ND's Path to the 2015 Playoffs

[Booslum31]

Stanford has to take care of business until they play us too.

 

[NorthDakota]

If FSU were to win out that would include wins at Clemson and at Florida on top of winning a conference championship game. That would be a very respectable resume...just playing Devils advocate.

Very respectable. But let's be real. Notre Dame moves television ratings a lot more than Florida State.

 

[ThePiombino]

Very respectable. But let's be real. Notre Dame moves television ratings a lot more than Florida State.

Playoff Committee could give a shit less about TV ratings. Let's be real.

 

[Irish YJ]

Regardless of what FSU does, they lost to a team that ND smacked around...

Today was a beautiful day of football except for the fact the Vols gave another 4Q lead away... FSU goes down, Utah goes down... Two undefeated teams, both getting beat by teams ND beat. Nice little SoS boost to go with clearing a couple teams out of the way...

GT/FSU ending was nothing short of delicious. FSU receivers didn't do anything to help EG.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

This week worked. Temple, Pitt, and Stanford won, FSU lost, and Utah got humiliated. Before I go any further, to quote our boy GeorgiaDomer: TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS!!!!!!!!

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Playoff Committee could give a shit less about TV ratings. Let's be real.

And that's how osu wiggle into the playoffs last year?

Oh wait.

Money over everything.

 

[Freeman Ara]

In my opinion here is the best case scenario and easiest road to the playoffs:
Clemson wins out-undefeated Acc Champion
LSU wins out-undefeated Sec Champion.
Sparty beats tOSU, wins out. tOSU then loses in Ann Arbor.
Carnage ensues in the Big 12 and everyone ends with two losses, or Oklahoma is the only team with one loss.
Utah picks up a second loss at anytime or loses in PAC12 title game.

Playoff would be ND, Clemson, MSU,LSU.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

My only concern there is 11-1 going up against 11-1 Clemson for the #4 spot if it came down to it. I don't think I could put ND over Clemson there even if we have the more impressive schedule in the end. I think the Big-12 purging itself is really ND's best chance unless the B1G ends up with OSU/MSU/Michigan all finishing 7-1 in the conference and 1-1 against each other.

Every year though it seems like there will be a bunch of undefeated teams and it never happens so who knows. ND may be in comfortably at 11-1.

It depends on who you have beating Clemson. A late season loss is worse than an early season loss. If it is to WF, Syracuse, or especially SC, we should be rated higher. Remember Clemson still plays FSU, in addition, and if they make it, has the ACC Championship Game. They could still be a two loss team. But if they blow everybody out, they bring us along with us (if we go 11-1) having only a two-point, early season, quality loss.

ND beating Stanford late, with how their stock is rising, is the independent equalizer!

Postscript : Ya'll shouldn't overlook Baylor. The kid they are putting in has quite a bit of potential!

 

[woolybug25]

In my opinion here is the best case scenario and easiest road to the playoffs:
Clemson wins out-undefeated Acc Champion
LSU wins out-undefeated Sec Champion.
Sparty beats tOSU, wins out. tOSU then loses in Ann Arbor.
Carnage ensues in the Big 12 and everyone ends with two losses, or Oklahoma is the only team with one loss.
Utah picks up a second loss at anytime or loses in PAC12 title game.

Playoff would be ND, Clemson, MSU,LSU.

I have no idea who you are, didn't read your post, but had to comment on your profile.

1) you have been here since 06'. #oldguard
2) you have posted less than 900 times in almost a decade. Koon does that in an hour.
3) you're so old school, that your user name references a post season (BCS) that we haven't seen in almost two years.
4) you have over $30 trillion in your bank roll.

Are you a wizard?

 

[Freeman Ara]

I have no idea who you are, didn't read your post, but had to comment on your profile.

1) you have been here since 06'. #oldguard
2) you have posted less than 900 times in almost a decade. Koon does that in an hour.
3) you're so old school, that your user name references a post season (BCS) that we haven't seen in almost two years.
4) you have over $30 trillion in your bank roll.

Are you a wizard?

