2023 Bowl Projections

[NDWarrior]

Let the speculation and intrigue begin! Notre Dame vs The SEC In Latest Bowl Projections

 

[stlnd01]

Do these projections have us missing the NY6 bowls because they think we’ll lose another or because there’ll be a bunch of teams with 1 loss?

 

[NDPhilly]

Do these projections have us missing the NY6 bowls because they think we’ll lose another or because there’ll be a bunch of teams with 1 loss?

Just think these guys are too lazy to go through every teams remaining schedule

 

[stlnd01]

Just think these guys are too lazy to go through every teams remaining schedule

I’m just looking at Jerry Palm’s and - if you think Notre Dame, Alabama and Penn State all go 10-2 - I’m trying to figure the rationale for leaving us out of the NY6. For instance.

College Football Bowl Projections 2025-26

CBS Sports experts select the college football teams they believe will make the NCAA National Semifinals at the end of the 2025 season and give projections for each game.

www.cbssports.com

 

[arrowryan]

If Notre Dame can’t get into a NY6 bowl at 10-2 then why are they independent? The margin for error each season is damn near zero.

I’m struggling more and more each day to see the benefits of being independent.

 

[Lberry]

If Notre Dame can’t get into a NY6 bowl at 10-2 then why are they independent? The margin for error each season is damn near zero.

I’m struggling more and more each day to see the benefits of being independent.

No one can come up with a good reason why we're independent anymore. They just mindlessly "downvote" all the reasons to join a conference. And there are many.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

If Notre Dame can’t get into a NY6 bowl at 10-2 then why are they independent? The margin for error each season is damn near zero.

I’m struggling more and more each day to see the benefits of being independent.

The real struggle is when you realize we're not really independent. 5 games of ours is dictated by a conference. On top of that we have 3 permanent (maybe Stan drops off) that are also scheduled. Thus, 8 games are "locked", I hardly call that independent. That is pretty much a conference schedule without the benefit. But we're sticking it to the conferences!

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

No one can come up with a good reason why we're independent anymore. They just mindlessly "downvote" all the reasons to join a conference. And there are many.

Marketing gimmick and pride is the the reasons I notice. Or my favorite, the Big 10 screwed us 100 years ago.

 

[stlnd01]

If Notre Dame can’t get into a NY6 bowl at 10-2 then why are they independent? The margin for error each season is damn near zero.

I’m struggling more and more each day to see the benefits of being independent.

It does seem like we pretty much spot all other relevant teams a loss when it comes to bowls/playoffs.
Others can go 11-1 and make the CFP but we basically have to be undefeated.
Others can make the NY6 at 10-2 but we seemingly can’t?
We can beat the ACC’s second best team (this year maybe not but we often do) and they still make the Orange Bowl over us?

 

[Lberry]

Marketing gimmick and pride is the the reasons I notice. Or my favorite, the Big 10 screwed us 100 years ago.

Marketing gimmick? Pride? Pride in what, exactly? Playing Stanford and sitting out of a conference title game? Pride in getting jobbed in scheduling?

Because some time ago someone/a few guys didn't like ND, all of whom are dead and gone? Boy we're really showing them..

 

[RDU Irish]

We are #14 right now. If we win out it is virtually impossible for us to be out of the top 10 thanks to basic attrition. First bowl with a non-committed spot is picking ND hands down. I thought we were on the table as long as we were #12 or higher?

The part missing from all these prognostications is that they are projecting us to lose another game so they get to feel smart "see, I told you ND wouldn't be NY6!" Duh - 3 loss ND is completely different ball of wax than a 2 loss ND.


The following tie-ins exist for bowls in the years they are not hosting the national semifinals:

• Rose Bowl – Big Ten No. 1 vs. Pac-12 No. 1
• Sugar Bowl – SEC No. 1 vs. Big 12 No. 1
• Orange Bowl – ACC No 1 vs. SEC No. 2, Big Ten No. 2, or Notre Dame
• Cotton Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)
• Fiesta Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)
• Peach Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)

Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl are the CFP this year - the two games with the weakest ND tie in. It's such a clear path to me I'm not sure how anyone is arguing that an ND team that wins out is out of the NY6!

 

[stlnd01]

We are #14 right now. If we win out it is virtually impossible for us to be out of the top 10 thanks to basic attrition. First bowl with a non-committed spot is picking ND hands down. I thought we were on the table as long as we were #12 or higher?

The part missing from all these prognostications is that they are projecting us to lose another game so they get to feel smart "see, I told you ND wouldn't be NY6!" Duh - 3 loss ND is completely different ball of wax than a 2 loss ND.


The following tie-ins exist for bowls in the years they are not hosting the national semifinals:

• Rose Bowl – Big Ten No. 1 vs. Pac-12 No. 1
• Sugar Bowl – SEC No. 1 vs. Big 12 No. 1
• Orange Bowl – ACC No 1 vs. SEC No. 2, Big Ten No. 2, or Notre Dame
• Cotton Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)
• Fiesta Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)
• Peach Bowl – at-large or "Group of Five" (committee selection)

Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl are the CFP this year - the two games with the weakest ND tie in. It's such a clear path to me I'm not sure how anyone is arguing that an ND team that wins out is out of the NY6!

