AP Top 25 (ND #11)

[OlympiaIrishFan]

My bigger issue is Washington. They have played an absolute historic easy schedule. Cupcake galore, and lose to Arizona State and they are still ahead on both polls over us??? We beat BC, MSU, and lose ton1 to Georgia. Just wow

On the other hand playing with a chip on one's shoulder could work to our advantage.

 

[BGIF]

AP POLL 10/15/17

1. Alabama (61 first-place votes)
2. Penn State
3. Georgia
4. TCU
5. Wisconsin
6. Ohio State
7. Clemson
8. Miami
9. Oklahoma
10. Oklahoma State
11. USC
12. Washington
13. Notre Dame
14. Virginia Tech
15. Washington State
16. USF
16. NC State
18. Michigan State
19. Michigan
20. UCF
21. Auburn
22. Stanford
23. West Virginia
24. LSU
25. Memphis

Dropped from rankings: San Diego State 19, Texas Tech 24, Navy 25
Others receiving votes: San Diego State 56, Texas A&M 46, Iowa State 16, Virginia 10, Kentucky 8, Utah 4, Mississippi State 3, Iowa 2, Navy 2, South Carolina 2, Texas Tech 2, Marshall 1, Florida State 1, Georgia Tech 1

 

[greyhammer90]

I don't understand how Clemson dropped only five spots. They lost to Syracuse and their best win is a two loss Auburn who hasn't done anything this year

 

[greyhammer90]

Seems like we really need to root for Miami going forward.

 

[wizards8507]

I don't understand how Clemson dropped only five spots. They lost to Syracuse and their best win is a two loss Auburn who hasn't done anything this year

Voters don't want to admit that their preseason rankings were garbage. If you're going to have preseason rankings at all, voters need to be prepared to dramatically revise them through October.

 

[dwshade]

I don't understand how Clemson dropped only five spots. They lost to Syracuse and their best win is a two loss Auburn who hasn't done anything this year

Actually their best win was at Virginia Tech 31-17. Clemson will lose at NC State and may not beat Ga. Tech.

 

[NDdomer2]

Coaches poll LOL

 

[DONTH8]

Voters don't want to admit that their preseason rankings were garbage. If you're going to have preseason rankings at all, voters need to be prepared to dramatically revise them through October.

Exactly.

Hey wiz, if ND beats SC, how far does nd jump in the rankings?

And for arguments sake, if you want to include or differentiate based on a blow out vs a squeaker, that's fine.

 

[dwshade]

Coaches poll LOL

Most coaches don't even fill out their ballots. Someone in the office does in many cases.

 

[GATTACA!]

This is what I was worried about. Now if Washington wins out we could be stuck behind them even though we clearly have the better resume already.

 

[greyhammer90]

This is what I was worried about. Now if Washington wins out we could be stuck behind them even though we clearly have the better resume already.

To be fair, we've not seen the only poll that matters and it's likely we jump Washington if we beat USC.

 

[dwshade]

To be fair, we've not seen the only poll that matters and it's likely we jump Washington if we beat USC.

Exactly. One loss ND beats out one loss UW. SOS isn't close. Out of conference games against Rutgers, Montana and Fresno State is going to hurt Washington.

 

[GATTACA!]

Exactly. One loss ND beats out one loss UW. SOS isn't close. Out of conference games against Rutgers, Montana and Fresno State is going to hurt Washington.

Will it though? How many times has the committee said it values conference champions?

 

[wizards8507]

Exactly.

Hey wiz, if ND beats SC, how far does nd jump in the rankings?

And for arguments sake, if you want to include or differentiate based on a blow out vs a squeaker, that's fine.

We'll still be behind Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. Because reasons.

 

[wizards8507]

Will it though? How many times has the committee said it values conference champions?

That's an excuse because what they REALLY value are TV ratings. Let's say undefeated Alabama beats undefeated Georgia in the SEC championship game. Georgia would have a very strong claim to still be in the Top 4. But because "conference championships matter" they might not get in. The real reason is because nobody wants to see a rematch.

 

[Shamrock Theories]

Will it though? How many times has the committee said it values conference champions?

And yet Ohio State got in last year, that OOC win @ Oklahoma helped big time

 

[snoopdog]

Voters don't want to admit that their preseason rankings were garbage. If you're going to have preseason rankings at all, voters need to be prepared to dramatically revise them through October.

Preseason rankings are always garbage. They have to be. Nobody knows how every team will perform not having seen them play

 

[dwshade]

Will it though? How many times has the committee said it values conference champions?

Actually they said it doesn't matter. They are looking for the best 4 teams. They have been clear about that. Exception is they aren't likely to take two teams from same conference.

 

[wizards8507]

Preseason rankings are always garbage. They have to be. Nobody knows how every team will perform not having seen them play

I have no problem with that. The part I don't like is that they don't adjust their votes fast enough once games are played and we learn information.

 

[dwshade]

We'll still be behind Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. Because reasons.

OU and OSU still have to play. Clemson will lose again. NC State is a better team. This isn't Deshaun Watson's Clemson. One team will come out of the BT to make playoffs. Probably Penn St. or Ohio St.

