College Football Playoff Rankings 2015 (ND #8...)

[drayer54]

At the end of the day it really doesn't matter since one of Iowa/MSU will knock the other out. I really don't care if we end up 3 or 4. Either way we're in the playoffs.

My Hope is Iowa falls in Lincoln and then upsets in Indy.

That's the ND best case.

 

[Irish YJ]

AP and coaches poll are in lock step for top 8

1. Clemson
2. Bama
3. Iowa
4. ND
5. OU
6. MSU
7. Baylor
8. Ohio St.

Think the committee will look somewhat like this. If we beat Stanford we're in with Clemson, Bama (assuming those 2 win out) and MSU/Iowa winner. OU gets left out. Hopefully Okie State beat them next week anyway. I think Bama ve. Big Ten winner in Dallas and ND-Clemson in Miami.

I'd think that they will reward MichSt for a road win. OK could have easily lost at home. Iowa, while undefeated still won't pass their "eye" test.

We lucked out with Baylor winning or else we'd be sitting on the outside right now. I think we still may end of being 5 on Tuesday. Only things we have going for us is BC is a top D, and it was more or less a road win. We sure didn't look like a top 4 team, and lucky as hell to end up with a W with all of those TOs and drops.

 

[DillonHall]

My Hope is Iowa falls in Lincoln and then upsets in Indy.

That's the ND best case.

They could definitely lose to Nebraska this week

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

With CJ out, Josh not looking as good, and Russell now done it will be that much harder to beat Stanford. Especially, looking like we have against Wake and BC. I have a real bad feeling about the game.

The other part is that we look like we are playing tight, the pressure seems to be effecting us as well. The #4 ranking is taking a toll on our guys like season ending injuries.

I totally hope I am wrong, but the Wake and BC games. And I hope Kizer isn't hitting a wall either.

Overall, I am thankful that my favorite school and team are 10-1. Not pretty at all, but 10-1.

 

[drayer54]

These rankings don't matter much if Mccaffrey runs for 389 yards this week...

 

[Irish#1]

With CJ out, Josh not looking as good, and Russell now done it will be that much harder to beat Stanford. Especially, looking like we have against Wake and BC. I have a real bad feeling about the game.

The other part is that we look like we are playing tight, the pressure seems to be effecting us as well. The #4 ranking is taking a toll on our guys like season ending injuries.

I totally hope I am wrong, but the Wake and BC games. And I hope Kizer isn't hitting a wall either.

Overall, I am thankful that my favorite school and team are 10-1. Not pretty at all, but 10-1.

Politely disagree. I think the team has been going through the motions the last two games with their eye on the Stanford game. Fumbles and dropped balls are usually from a lack of concentration. Now that it's here, I expect focus to be sharp.

 

[Irish Insanity]

With a 3rd string QB and the 4th and 5th string RBs? Everyone!!

2nd string QB and 2nd and 3rd string RBs

Once again there are still a lot of games left before the finish line so anything is possible.

Actually there aren't.

I love how everyone has Alabama locked in at 2 when their resume really isn't any better than teams 3-8

The eye test down the stretch

At the end of the day it really doesn't matter since one of Iowa/MSU will knock the other out. I really don't care if we end up 3 or 4. Either way we're in the playoffs.

Not if we lose next week

 

[NDinBoston]

Using AP ranks here is a comparison of each team's Top 4 WINS and those opponents' records in all other games:

6. MSU = 35-5 (.875) - OSU (#8), MICH (#12), ORE (#18), USAF (#31)
4. ND = 34-6 (.850) - NAVY (#16), TEM (#25), PITT (#27), USC (#32)
1. CLEM = 33-7 (.825) - ND (#4), FSU (#14), NCSU, MIAMI
5. OKLA = 31-7 (.816) - BAY (#7), TCU (#15), TENN, WVU
2. ALA = 31-8 (.795) - MSU (#23), LSU (#28), TAMU (#29), WISC (#30)
3. IOWA = 30-10 (.750) - NW (#17), PITT (#27), WISC (#30), MINN
13. STAN = 29-11 (.725) - WSU (#20), UCLA (#22), USC (#32), CAL
9. OkSt = 27-12 (.690) - TCU (#15), WVU, TT, CMU
7. BAY = 26-12 (.684) - OkSt (#9), WVU, TT, KSU
8. OSU = 26-14 (.650) - NIU, PSU, VT, WMU

- MSU has a Top 10 win and 4 Top 30ish wins
- ND has 2 Top 25 and 4 Top 30ish wins
- CLEM has "best win" but only 2 Top 25 wins
- OKLA has 2 Top 25 wins but TCU may drop out soon
- ALA has only one Top 25 win and it is at #23 - all 4 wins are #23-30
- IOWA has 1 Top 25 and 3 Top 30 wins
- STAN has 2 Top 25 and 3 Top 30ish wins
- OkSt has 1 Top 25 win (TCU who may drop out soon)
- BAY has 1 Top 10 win
- OSU has no wins over Top 25 teams

ALA is all about the "eye test" but their schedule is starting to look a lot weaker. Maybe MSU and ND don't "look" as good because they are playing better teams.

Injuries are taking their toll on a lot of teams and who knows which injured players will play and how well in the next couple weeks.

I think OKLA is the most legit Big12 team but will lose some credit for beating BAY/TCU with backup QBs, and assuming they beat OkSt, they will have at least 2 losses.

ND has a great shot if they just take care of Stanford.

P.S. lol at ESPN having OkSt and BAY with #4 and #9 SOR.

 

[irishfanjho15]

We get a ton of credit for Texas- it's our ultimate trump card against Oklahoma, who is IMO the most dangerous team to our chances in the country.

G Tech has been nothing but a disaster all year.

The OP I replied to was about putting teams into a downward spiral. And GT was undefeated before we beat them.

 

[dwshade]

2nd string QB and 2nd and 3rd string RBs

Actually there aren't.


The eye test down the stretch


Not if we lose next week

"Not if we lose next week." I was taking that as a given not something that needed to be explained.

 

[IrishinSyria]

The OP I replied to was about putting teams into a downward spiral. And GT was undefeated before we beat them.

I know, it was my post. GT was what, the third game of the season? And they'd played two FCS squads before us? My point is that a downward spiral requires teams to be "up" in the first place, and GTech was never that this year.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Using AP ranks here is a comparison of each team's Top 4 WINS and those opponents' records in all other games:

6. MSU = 35-5 (.875) - OSU (#8), MICH (#12), ORE (#18), USAF (#31)
4. ND = 34-6 (.850) - NAVY (#16), TEM (#25), PITT (#27), USC (#32)
1. CLEM = 33-7 (.825) - ND (#4), FSU (#14), NCSU, MIAMI
5. OKLA = 31-7 (.816) - BAY (#7), TCU (#15), TENN, WVU
2. ALA = 31-8 (.795) - MSU (#23), LSU (#28), TAMU (#29), WISC (#30)
3. IOWA = 30-10 (.750) - NW (#17), PITT (#27), WISC (#30), MINN
13. STAN = 29-11 (.725) - WSU (#20), UCLA (#22), USC (#32), CAL
9. OkSt = 27-12 (.690) - TCU (#15), WVU, TT, CMU
7. BAY = 26-12 (.684) - OkSt (#9), WVU, TT, KSU
8. OSU = 26-14 (.650) - NIU, PSU, VT, WMU

- MSU has a Top 10 win and 4 Top 30ish wins
- ND has 2 Top 25 and 4 Top 30ish wins
- CLEM has "best win" but only 2 Top 25 wins
- OKLA has 2 Top 25 wins but TCU may drop out soon
- ALA has only one Top 25 win and it is at #23 - all 4 wins are #23-30
- IOWA has 1 Top 25 and 3 Top 30 wins
- STAN has 2 Top 25 and 3 Top 30ish wins
- OkSt has 1 Top 25 win (TCU who may drop out soon)
- BAY has 1 Top 10 win
- OSU has no wins over Top 25 teams

ALA is all about the "eye test" but their schedule is starting to look a lot weaker. Maybe MSU and ND don't "look" as good because they are playing better teams.