Yeah I read this site everyday but rarely feel motivated to post, mainly here for recruiting info and pure entertainment mostly. Compounding interest is awesome!!!!

 

[Irish YJ]

we REALLY need Stanford to win @ conference undefeated WSU next game. Utah will likely run the table. @ AZ and home against the Bruins. Should be Stanford out of the North and Utah from the South.

 

[kmoose]

In my hypothetical Stanford did not win the Pac-12 championship.

But we're talking "at the time" wins? Stanford would likely be a Top Ten team when we play them.

Win out, and ND will be 4-1 against the Top 25, at the time they played them.

Georgia Tech #14
Clemson #12
Temple #22*
Pitt #25*
Stanford #10*

*- according the week 8 rankings.

 

[irishfan]

It depends on who you have beating Clemson. A late season loss is worse than an early season loss. If it is to WF, Syracuse, or especially SC, we should be rated higher. Remember Clemson still plays FSU, in addition, and if they make it, has the ACC Championship Game. They could still be a two loss team. But if they blow everybody out, they bring us along with us (if we go 11-1) having only a two-point, early season, quality loss.

ND beating Stanford late, with how their stock is rising, is the independent equalizer!

Postscript : Ya'll shouldn't overlook Baylor. The kid they are putting in has quite a bit of potential!

I'm just being realistic about the whole thing. They're not losing to Wake or Syracuse since those teams are terrible. They have tiny chances of losing at NC State or South Carolina, but FSU looks like the only game to me they won't be favored by 10+.

 

[IrishinSyria]

I think Ole Miss winning out would really help the Irish. They still control their destiny in the SEC, and it's really hard for me to see a 2 loss SEC champion getting in over a 1 loss ND.

 

[wizards8507]

Clemson wins out-undefeated Acc Champion

Or Clemson loses twice, taking themselves out of contention entirely.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I think Ole Miss winning out would really help the Irish. They still control their destiny in the SEC, and it's really hard for me to see a 2 loss SEC champion getting in over a 1 loss ND.

Not hard for me to see at all. Love (SEC+ESPN) always finds a way.

 

[Cackalacky]

Sorry....a 2 loss SEC champ gets in. The only way I see them not getting in is if they are ranked outside the top 6 after they win the championship. There will always be a SEC team ranked in the top 5 though...

 

[Freeman Ara]

Or Clemson loses twice, taking themselves out of contention entirely.

Why would we want Clemson to lose? Clemson winning out is more likely and would eliminate every other one loss ACC team. Who cares if they get in, if you think we could beat them on a neutral field. Same with LSU, they win out they take care of Alabama and UF. Our biggest concern is an undefeated BIG12 team.

 

[gkIrish]

But we're talking "at the time" wins? Stanford would likely be a Top Ten team when we play them.

Win out, and ND will be 4-1 against the Top 25, at the time they played them.

Georgia Tech #14
Clemson #12
Temple #22*
Pitt #25*
Stanford #10*

*- according the week 8 rankings.

And Oklahoma's record against the top 25 at the time would be 5-0:

#23 Tennessee
#23 West Virginia
#2 Baylor*
#4 TCU*
#14 Oklahoma St.*

*week 8 as well

What looks better? Tennessee and WVU cancel out Temple and Pitt.
Oklahoma St. cancels Georgia Tech

So we are comparing wins over #2 and #4 to #10.

Obviously they have a worse loss but I think their two elite wins would easily trump, especially if Texas turns things around and that loss doesn't look as bad.

This was just a random hypothetical--really have no desire to debate this further.

 

[wizards8507]

Why would we want Clemson to lose? Clemson winning out is more likely and would eliminate every other one loss ACC team. Who cares if they get in, if you think we could beat them on a neutral field. Same with LSU, they win out they take care of Alabama and UF. Our biggest concern is an undefeated BIG12 team.

Clemson losing twice wouldn't just eliminate Clemson, it would also eliminate the entire ACC. We need two conferences eliminated. The Pac will take care of itself by having a two loss champion. The SEC and Big 10 are probably in. The Big 12 makes me nervous because somebody is going to get out of there undefeated or with one loss and I'm not confident that we get in over a one loss champ even though I think we ought to. The benefit of the ACC losing a playoff slot is MUCH better than the cost of two Clemson losses to our SOS.

