Path to the CFP?

[ND88]

What is more helpful to the program….a loss in the playoff when we (let’s be real) don’t deserve to be there or a win in a bowl solidifing a 10-12 win season? Not trying to be negative I just really want to know. Every time we have been embarrassed I’m the playoffs non ND fans seem to look at us as a team that took the spot of someone more deserving whereas when we win a bowl (other than the mandatory lol you won the Camping World Bowl jabs) the same people say “hey bowl games men’s nothing but that’s good momentum to take into next year. Just curious how y’all feel.

It hasn’t stopped the growth of the program. We continue to improve in recruiting and consistency, in spite of tough playoff losses.

Logically, no one wants an ugly loss in the playoffs. But the opportunity and experience to play for the highest crown is what you want as a program. Analytics be damned.

As for fans from other programs, it’s too bad they aren’t Notre Dame fans. Personally, I really don’t care what any of them have to say. As a fan, I’d rather see us compete with the best than go the lesser Adam Sandler route.

With that said, no shame in a NY6, which is most likely our path with that loss to Cincy.

 

[GATTACA!]

Cincy beat us if you don't remember and that will keep them above us.

The committee only cares about H2H when it benefits them. ND vs Cincinnati is easy economics for them.

 

[BeatSC]

I disagree on both. Bama plays Georgia tough in SECCG and they will stay in front of ND. Cincy beat us if you don't remember and that will keep them above us.

No way Bama losing and playing New Mexico State will get a two loss Bama in over us. Yes Cincy will need to lose one game and we will then jump them.

 

[BeatSC]

So Oklahoma loses so I guess that moves us up one. I think this weeks win doesn’t hurt but doesn’t help us. We missed multiple opportunities to make the win 42 or 49 - 3 which was easily in our sights but not Kelly who always takes his foot off the gas. Oregon looks like they will win. On to next week and at least we should move up another space with OSU and MSU going head to head.

 

[NDGOLDEN]

So Oklahoma loses so I guess that moves us up one. I think this weeks win doesn’t hurt but doesn’t help us. We missed multiple opportunities to make the win 42 or 49 - 3 which was easily in our sights but not Kelly who always takes his foot off the gas. Oregon looks like they will win. On to next week and at least we should move up another space with OSU and MSU going head to head.

At this point it doesn’t really matter if we have “statement wins” cause they aren’t gonna jump us over mich and mich st cause we beat up on a Virginia team that didn’t have their starting QB. Now we didn’t have 4 starters either but they will ignore that fact. Statement wins won’t really matter if everyone else is at 2 losses and we are sitting at 1 loss.

I think the only scenarios we need is Ohio st winning out beating mich and mich st. And if they lose in big ten championship game then even better. Georgia beating bama. There is absolutely no way the committee would put a 2 loss team in playoffs. If they do then they are setting a very dangerous precedent(SEC biased). We need Oregon to lose at least one more game. Then need Ok st and Ok split their games. And cincy winning out actually won’t hurt us cause the playoff would be Georgia. Ohio st. Cincy. ND.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

We will go 11-1, miss the playoffs and end up ranked 7

 

[Irish2155]

We will go 11-1, miss the playoffs and end up ranked 7

I don’t even think #7 is possible looking at who is ranked ahead and who they have left to play. Absolute worse case scenario for an 11-1 ND team is #6.

But who knows what this committee will do…??? The inconsistency and hypocrisy is mind boggling at times.

 

[ACamp1900]

Just win a big bowl game,… playoff or no. The list of teams that have won a NY6 since the last time ND won one is getting flat ridiculous. Time to end that shit

 

[Irish2155]

Just win a big bowl game

,… playoff or no. The list of teams that have won a NY6 since the last time ND won one is getting flat ridiculous. Time to end that shit

Play a little devil’s advocate here but what is a NY6 game anymore? Honestly. Since the playoff system, all the other bowls are nothing but a courtesy post-season game IMO…really doesn’t matter which one it is. Speaking from an ND fan perspective. Now if I were a Nebraska or Tennessee fan, winning a NY5 game might cream my pants, but that we are not.