 

[BGIF]

I have no problem with that. The part I don't like is that they don't adjust their votes fast enough once games are played and we learn information.

When FSU lost their franchise QB for the season against Alabama they should have dropped a whole lot more than the requisite 7 slot poll drop.

The next week FSU dropped one slot when their game got hurricaned.

The next week FSU dropped one slot against Miami got scrubbed.

The next week FSU dropped out of the poll when they lost to NCS. This was WEEK 5 of the season, FSU had not won a game. What were doing in the poll without a win at almost mid-season?

No, the weather wasn't their fault but the polls should be based upon GAME PLAYED. They had played 2 games in the first 5 weeks.

The FSU players didn't qualify for National Rankings as they had played INSUFFICIENT games to be considered. So why should the team be considered for poll ranking until it had played sufficient games?

 

[wizards8507]

When FSU lost their franchise QB for the season against Alabama they should have dropped a whole lot more than the requisite 7 slot poll drop.

The next week FSU dropped one slot when their game got hurricaned.

The next week FSU dropped one slot against Miami got scrubbed.

The next week FSU dropped out of the poll when they lost to NCS. This was WEEK 5 of the season, FSU had not won a game. What were doing in the poll without a win at almost mid-season?

No, the weather wasn't their fault but the polls should be based upon GAME PLAYED. They had played 2 games in the first 5 weeks.

The FSU players didn't qualify for National Rankings as they had played INSUFFICIENT games to be considered. So why should the team be considered for poll ranking until it had played sufficient games?

Are you disagreeing with me? I agree with everything you just said. Crappy preseason rankings are the only ones I'm okay with. Starting week one, fix it.

 

[Irishman77]

Any team with one loss ranked ahead of us is funny.

 

[Shamrock Theories]

Any team with one loss ranked ahead of us is funny.

Eh idk about any. Clemson deserves to be higher than ND.

Lots of teams have comparable resumes, like USC, Va Tech.

ND does deserve to be higher than Washington and Okie State.

 

[dwshade]

Bottom line, win the next two weeks against USC and NC State and we'll be in great shape going into November with two huge road games at Miami and Stanford.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Eh idk about any. Clemson deserves to be higher than ND.

Lots of teams have comparable resumes, like USC, Va Tech.

ND does deserve to be higher than Washington and Okie State.

Clemson is debatable. They have 2 fairly strong wins over Virginia Tech and Auburn compared to our one win over Michigan State.

However, Clemson's loss is much worse than ours.

Virginia Tech doesn't really have much of an argument. Our best win is better and our loss is better. A narrow defeat against a top 3 team > a blowout loss to a top 10 team; Michigan State > West Virginia.

USC's loss also looms heavier now that Wazzu got thoroughly smoked. Their best win is also inferior as of now, being over a one-trick Stanford squad.

 

[Irishman77]

Eh idk about any. Clemson deserves to be higher than ND.

Lots of teams have comparable resumes, like USC, Va Tech.

ND does deserve to be higher than Washington and Okie State.

Clemson got their assess handed to them by a pack of nerds. We lost by one to the second best team in the country due to a bogus late hit call. I would love a shot at Clemson

 

[BGIF]

Are you disagreeing with me? I agree with everything you just said. Crappy preseason rankings are the only ones I'm okay with. Starting week one, fix it.

Not disagreeing at all.

Underscoring your point that the voters don't make adjustments quick enough to reflect on field results.

 

[phgreek]

Clemson got their assess handed to them by a pack of nerds. We lost by one to the second best team in the country due to a bogus late hit call. I would love a shot at Clemson

Not yet on the ND playoff train...sure stuff happened this weekend to clarify a path...but it is the same path I figured ND to finish at 9-3...I'm still leaning that way.

but yea, to your point...Clemson's D gave up a lot of turf...to Syracuse. Last I checked that would have been impossible, even with me playing corner in the Clemson D. Not a good explanation for Syracuse having 450 yards of O, and a buck 70 of it on the ground. Clemson D << Georgia D at this point in time...not sure there is a valid argument against that.

 

[Shamrock Theories]

Clemson got their assess handed to them by a pack of nerds. We lost by one to the second best team in the country due to a bogus late hit call. I would love a shot at Clemson

I would favor ND over Clemson on a neutral field right now. They still deserve to be ranked higher.

Clemson is debatable. They have 2 fairly strong wins over Virginia Tech and Auburn compared to our one win over Michigan State.
However, Clemson's loss is much worse than ours.

Virginia Tech doesn't really have much of an argument. Our best win is better and our loss is better. A narrow defeat against a top 3 team > a blowout loss to a top 10 team; Michigan State > West Virginia.

USC's loss also looms heavier now that Wazzu got thoroughly smoked. Their best win is also inferior as of now, being over a one-trick Stanford squad.

Agree with the VT assessment overall. I guess what I was saying is that there are bigger problems. Of note:

-Ohio State has one win against a team above .500: Army
-Washington...that schedule is flat out awful

Neither team deserves to be above ND, period. USC, maybe. Okie State, probably not.