True most of the bowl projections don’t include projected records. Some of these people may think we lose another, in which case we don’t deserve an NY6 spot.

But I think most of them are simply slotting in teams at their current rank/record without acknowledging that many of the Top 15 teams have remaining games against each other. They can’t all finish with one loss.

 

[Giddyup]

All this is moot next year

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Marketing gimmick? Pride? Pride in what, exactly? Playing Stanford and sitting out of a conference title game? Pride in getting jobbed in scheduling?

Because some time ago someone/a few guys didn't like ND, all of whom are dead and gone? Boy we're really showing them..

I am over the independent thing to a large degree. I loved it pre-ACC, but now it is just lame. The ACC games are not that exciting, minus Clem, FSU, Miami. In general the schedule stinks because of the ACC arrangement
IMO

 

[Lberry]

BTW, I'd prefer the big 10 - I love the possible renewed rivalries and USC makes sense - but I'd be happy if we went ACC and did it right. Clemson may be on the down and we know we can run that conference. My choices would be Big 10 > ACC > Independence.

Would consider SEC too but don't think we would. But could easily see that being more attractive that Independence too

 

[NDWarrior]

All this is moot next year

I was just going to add "who cares!" bec. it's a whole, new exciting ball of wax (if there is such a thing?). WTF cares if we go 10-2 (maybe even 9-3) as long as there are the USC and Clemson blow outs (so scheduling is still important on the margin), we in and can peak at the end of year going into the NFL Jr. (I mean the new CFPs)! Although all these bowl games and Michigan and Nebraska ties from years gone by are all going by the wayside, it's going to be super exciting to see this thing in action and where ND may actually have a chance (oh yeah, as long as Porker is no longer our OC!). Here's to ND being the next year's 2008 SB-winning Wild Card Giants! Cool!

 

[Lberry]

I was just going to add "who cares!" bec. it's a whole, new exciting ball of wax (if there is such a thing?). WTF cares if we go 10-2 (maybe even 11-3) as long as there are the USC and Clemson blow outs (so scheduling is still important on the margin), we in and can peak at the end of year going into the NFL Jr. (I mean the new CFPs)! Although all these bowl games and Michigan and Nebraska ties from years gone by are all going by the wayside, it's going to be super exciting to see this thing in action and where ND may actually have a chance (oh yeah, as long as Porker is no longer our OC!). Cool!

But the same crap will repeat itself. Last year it was playing into 7 BYEs (that is insane). This year it's having a near impossible schedule through 8, then 2 of our own BYEs in 4 weeks that are unnecessary.

Next year, what if we get Tulane QB and it all comes together and we're 12-0, #1 in country. And we have a freaking forced 1st round playoff game. All this evil has a center point - Inde-freaking-pendence.

 

[ab2cmiller]

The real struggle is when you realize we're not really independent. 5 games of ours is dictated by a conference. On top of that we have 3 permanent (maybe Stan drops off) that are also scheduled. Thus, 8 games are "locked", I hardly call that independent. That is pretty much a conference schedule without the benefit. But we're sticking it to the conferences!

So you are trying to argue that the very games (3 permanent) we have locked in and is repeatedly used as part of the reason we want to remain independent, is part of what's keeping us from being truly independent. That it some twisted logic.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

So you are trying to argue that the very games (3 permanent) we have locked in and is repeatedly used as part of the reason we want to remain independent, is part of what's keeping us from being truly independent. That it some twisted logic.

What I am saying, we have "locked games" and not very much flexibility. The locked games versus USC and Navy will remain no matter what, so that is not an argument against or for independence. It is just another batch of games that are static and do not change. Thus, we truly are talking about 4 games that are truly independent (we totally control). That is a joke. Two of those games usually are bad opponents. I do not see this is twisted logic at all, it is a fact. We have 8 games that are locked in. That really is not debatable. The 5 against the ACC in general suck. That really is not that debatable. The five games are not picked by us, but a conference, hence the lack of control over a large chunk of our schedule.

Now compare this to an OSU- The play 9 conference games and have 3 games that they control (compared to our 4). I really do not see much of a difference. The ACC agreement has made independence a joke in my opinion.

I stand by my statement.

 

[ab2cmiller]

What I am saying, we have "locked games" and not very much flexibility. The locked games versus USC and Navy will remain no matter what, so that is not an argument against or for independence. It is just another batch of games that are static and do not change. Thus, we truly are talking about 4 games that are truly independent (we totally control). That is a joke. Two of those games usually are bad opponents. I do not see this is twisted logic at all, it is a fact. We have 8 games that are locked in. That really is not debatable. The 5 against the ACC in general suck. That really is not that debatable. The five games are not picked by us, but a conference, hence the lack of control over a large chunk of our schedule.

Now compare this to an OSU- The play 9 conference games and have 3 games that they control (compared to our 4). I really do not see much of a difference. The ACC agreement has made independence a joke in my opinion.

I stand by my statement.