I can’t tell you who played or won any of these so called big NY5 games. I can absolutely remember the playoff games though. Just a byproduct of the playoff era.

The recruiting aspect too…I get that a beat down in playoffs isn’t good when competing for talent with Bama or OSU, but at least we were there, in the mix for a National Championship, and not a courtesy game. If in the recruits shoes, I’d prefer a program playing consistently in the game that matter.

 

[Free Manera]

Play a little devil’s advocate here but what is a NY6 game anymore? Honestly. Since the playoff system, all the other bowls are nothing but a courtesy post-season game IMO…really doesn’t matter which one it is. Speaking from an ND fan perspective. Now if I were a Nebraska or Tennessee fan, winning a NY5 game might cream my pants, but that we are not.

I can’t tell you who played or won any of these so called big NY5 games. I can absolutely remember the playoff games though. Just a byproduct of the playoff era.

The recruiting aspect too…I get that a beat down in playoffs isn’t good when competing for talent with Bama or OSU, but at least we were there, in the mix for a National Championship, and not a courtesy game. If in the recruits shoes, I’d prefer a program playing consistently in the game that matter.

To me it means winning a former BCS bowl (Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, or Rose) or the Cotton Bowl.

ND has not won one of these since 1993 I believe. It is brought up every single year and it sucks.

The playoff bowls this year are the Cotton and Orange. Therefore I would love for ND to win one of the others and put that shit to bed.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

If we want to change the perception the only way to do that is go to the playoffs routinely and then win. I mean cmon… just go and just win!

 

[BabyIrish]

If we get in we likely are #4, so question: How good is Georgia, especially on offense? I assume there defense is probably the best out there, but is the offense lighting it up? Could our defense go toe to toe or would they get man handled?

 

[Irish2155]

To me it means winning a former BCS bowl (Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, or Rose) or the Cotton Bowl.

ND has not won one of these since 1993 I believe. It is brought up every single year and it sucks.

The playoff bowls this year are the Cotton and Orange. Therefore I would love for ND to win one of the others and put that shit to bed.

I get that. It gets old hearing folks bring up irrelevant points just to dig. But that’s all that they have and are called haters.

 

[BeatSC]

If we get in we likely are #4, so question: How good is Georgia, especially on offense? I assume there defense is probably the best out there, but is the offense lighting it up? Could our defense go toe to toe or would they get man handled?

We can handle their offense and our best chance to stay in that game would be creating TO’s with our D.
given our offensive sleep walking this week against one of the worst D’s in CFB our 28 points (sad) will get us jumped by Oklahoma state who scored 63 against a decent TCU D. That positions OK st to stay ahead of us if they win out. We had at least another 21 points out there for the taking and we didn’t try very hard to get it. We scored once in the second half! Coan shouldn’t have played a snap in the second half. TG he’s gone next year. Sorry but the guy brings new meaning to barely average.

 

[IrishLax]

If we get in we likely are #4, so question: How good is Georgia, especially on offense? I assume there defense is probably the best out there, but is the offense lighting it up? Could our defense go toe to toe or would they get man handled?

Their offense is top 5 but not "unstoppable" like LSU 2019 or Bama 2020. It's conceivable -- but unlikely -- that our defense could keep the score down.

Their defense is historically good and it's unlikely that ND would score more than 14 on them short of some crazy breaks. Georgia would likely be a 3+ TD favorite over ND, based on some "hypothetical" Vegas lines that were thrown around last week by a bookmaker.