Injuries are taking their toll on a lot of teams and who knows which injured players will play and how well in the next couple weeks.

I think OKLA is the most legit Big12 team but will lose some credit for beating BAY/TCU with backup QBs, and assuming they beat OkSt, they will have at least 2 losses.

ND has a great shot if they just take care of Stanford.

P.S. lol at ESPN having OkSt and BAY with #4 and #9 SOR.

I'm not sure if top-4 opponent winning percentage is a metric anyone will look at, especially because 2 of our top 4 opponents play non-power 5 schedules.

 

[NDinBoston]

I'm not sure if top-4 opponent winning percentage is a metric anyone will look at, especially because 2 of our top 4 opponents play non-power 5 schedules.

That really is a good point, but so do the Big12 teams : ).

 

[IrishinSyria]

That really is a good point, but so do the Big12 teams : ).

yup, except for Oklahoma, who I think is the biggest (only) threat to us in the country (outside of stamford).

 

[GATTACA!]

Everyone predicting us to be in 5th have a serious lack of perspective. We will be 3rd. If we are 4th the o ly team that will have jumped us is Iowa. MSU lost to Nebraska and Oklahoma lost to Texas. Fuck this idea of an eye test it is completely irrelevant.

 

[Circa]

I'd think that they will reward MichSt for a road win. OK could have easily lost at home. Iowa, while undefeated still won't pass their "eye" test.

We lucked out with Baylor winning or else we'd be sitting on the outside right now. I think we still may end of being 5 on Tuesday. Only things we have going for us is BC is a top D, and it was more or less a road win. We sure didn't look like a top 4 team, and lucky as hell to end up with a W with all of those TOs and drops.

We'll be #3. Bama #1, Clemson #2 and The 4 spot is a crazy scenario, but I feel that MSU deserves and probably righteously so.

 

[pkt77242]

We'll be #3. Bama #1, Clemson #2 and The 4 spot is a crazy scenario, but I feel that MSU deserves and probably righteously so.

So now MSU is God's team?

 

[Circa]

So now MSU is God's team?

Haaa. They beat the defending Champs. Hard not to see that as spot on.

 

[BeauBenken]

Fact of the matter is as long as we are still in the top 4, we are fine. If not, then we should probably worry.

Rankings don't matter for either Iowa or MSU because if they do end up playing each other in the B1G championship game, the winner will be in the top 4, no doubt.

 

[dwshade]

We'll be #3. Bama #1, Clemson #2 and The 4 spot is a crazy scenario, but I feel that MSU deserves and probably righteously so.

Don't see any reason for Clemson to drop. Bama's win over LSU doesn't look as good after LSU's games with Arky and Ole Miss.

 

[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/CFBPlayoff">@CFBPlayoff</a> hopefuls vs. FBS w/ 8 or more Ws:

MSU (4)
ND (3)
Bama (3)
Iowa (3)
Clemson (2)
OU (2)
Baylor (1)
Ok. State (1)

<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BertschyBits?src=hash">#BertschyBits</a></p>— Michael Bertsch (@NDsidBertschy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDsidBertschy/status/668457244737069057">November 22, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

We gave up big plays to BC.. Literally the worst offense in the country. We dropped passes, threw inaccurately, made mental errors.. Etc etc. That whole game was a nightmare and if we had performed like that against a halfway decent offense we'd have lost by two scores.

We are incredibly inconsistent and seem to play up or down to our competition. During the game I was angrily yelling about how this team was not a playoff team and how Stanford is going to run through us...

