. Do you remember how many times in the last 10 years ESPN has called our schedule "toilet paper" or "cupcake" soft? I know that ESPN is clueless, but this represents the national perspective. ND fans are the only ones who think that our schedule is near the top nationally in terms of difficulty.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Okay? Just because they played a team close does not mean that should be scheduled.

I agree with you, they should not be scheduled, but having a MAC team on the schedule is no big deal IMO. Like someone said, enjoy 8-5 seasons in good years if you want a powerhouse every week.

 

[Zbi]

Guess you are happy with 8-5 seasons

I do not understand your logic.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I do not understand your logic.

Simply put, Notre Dame cannot navigate a simple schedule, much less the gauntlet you keep alluding to.

 

[Zbi]

I dont see Alabama, LSU, USC, Michigan, and VT fans complaining about cupcake teams when they start off 6-0 with all kinds of national buzz and in the top 5.

All of these teams play in the what are considered "powerhouse" conferences.

In addition, I do not think playing UMass is terrible. I would have just preferred to play at least a team in decent conference. IMO, that would at least look better if it came down to making the BCS or not.

 

[Zbi]

Simply put, Notre Dame cannot navigate a simple schedule, much less the gauntlet you keep alluding to.

If we cannot beat the best teams in the country we do not deserve to play in the best bowl games. How do we expect to become a championship team if we just want to shy away from playing tougher teams, just because we are afraid to be an 8-5 for the rest of eternity.

 

[stlnd01]

I know that - for now - this is a one-game deal. And, whatever, no harm.
But anyone else think this is somehow a way in to a game (either vs. UMass, BC or a "Shamrock Series") at Foxboro?

 

[JD Irish]

This is all for marketing. I guarantee you that this will be a neutral site game at Gillette. This is no coincidence -- Connecticut renegs on this game, ND schedules the next most logical team that would be willing to play there. Like what was being discussed in another thread, ND desperately wants to entrench itself in the northeast.

 

[greyhammer90]

I do not understand your logic.

The logic is this:
CFB is not what it used to be. It's more competitive than ever and even the mid-level programs field consistently good teams.
Because of this every powerhouse of note plays against two cupcakes a year in order to reduce the grind of the long season and to be able to pad their records with automatic wins.
ND does not have the obscene advantage they used to have over everyone else in the country anymore.
If you want to play powerhouse programs every single week then 8-5 should be acceptable for you. Anything higher than that consistently would be almost impossible given the disadvantages that ND already works with. (Academics, standards, having a soul, etc...)
But if you want to compete every year for a NC then we are going to have to occasionally play cupcakes just like every other major CFB team in the country.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

All of these teams play in the what are considered "powerhouse" conferences.

In addition, I do not think playing UMass is terrible. I would have just preferred to play at least a team in decent conference. IMO, that would at least look better if it came down to making the BCS or not. If we are 9-3 playing a team in a tougher conference will at least look better.

Looks can be deceiving. ND can join the MAC, and make the BCS if they went 11-1 or possibly 10-2. The BCS is all about money, not who deserves to go.

 

[gkIrish]

All of these teams play in the what are considered "powerhouse" conferences.

In addition, I do not think playing UMass is terrible. I would have just preferred to play at least a team in decent conference. IMO, that would at least look better if it came down to making the BCS or not. If we are 9-3 playing a team in a tougher conference will at least look better.

Team A and Team B have 10 identical games. They both go 10-0 in those games. The other two go as follows:

Team A plays UMass and Akron---wins both games
Team B plays Tennessee and Utah--loses one of the games

Who makes the National Championship?

 

[irishog77]

I don't necessarily mind that they're playing a weak opponent, but I'd prefer the weak opponent to offer up a bit more exposure, help more with recruiting, or be a bit more of a name. Duke, Minnesota, Nevada, UNLV, Hawaii, Kentucky, Rice, SMU, UTEP, one of the lesser Florida teams, etc. seem like they would be a better benefit to ND and the ND football program than UMass.

 

[stlnd01]

If we cannot beat the best teams in the country we do not deserve to play in the best bowl games. How do we expect to become a championship team if we just want to shy away from playing tougher teams, just because we are afraid to be an 8-5 for the rest of eternity.

I agree with your first sentence, But we're not "shying away" from playing tougher teams. Christ, look at our schedule next year. But you can't play USC and Michigan every week.

If anything, a lot of "tougher" teams don't want to play us, especially SEC teams, because we're a quality nonconference opponent and we won't just go to their place in the first couple weeks of the season.

 

[Zbi]

Team A and Team B have 10 identical games. They both go 10-0 in those games. The other two go as follows:

Team A plays UMass and Akron---wins both games
Team B plays Tennessee and Utah--loses one of the games

Who makes the National Championship?

The team that plays in the SEC.

 

[greyhammer90]

If we cannot beat the best teams in the country we do not deserve to play in the best bowl games. How do we expect to become a championship team if we just want to shy away from playing tougher teams, just because we are afraid to be an 8-5 for the rest of eternity.

Tell that to Alabama. Oh wait they can't hear you... because they're celebrating another National Championship.