AP Top 25 (ND #11)

[GowerND11]

Honestly the BCS was better. The computers balanced out a lot of the bullshit bias. People act like the CFP committee is somehow perfect but they're subject to the same BS as the AP voters.

I agree. I actually always liked the BCS computers because it took subjectivity out. Thought it was total BS when some coaches (I believe Jimbo was one of them) complained that the BCS computers valuated SOS, so it was removed.

4 team playoff with the BCS computers in the equation? Mmmm love it.

 

[GATTACA!]

Clemson just keeps motoring along with Watson at QB.

 

[ulukinatme]

let's hope hey drop one of there next couple games, I guess this is the time we root for Michigan?

 

[nd_fan]

I don't mind us being at AP#9. Stay under radar, away from the hype, and keep winning out. When that happens and the time comes, people are going to think twice about underestimating ND.

 

[Irish#1]

Plenty of games left for things to get sorted out. With the way some of these teams are squeaking by, some are going to stub their toe along the way. As long as we keep winning we'll be there when it matters.

 

[KPENN]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football at College Poll Tracker

 

[wizards8507]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football at College Poll Tracker

Are those the actual AP voters? Local writers from Baton Rouge, College Station, and Auburn get to vote?

 

[NDShark]

Are those the actual AP voters? Local writers from Baton Rouge, College Stattion, and Auburn get to vote?

Ha so you also checked the credentials of the voters who have us at 12

 

[IrishLax]

Ha so you also checked the credentials of the voters who have us at 12

I did too. Some absurd ballots that make no logical sense.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

"Recent success" is 100% irrelevant. These are the 2017 rankings, not the "2017 and other recent years" rankings. 2017 Notre Dame has done / won / proven more than 2017 Clemson et al.

It's relevant in that it usually affects pre-season predictions so Clemson started #2 by most and had a bad loss but that rarely knocks a team down 8-10 spots.

All this hand wringing is premature and voters reward program consistency. You can claim program success/stability is 100% irrelevant but it's not. It's why tOSU and Clemson will still get the nod for a few more games until ND can prove itself against tougher competition.

If we win the next 3 and we aren't in a top 4 spot, I'll maybe start complaining but there is still a whole lotta football left.

 

[IrishLax]

It's relevant in that it usually affects pre-season predictions so Clemson started #2 by most and had a bad loss but that rarely knocks a team down 8-10 spots.

All this hand wringing is premature and voters reward program consistency. You can claim program success/stability is 100% irrelevant but it's not. It's why tOSU and Clemson will still get the nod for a few more games until ND can prove itself against tougher competition.

If we win the next 3 and we aren't in a top 4 spot, I'll maybe start complaining but there is still a whole lotta football left.

Personally, I think Ohio State is ranked where they are based on "eye test" that tells you visually and statistically they're way better than what they showed the first two weeks of the season and they're crushing bad competition right now. In advanced stats, they're arguably better than Bama.

I think Clemson is ranked where they are based strictly on their name and the fact that they're defending national champions.

Regardless, neither has a resume close to ND's right now and I hope the CFP committee isn't as dumb as poll voters.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

I just laugh at the one guy on college football final who was trying to say the win over USC wasn't that big of a deal it was expected, but yet he is trying to say Michigan has this all mighty defense and what Penn State did against them was impressive. First off who has Michigan played that even has a decent offense? I look at their schedule and no body has a great offense

 

[GoldenDomer]

I just laugh at the one guy on college football final who was trying to say the win over USC wasn't that big of a deal it was expected, but yet he is trying to say Michigan has this all mighty defense and what Penn State did against them was impressive. First off who has Michigan played that even has a decent offense? I look at their schedule and no body has a great offense

Don Brown the defensive wizard. Send pressure of every snap and play man coverage behind it; such an innovator.

Michigan is mediocre. They have at least two more losses coming down the pipe.

 

[BobbyMac]

 

[IrishLion]

Personally, I think Ohio State is ranked where they are based on "eye test" that tells you visually and statistically they're way better than what they showed the first two weeks of the season and they're crushing bad competition right now. In advanced stats, they're arguably better than Bama.

I think Clemson is ranked where they are based strictly on their name and the fact that they're defending national champions.

Regardless, neither has a resume close to ND's right now and I hope the CFP committee isn't as dumb as poll voters.

If I were a betting man, and if the first CFP rankings were tomorrow night, I'd bet that the committee has ND as one of the first two out.

They've got the resume, and they've got style points against quality competition. BC, MSU and USC are HUGE style-point games, and the committee loves them some style points.

See also: ratings and buzz. They would pump the ND/NCState game as an impending "elimination" game, thus priming the next week's show for bigger ratings.

