AP Top 25 (ND #11)

[BobbyMac]

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.

I'm with you on the SEC logic and I'm with you thinking Clemson is overrated BUT if they right the ship and go 12-1, with their very solid SOS, they share some key data points with ND that they could shine in. Would feel much better if the ACC champ had 2 losses or was Miami.

 

[Irish YJ]

I'm with you on the SEC logic and I'm with you thinking Clemson is overrated BUT if they right the ship and go 12-1, with their very solid SOS, they share some key data points with ND that they could shine in. Would feel much better if the ACC champ had 2 losses or was Miami.

Auburn gets both UGA and Bama at home. Things could get very interesting.

Clemson at 12-1 with ACC Champ is in unless ND's margin of victory over like teams is so overwhelming the voters can not overlook.

Our best bet/hope is that the Big 12 hoses each other. TCU has to go to both ISU and OK. I think OK takes care of them, then plays them again in the B12Cham if they don't stumble vs OKSt or WV. Lots of opportunity for these guys to screw each other since there's now W/E or N/S division.

In the PAC12, Washington worries me, but I think Stanford has a chance to beat them at home, which would help our SOS and possibly put Stanford in the PAC12 Champ if they can also take care of WSt

 

[nd_fan]

I have been reading ESPN articles and lot of these articles have been hyping up ND. I do not like this at all. I really want ND to be under the radar, away from all news hype and just keep winning. Putting us in the spotlight only puts us in unnecessary pressure to win at "all cost".

 

[Irish YJ]

I have been reading ESPN articles and lot of these articles have been hyping up ND. I do not like this at all. I really want ND to be under the radar, away from all news hype and just keep winning. Putting us in the spotlight only puts us in unnecessary pressure to win at "all cost".

on a positive note, it does impact the CFP voters though

 

[BobbyMac]

Auburn gets both UGA and Bama at home. Things could get very interesting.

Clemson at 12-1 with ACC Champ is in unless ND's margin of victory over like teams is so overwhelming the voters can not overlook.

Our best bet/hope is that the Big 12 hoses each other. TCU has to go to both ISU and OK. I think OK takes care of them, then plays them again in the B12Cham if they don't stumble vs OKSt or WV. Lots of opportunity for these guys to screw each other since there's now W/E or N/S division.

In the PAC12, Washington worries me, but I think Stanford has a chance to beat them at home, which would help our SOS and possibly put Stanford in the PAC12 Champ if they can also take care of WSt

I'm with you. There's all kinds of worrisome scenarios. The odds are 3 of them won't happen IF the Irish take care of business but there's still plenty of them to trust to a bunch of idiots locked in a conference room.

The one that doesn't worry me is UDub. If they are 12-1, ND is in over them all day. They looked soooo bad here in Tempe vs Sparky and their SOS is gonna blow chunks.

 

[ickythump1225]

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.

We are helping UGA way more at this point than vice versa. The playoff committee doesn't really seem to care about "good losses" and at this point even UGA loses a game now and then loses the SECCG that will still be a "good loss" anyway. It is time to cheer for UGA to lose a game. Or Alabama, and then cheer for UGA to beat them. Either way we need the 2nd best SEC team to be cleanly eliminated with 2 losses.

 

[Irish YJ]

I'm with you. There's all kinds of worrisome scenarios. The odds are 3 of them won't happen IF the Irish take care of business but there's still plenty of them to trust to a bunch of idiots locked in a conference room.

The one that doesn't worry me is UDub. If they are 12-1, ND is in over them all day. They looked soooo bad here in Tempe vs Sparky and their SOS is gonna blow chunks.

UDub has the opportunity though to beat Stanford and USC worse than we did. USC would be on a neutral field too. Doubt it happens, but still one of the many possibilities and they do have the number one D right now.

Just me being a worrier lol.

 

[stlnd01]

UDub has the opportunity though to beat Stanford and USC worse than we did. USC would be on a neutral field too. Doubt it happens, but still one of the many possibilities and they do have the number one D right now.

Just me being a worrier lol.

I guess if USC wins out and makes the PAC 12 title game they'd count as a quality win, but its hard to see anyone getting MORE points for beating them than we did this week. USC's kind of damaged goods at this point.
The opposite is true with Stanford, of course. U Dub could knock Stanford out of the "perceived quality win" category before we play the . I just don't think U Dub is all that good.

 

[stlnd01]

Obviously a lot of football to play, but 11-1 teams that get in ahead of 11-1 Notre Dame, IMO:

Georgia
Alabama
Clemson
Oklahoma
Ohio State

Mostly because they'd all have at least one win that - if their marquee opponents generally hold serve - is probably going to be better than any of our wins. Except Clemson but they're defending national champs.
Obviously this could change. If, say Georgia just destroys Alabama, or Ohio State's one loss is to MSU and Penn State loses a couple. Or if we beat NC State and Miami more impressively than Clemson.
But if all the likely things happen, we don't make it. The beauty of college football is all the likely things never happen.