And I stand by my statement that logic is messed up. We have 7 games we totally control. 3 of those games are so important to us, that it has been a big hurdle to us joining a conference.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

And I stand by my statement that logic is messed up. We have 7 games we totally control. 3 of those games are so important to us, that it has been a big hurdle to us joining a conference.

We will not ever drop USC or Navy (maybe Stanford,). SO that is 5 games at most that we truly decide. So tell me, what does independence do for us now? How is it really serving ND, minus the ability to say hey we can kinda of do some things sometimes (not really) on our own? I am curious about the logic of maintaining the illusion of independence. I believe I have laid out a convincing case that at BEST we are quasi-independent, at worse we are just a marketing gimmick for boosters.

 

[Giddyup]

Pfft. Doomsday

 

[ab2cmiller]

We will not ever drop USC or Navy (maybe Stanford,). SO that is 5 games at most that we truly decide. So tell me, what does independence do for us now? How is it really serving ND, minus the ability to say hey we can kinda of do some things sometimes (not really) on our own? I am curious about the logic of maintaining the illusion of independence. I believe I have laid out a convincing case that at BEST we are quasi-independent, at worse we are just a marketing gimmick for boosters.

We are inarguably quasi-independent because of our arrangement with the ACC. Has nothing to do with your logic on the 3 "permanent" games. However, that quasi-independence has allowed us freedom in certain aspects of our scheduling. You simply can't argue that those "permanent" games reduces any sort of independence level. They are permanent because ND values them with that level of significance. That is their choice. You act like they have no choice. If those games were not important to ND, we likely would've already joined a conference as a full member.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

We are inarguably quasi-independent because of our arrangement with the ACC. Has nothing to do with your logic on the 3 "permanent" games. However, that quasi-independence has allowed us freedom in certain aspects of our scheduling. You simply can't argue that those "permanent" games reduces any sort of independence level. They are permanent because ND values them with that level of significance. That is their choice. You act like they have no choice. If those games were not important to ND, we likely would've already joined a conference as a full member.

I am saying the games will not go away even if we join ( we will have room for them still). USC likely becomes a conference game and Navy becomes an OCG game. The independence has to have greater "meaning" then those permanant games. I am curious why quasi independence matters so much to you? What do we gain? We earn much less, exposure on NBC SUCKS, and we are dealt with like we mean nothing to them. Our own announcers salivate over our opponents. I really want an argument for why independence matters now.

 

[ab2cmiller]

I am saying the games will not go away even if we join ( we will have room for them still). USC likely becomes a conference game and Navy becomes an OCG game. The independence has to have greater "meaning" then those permanant games. I am curious why quasi independence matters so much to you? What do we gain? We earn much less, exposure on NBC SUCKS, and we are dealt with like we mean nothing to them. Our own announcers salivate over our opponents. I really want an argument for why independence matters now.

It doesn't matter to me. I just found your logic around the 3 "permanent" games, largely insane.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

It doesn't matter to me. I just found your logic around the 3 "permanent" games, largely insane.

But you really did not refute my argument.. Label it insane, dismantle it with logic (I did not see any in your rebuttal) and i will jump aboard. . STanford i give you, but the others are locked and not affected by membership. But the fact is we have 8 locked games for now. = not much more flexibility.

By the way, i am trying to disagree, and not be disagreeable, i think you should do the same. Thanks.

 

[PutuporShutup]

BTW, I'd prefer the big 10 - I love the possible renewed rivalries and USC makes sense - but I'd be happy if we went ACC and did it right. Clemson may be on the down and we know we can run that conference. My choices would be Big 10 > ACC > Independence.

Would consider SEC too but don't think we would. But could easily see that being more attractive that Independence too

I personally would prefer ACC because I live in the heart of ACC play. With that said, i'd want to see a package deal with the ACC for more teams to ensure it is a great conference, not just for basketball. Could the ACC grab PSU, Rutgers, and Maryland? They fit more with the east coast geography of the ACC than what the big ten is becoming.

Clemson/FSU leaving would crush the ACC. I love the ACC but ND would have to ensure it doesn't lose it's top programs.

 

[arrowryan]

Clemson and FSU leaving the ACC is inevitable. Notre Dane joining the ACC wouldn’t make much sense.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

I personally would prefer ACC because I live in the heart of ACC play. With that said, i'd want to see a package deal with the ACC for more teams to ensure it is a great conference, not just for basketball.

I live the ACC footprint and it would be great for me, but the conference iis an after thought.

 

[ab2cmiller]

But you really did not refute my argument.. Label it insane, dismantle it with logic (I did not see any in your rebuttal) and i will jump aboard. . STanford i give you, but the others are locked and not affected by membership. But the fact is we have 8 locked games for now. = not much more flexibility.

By the way, i am trying to disagree, and not be disagreeable, i think you should do the same. Thanks.

I've tried to explain it multiple times. Your total focus is that the fact that because these 3 games are locked in somehow takes away from our independence. My refute is that if you asked ND if you could be totally independent and you asked ND what are the 3 games you want to schedule no matter what, they would respond with USC, Navy and Stanford. That is how strong they feel about those games. These 3 games are used repeatedly why ND needs to remain independent. You use them as a sign that those games take away from ND's independence.

I will not continue to engage anymore on this topic.