 

[ACamp1900]

I think winning one of the NY6 non playoff game could def impact the program trajectory,… maybe I’m wrong but I’d love to find out

 

[Irish2155]

I think winning one of the NY6 non playoff game could def impact the program trajectory,… maybe I’m wrong but I’d love to find out

What if we lose? I’d argue that a meaningless bowl loss hurts more than anything

 

[BabyIrish]

What if we lose? I’d argue that a meaningless bowl loss hurts more than anything

Most bowl projections have us playing the ACC winner. I don’t think we’ll be losing that one but it’s obviously possible. If that happens we’ll finish 12-1 with a top 5 ranking. That’s great momentum into next season.

 

[House16]

To me it means winning a former BCS bowl (Fiesta, Orange, Sugar, or Rose) or the Cotton Bowl.

ND has not won one of these since 1993 I believe. It is brought up every single year and it sucks.

The playoff bowls this year are the Cotton and Orange. Therefore I would love for ND to win one of the others and put that shit to bed.

Well in that case we better hope either us or Cincy goes to the playoffs. If neither of us makes the playoff then Cincy contractually goes to the Fiesta and we play the ACC champ in the Peach. A Peach Bowl win doesn't do much for us with the one exception that ESPN can't show their stupid "Notre Dame in NY6 bowls" graphic. And to be clear, I really want to win the Peach Bowl for that very reason.

 

[Irish2155]

Most bowl projections have us playing the ACC winner. I don’t think we’ll be losing that one but it’s obviously possible. If that happens we’ll finish 12-1 with a top 5 ranking. That’s great momentum into next season.

Good point if true but still not sure what value add beating another shitty ACC team brings. Don’t think that does anything

 

[ACamp1900]

What if we lose? I’d argue that a meaningless bowl loss hurts more than anything

Always saddens me to see how little faith my fellow Irish fans have in our ability to win games,………

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

If we want to change the perception we need to beat the big dogs. End of story.

 

[NDdomer2]

Might just be me but in THIS year - give me the acc champ or big 12 champ/runner up in a NYE6.

I can just hear it now - "ya Georgia beat us by 20 but they beat the champ by 28 and we had (insert our litany of excuses)" it just comes off so terrible.

I wanna watch a game that I feel we have a chance to win is all.

 

[Dizzyphil]

Most bowl projections have us playing the ACC winner. I don’t think we’ll be losing that one but it’s obviously possible. If that happens we’ll finish 12-1 with a top 5 ranking. Thats great momentum into next season.

Don't get too excited about playing O$U next year.... they are returning damn near every starter and will be a lot better next year.

 

[ND88]

Always saddens me to see how little faith my fellow Irish fans have in our ability to win games,………

You could say the same about playoff games. I mean, the mentality should be the same for NY6 and the playoffs. Play to win.

 

[ND88]

Don't get too excited about playing O$U next year.... they are returning damn near every starter and will be a lot better next year.

We’ll be better too. I think the days of being “afraid” of OSU are numbered. They do know how to run up scores against lesser opponents. I’ll give them that.

 

[GATTACA!]

Might just be me but in THIS year - give me the acc champ or big 12 champ/runner up in a NYE6.

I can just hear it now - "ya Georgia beat us by 20 but they beat the champ by 28 and we had (insert our litany of excuses)" it just comes off so terrible.

I wanna watch a game that I feel we have a chance to win is all.

And I can also hear "ND has only one ONE NY6 game and it was against NCST. Congrats lol."

No one cares more about NY6 games than people on this board.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

You could say the same about playoff games. I mean, the mentality should be the same for NY6 and the playoffs. Play to win.

Right. Play to win the best games we can get into. If it’s the playoff then yes. If we get left out then the best game we can get in a bowl

 

[dad4aa]

Always saddens me to see how little faith my fellow Irish fans have in our ability to win games,………

Yet no one wants us in the CFP.

 

[Sea Turtle]

We’ll be better too. I think the days of being “afraid” of OSU are numbered. They do know how to run up scores against lesser opponents. I’ll give them that.

Yes, their coach doesn't think it's mean to win by more than 20. It looks good to the pollsters and to 5 star recruits.