 

[jspags10pg]

I guess if USC wins out and makes the PAC 12 title game they'd count as a quality win, but its hard to see anyone getting MORE points for beating them than we did this week. USC's kind of damaged goods at this point.
The opposite is true with Stanford, of course. U Dub could knock Stanford out of the "perceived quality win" category before we play the . I just don't think U Dub is all that good.

Stanford's not all that good either. I think Washington and Stanford will be a good game. Costello looks like he should be the starter for Stanford tho and he could make a big difference in their offense but so far this year, I'm not real impressed with Stanford or their defense. I also hope they lose out. USC too. MSU, Miami, and NC State can be our quality wins. I'd be fine with that. NC State can win the ACC too.

 

[Irish YJ]

Stanford's not all that good either. I think Washington and Stanford will be a good game. Costello looks like he should be the starter for Stanford tho and he could make a big difference in their offense but so far this year, I'm not real impressed with Stanford or their defense. I also hope they lose out. USC too. MSU, Miami, and NC State can be our quality wins. I'd be fine with that. NC State can win the ACC too.

I think Stanford is improving / starting to gel. They are definitely pesky and Love always give them a threat.

All I can say that it will be really fun watching all the scenarios play out if ND keeps winning!

Just win baby!!

AND WIN BIG

 

[Irish YJ]

Obviously a lot of football to play, but 11-1 teams that get in ahead of 11-1 Notre Dame, IMO:

Georgia
Alabama
Clemson
Oklahoma
Ohio State

Mostly because they'd all have at least one win that - if their marquee opponents generally hold serve - is probably going to be better than any of our wins. Except Clemson but they're defending national champs.
Obviously this could change. If, say Georgia just destroys Alabama, or Ohio State's one loss is to MSU and Penn State loses a couple. Or if we beat NC State and Miami more impressively than Clemson.
But if all the likely things happen, we don't make it. The beauty of college football is all the likely things never happen.

I think Penn St too if they lose a close one and still end up winning the B10. Would take a lot of other things to happen in their division, but possible.

 

[dwshade]

"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.

This isn't about "fair." Committee looks at the entirety of the season. Personally I don't think they really want two teams from the same conference in the playoffs. But who knows. Usually all these scenarios we dream up have a way of working themselves out. Georgia could easily lose on the road at Auburn and makes this a moot point.

 

[dwshade]

Auburn gets both UGA and Bama at home. Things could get very interesting.

Clemson at 12-1 with ACC Champ is in unless ND's margin of victory over like teams is so overwhelming the voters can not overlook.

Our best bet/hope is that the Big 12 hoses each other. TCU has to go to both ISU and OK. I think OK takes care of them, then plays them again in the B12Cham if they don't stumble vs OKSt or WV. Lots of opportunity for these guys to screw each other since there's now W/E or N/S division.

In the PAC12, Washington worries me, but I think Stanford has a chance to beat them at home, which would help our SOS and possibly put Stanford in the PAC12 Champ if they can also take care of WSt

How about Georgia loses at Auburn but then beats Bama in SEC title game. Think Bama is out of the playoffs in that scenario. No way do I see this Clemson team at 12-1. They don't have the magic of DeShaun Watson this year. Think they lose at NC State and could even lose this week to Georgia Tech. Any one loss Big 12 championship team will be behind us. No love for that conference. Not worried about Washington. Their loss to ASU was a bad one. Only sure thing right now is SEC champ and Big 10 champ are in playoffs.

 

[Irish YJ]

How about Georgia loses at Auburn but then beats Bama in SEC title game. Think Bama is out of the playoffs in that scenario. No way do I see this Clemson team at 12-1. They don't have the magic of DeShaun Watson this year. Think they lose at NC State and could even lose this week to Georgia Tech. Any one loss Big 12 championship team will be behind us. No love for that conference. Not worried about Washington. Their loss to ASU was a bad one. Only sure thing right now is SEC champ and Big 10 champ are in playoffs.

Don't agree on Bama, and think OK stands a 50/50 chance of getting in before us. OK's quality wins would be pretty good at the end of the season.

 

[stlnd01]

This isn't about "fair." Committee looks at the entirety of the season. Personally I don't think they really want two teams from the same conference in the playoffs. But who knows. Usually all these scenarios we dream up have a way of working themselves out. Georgia could easily lose on the road at Auburn and makes this a moot point.

Sure but when the entirety of the season includes a head-to-head win, it's hard to ignore. ND and Georgia could certainly both make it, but hard to see a scenario where ND makes it and a one-loss Georgia does not.

But yeah quite possibly they lose first. Most teams do.

 

[wizards8507]

This isn't about "fair." Committee looks at the entirety of the season. Personally I don't think they really want two teams from the same conference in the playoffs. But who knows. Usually all these scenarios we dream up have a way of working themselves out. Georgia could easily lose on the road at Auburn and makes this a moot point.

If Alabama and Georgia both get in, they'll slide Georgia into #3 so they're in opposite semifinals.