 

[irishfan]

If we win this coming week, we will be #5 IMO in the initial CFP rankings. Using the AP Poll, I think we will be ahead of Wisconsin/Miami due to their schedules. We will be ahead of whoever the PSU/OSU loser is. I believe they will put us over Clemson as well, but we will see.

 

[Kingbish01]

We win out we're in, I don't care if the polls showed us ranked 17th right now. It's entertainment yes, but still a big business. It would never make business sense to snub a money maker like ND.

 

[BobbyMac]

Personally, I think Ohio State is ranked where they are based on "eye test" that tells you visually and statistically they're way better than what they showed the first two weeks of the season and they're crushing bad competition right now. In advanced stats, they're arguably better than Bama.

I think Clemson is ranked where they are based strictly on their name and the fact that they're defending national champions.

Regardless, neither has a resume close to ND's right now and I hope the CFP committee isn't as dumb as poll voters.

This is the question.

What is the committee's mission statement as to how they pick the four teams? Is there any set of listed criteria they are asked to observe in selecting?

Also, I think you nailed it with OSU and Clemson. Deshaun Watson isn't coming out that tunnel anymore and many are voting like he is. He was one of those rare guys that allowed you to beat anyone, like a Vince Young. Without him, they are a #6-#10 team.

OSU on their best day is the team I think matches up with Bama the best. Right behind them I'd put UGA, PSU and ND. All ND needs to beat anybody on any given night is Wimbush to consistently hit the hitch route to Claypool on the first play of SC and the wheel route to Mack. If those type of plays become automatic, everybody is a potential victim.

 

[IrishLion]

and the wheel route to Mack.

They get closer to hitting this every week. Inch by inch, literally.

Mack probably should've pulled it in this week, but it was two inches too far.

They'll hook it up against NC State at an opportune time.

 

[Blaise]

Also remember the AP and Coaches polls adjust once the PC has their first rankings..

I can't remember which year, but the first rankings came out and the AP had a team ranked 16, the PC had them 8 and the next week the AP had them in the top 8..

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Projecting ND in Citrus Bowl 1/1/18 vs. LSU.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...for-last-playoff-spot/ar-AAtWqNX?ocid=U142DHP

 

[zelezo vlk]

Projecting ND in Citrus Bowl 1/1/18 vs. LSU.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...for-last-playoff-spot/ar-AAtWqNX?ocid=U142DHP

I think that's a game that ND would dominate. I don't think Orgeron is gonna keep LSU at a NY6 pace though. I see the Tigers losing to Bama (obvi) and probably the Aggies.

 

[ACamp1900]

Prob going to the Sun Bowl this year... could have worse match-ups than Va Tech/Utah I suppose.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Andy Staples has a very very interesting top 4

https://www.si.com/college-football/video/2017/10/23/college-football-playoff-projections-penn-state-continues-climb-after-throttling-michigan

<iframe src='//players.brightcove.net/2157889318001/default_default/index.html?videoId=5622405261001' allowfullscreen frameborder=0></iframe>

Edit:
Changed link to the SI website rather than the Yahoo website

 

[ACamp1900]

Link won't work for me... well it does, but there isn't anything there aside from the title....??

 

[ab2cmiller]

Link won't work for me... well it does, but there isn't anything there aside from the title....??

Changed link to the SI website

 

[stlnd01]

No. 9 is fine for us right now. But root for Sparty and Troy, The U and Tree. Things are shaping up for there to be a pile of one-loss teams this year, and SOS will be key for us to emerge on top.

Right now, my biggest concern is that Bama and Georgia run the table, play a close SEC title game and both make it. Then we're left scrapping with three conference champs for two spots.

 

[ACamp1900]

No. 9 is fine for us right now. But root for Sparty and Troy, The U and Tree. Things are shaping up for there to be a pile of one-loss teams this year, and SOS will be key for us to emerge on top.

Right now, my biggest concern is that Bama and Georgia run the table, play a close SEC title game and both make it. Then we're left scrapping with three conference champs for two spots.

Which would be so stupid imo... the SEC title game should be a knockout in that scenario... nothing like taking a big game like that and saying 'it doesn't matter a lick'

 

[stlnd01]

Which would be so stupid imo... the SEC title game should be a knockout in that scenario... nothing like taking a big game like that and saying 'it doesn't matter a lick'

"S-E-C!"

Seriously though. If Georgia goes undefeated, loses close to Bama, and we make the playoffs and they don't, that's basically saying their win over us doesn't matter. Which isn't quite fair either.

 

[IrishLax]

Call me crazy but I think we actually want Georgia to lose. If Georgia loses any game and then loses to Bama then...

1. Bama
2. Big Ten champ
3. Overrated Big 12 team
4. ND

Is almost a stone cold guarantee. Where things get dicey would be if SEC has 2.