But honestly, we'll probably come out and play a great game next week.. It's what we do. Even with KVR down we'll find a way to stuff David Shaw's offense when we need to and come out with a win.

I don't know how or why...

 

[Circa]

Don't see any reason for Clemson to drop. Bama's win over LSU doesn't look as good after LSU's games with Arky and Ole Miss.

I have nothing other than Charlotte Southern in a lopsided win to back me up.. You may be right but I just don't see them wanting us to play Bama in the semi's. They'll figure out a way.. If we beat Stanford, and everyone else wins out; to play Clemson in the semi's and figure out another money game.

 

[IrishinSyria]

I have nothing other than Charlotte Southern in a lopsided win to back me up.. You may be right but I just don't see them wanting us to play Bama in the semi's. They'll figure out a way.. If we beat Stanford, and everyone else wins out; to play Clemson in the semi's and figure out another money game.

If we get in we'll be 4th. and play Clempson.

 

[Circa]

We gave up big plays to BC.. Literally the worst offense in the country. We dropped passes, threw inaccurately, made mental errors.. Etc etc. That whole game was a nightmare and if we had performed like that against a halfway decent offense we'd have lost by two scores.

We are incredibly inconsistent and seem to play up or down to our competition. During the game I was angrily yelling about how this team was not a playoff team and how Stanford is going to run through us...

But honestly, we'll probably come out and play a great game next week.. It's what we do. Even with KVR down we'll find a way to stuff David Shaw's offense when we need to and come out with a win.

I don't know how or why...

Nailing a nail into the facts.. This could have been written in 78' at the Cotton Bowl; Montana flu.

 

[IrishinSyria]

We gave up big plays to BC.. Literally the worst offense in the country. We dropped passes, threw inaccurately, made mental errors.. Etc etc. That whole game was a nightmare and if we had performed like that against a halfway decent offense we'd have lost by two scores.

We are incredibly inconsistent and seem to play up or down to our competition. During the game I was angrily yelling about how this team was not a playoff team and how Stanford is going to run through us...

But honestly, we'll probably come out and play a great game next week.. It's what we do. Even with KVR down we'll find a way to stuff David Shaw's offense when we need to and come out with a win.

I don't know how or why...

Notre Dame's history would be even more renowned if some of our past teams had managed to sneak by BC in their bad games. I'll take playing down to the competition if it means a W.

 

[irishfan]

Predicting:

1) Clemson
2) Bama
3) Michigan State
4) Notre Dame
5) Oklahoma
6) Iowa

Really, you can make just about any argument for teams 3-6.

Also, Bama is looking at only have one win over a ranked opponent, but there a team were you can actually use the eye test on (as opposed to committee using the eye test on OSU). Only one of their wins has been by less than 13 points...

 

[ulukinatme]

This is the all important week. Nothing really matters after this, outside of some more chaos. If we don't get past Stanford we're not in anyway. Hopefully Oklahoma drops to Oklahoma State too, but my confidence level there isn't high. Maybe we stay ahead of them with a Stanford win, maybe not. I thought Oklahoma had the best chance in the Big 12 of getting in before us back in Week 7 and people said I was crazy. There's been a lot of Sooner talk lately though.

 

[GATTACA!]

Predicting:

1) Clemson
2) Bama
3) Michigan State
4) Notre Dame
5) Oklahoma
6) Iowa

Really, you can make just about any argument for teams 3-6.

Also, Bama is looking at only have one win over a ranked opponent, but there a team were you can actually use the eye test on (as opposed to committee using the eye test on OSU). Only one of their wins has been by less than 13 points...

MSU should not jump all the way to #3. #3 comes down to ND or Iowa.

 

[IrishinSyria]

MSU should not jump all the way to #3. #3 comes down to ND or Iowa.

Yeah, Sparty might very well get to 3 if they win the B1G, but not until then.