 

[stlnd01]

Don't agree on Bama, and think OK stands a 50/50 chance of getting in before us. OK's quality wins would be pretty good at the end of the season.

That's the thing. Unless Miami somehow runs the table, we probably won't finish with a win over a top ten team, because everyone else we beat would have at least two losses. Oklahoma could well deliver the only loss to both Ohio State and TCU. Their resume, top-end anyway, looks better than ours at that point.

 

[dwshade]

Don't agree on Bama, and think OK stands a 50/50 chance of getting in before us. OK's quality wins would be pretty good at the end of the season.

If Bama wins out but loses the SEC championship game they will be out and Georgia (presumably) would be in. In effect that's a playoff game.

 

[wizards8507]

If Bama wins out but loses the SEC championship game they will be out and Georgia (presumably) would be in. In effect that's a playoff game.

I'll bet anyone $100 that if Alabama and Georgia meet undefeated and the game is within 10 points, they both get in.

 

[woolybug25]

I'll bet anyone $100 that if Alabama and Georgia meet undefeated and the game is within 10 points, they both get in.

Agreed. UGA is a double edged sword for us.

The best thing for us obviously is for Bama to get upset during the season and then having UGA beat them in the SEC championship. Not likely, but weirder things have happened.

 

[wizards8507]

Agreed. UGA is a double edged sword for us.

The best thing for us obviously is for Bama to get upset during the season and then having UGA beat them in the SEC championship. Not likely, but weirder things have happened.

Or if Georgia blows them out.

 

[GATTACA!]

I'll bet anyone $100 that if Alabama and Georgia meet undefeated and the game is within 10 points, they both get in.

I don't see it with a Georgia loss. They aren't going to want a rematch and I don't see how they justify only dropping Georgia 1 spot from 2 to 3 assuming they are even at 2 by that point.

Edit: Thinking about it i'm not sure Alabama does either. They would have the same record as us (basically 12-1/13-1), less impressive wins, and at best an equal loss. I don't see how they can include them and not us but there's zero chance they only include 2 P5 conferences in the playoffs.

 

[woolybug25]

I don't see it with a Georgia loss. They aren't going to want a rematch and I don't see how they justify only dropping Georgia 1 spot from 2 to 3 assuming they are even at 2 by that point.

Edit: Thinking about it i'm not sure Alabama does either. They would have the same record as us (basically 12-1/13-1), less impressive wins, and at best an equal loss. I don't see how they can include them and not us but there's zero chance they only include 2 P5 conferences in the playoffs.

They’re not gonna put an 11-1 ND team in over a 12-1 UGA team that beat us at home and lost a close one to the #1 team on a neutral field.

 

[dwshade]

I'll bet anyone $100 that if Alabama and Georgia meet undefeated and the game is within 10 points, they both get in.

If Bama loses in that scenario they are out. And that I would bet on that. I'd even go to 1000 dollars.

 

[GATTACA!]

They’re not gonna put an 11-1 ND team in over a 12-1 UGA team that beat us at home and lost a close one to the #1 team on a neutral field.

Championship weekend it's

#1 Alabama

#2 Ohio State/PSU

#3 Georgia

#4 ND

#5 Oklahoma

Alabama comfortably beats Georgia by 10. OSU/PSU destroys Wisconsin. ND is idle. Oklahoma wins easily against TCU/OKST by 3 scores.

What do you think happens?

 

[NDRock]

Championship weekend it's

#1 Alabama

#2 Ohio State/PSU

#3 Georgia

#4 ND

#5 Oklahoma

Alabama comfortably beats Georgia by 10. OSU/PSU destroys Wisconsin. ND is idle. Oklahoma wins easily against TCU/OKST by 3 scores.

What do you think happens?

We play the loser of the PSU/OSU game in the Rose Bowl.

Edit: Looks like the Rose Bowl is a playoff game this year.

 

[GATTACA!]

We play the loser of the PSU/OSU game in the Rose Bowl.

Edit: Looks like the Rose Bowl is a playoff game this year.

 

[dad4aa]

I cannot see the playoff committee advancing both Alabama and Georgia for several reasons but mostly because
1) you cannot advance a team to the playoffs that just lost...I don't care how close the game was
2) no one wants to see the same game played three weeks later and
3) there is still a component of revenue/viewer share in the decision (whether they admit it or not) and Notre Dame draws in everyone because you either love them and want to see them win or you hate them and want to see them lose

 

[Buster Bluth]

I cannot see the playoff committee advancing both Alabama and Georgia for several reasons but mostly because
1) you cannot advance a team to the playoffs that just lost...I don't care how close the game was
2) no one wants to see the same game played three weeks later and
3) there is still a component of revenue/viewer share in the decision (whether they admit it or not) and Notre Dame draws in everyone because you either love them and want to see them win or you hate them and want to see them lose

We've already seen a rematch under the previous system, there is no reason to believe that Georgia (or especially Alabama) couldn't stay in the top four with a loss in the SEC Championship.