 

[Freeman Ara]

Clemson losing twice wouldn't just eliminate Clemson, it would also eliminate the entire ACC. We need two conferences eliminated. The Pac will take care of itself by having a two loss champion. The SEC and Big 10 are probably in. The Big 12 makes me nervous because somebody is going to get out of there undefeated or with one loss and I'm not confident that we get in over a one loss champ even though I think we ought to. The benefit of the ACC losing a playoff slot is MUCH better than the cost of two Clemson losses to our SOS.

So if you want Clemson to drop to 2 games then one of those losses come at FSU if we are being realistic.Which would almost cancel out the current tire breaker that GT just gave us. FSU could go on run the table and have wins over Clemson who will be a top 5 and UF, who could be the possible SEC Champion out at least represent the East.

We need a help from the BIG12 no matter what. But I like to think that if they all get at least one loss then winning our last game over 4th ranked Stanford gets us in.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Clemson losing twice wouldn't just eliminate Clemson, it would also eliminate the entire ACC. We need two conferences eliminated. The Pac will take care of itself by having a two loss champion. The SEC and Big 10 are probably in. The Big 12 makes me nervous because somebody is going to get out of there undefeated or with one loss and I'm not confident that we get in over a one loss champ even though I think we ought to. The benefit of the ACC losing a playoff slot is MUCH better than the cost of two Clemson losses to our SOS.

I don't think FSU is necessarily out of the picture at this point.

 

[GATTACA!]

Clemson losing twice wouldn't just eliminate Clemson, it would also eliminate the entire ACC. We need two conferences eliminated. The Pac will take care of itself by having a two loss champion. The SEC and Big 10 are probably in. The Big 12 makes me nervous because somebody is going to get out of there undefeated or with one loss and I'm not confident that we get in over a one loss champ even though I think we ought to. The benefit of the ACC losing a playoff slot is MUCH better than the cost of two Clemson losses to our SOS.

The injury to Baylors QB could be huge for us. If they could lose a game and take out TCU that might be all the help we need.

 

[Cackalacky]

Clemson losing twice wouldn't just eliminate Clemson, it would also eliminate the entire ACC. We need two conferences eliminated. The Pac will take care of itself by having a two loss champion. The SEC and Big 10 are probably in. The Big 12 makes me nervous because somebody is going to get out of there undefeated or with one loss and I'm not confident that we get in over a one loss champ even though I think we ought to. The benefit of the ACC losing a playoff slot is MUCH better than the cost of two Clemson losses to our SOS.

This not true. You are assuming that the Committee will not consider or completely disregard a two loss conference champion. I wholly disagree

 

[wizards8507]

This not true. You are assuming that the Committee will not consider or completely disregard a two loss conference champion. I wholly disagree

If a two loss champ has any shot of getting in ahead of us at 11-1, then we're screwed. Not just this year but every year.

 

[Cackalacky]

If a two loss champ has any shot of getting in ahead of us at 11-1, then we're screwed. Not just this year but every year.

No shit....

 

[IrishinSyria]

Sorry....a 2 loss SEC champ gets in. The only way I see them not getting in is if they are ranked outside the top 6 after they win the championship. There will always be a SEC team ranked in the top 5 though...

I don't think so. Say Clempson, Ohio State, and Baylor are undefeated. We beat Stanford, who goes on to win the Pac-12. I don't think an SEC winning Ole Miss is in in that scenario. If anything, we'd have to be worried about an undefeated Memphis, who had a convincing win over the SEC champ on their belt.

 

[Dizzyphil]

I don't think FSU is necessarily out of the picture at this point.

I think FSU is out by the end of the year with the match-up against Florida.

 

[irishff1014]

I think FSU is out by the end of the year with the match-up against Florida.

I agree.

 

[Dizzyphil]

I agree.

FSU actually matches up better against Clemson. Golson will probably be more mobile against them and so far, mobile QBs are giving Clemson D fits. FSU may - MAY beat Clemson but I really don't think FSU can beat Florida.