Rivals Early Bowl Predictions
- Thread starter phork
- Start date
Sherm Sticky
The Prophet
- Messages
- 19,321
- Reaction score
- 1,638
SMH at you Rivals
- Messages
- 20,894
- Reaction score
- 8,126
It's not unreasonable. Most bookies have put our O/U on wins at 9.5. If we win 9, that's a solid prediction. If we win 10, we're in a BCS game.
Given the choice between 9 or 10 wins, I can't blame outside analysts for being a little bearish on us. The Irish haven't lived up to expectations in quite a long time.
Given the choice between 9 or 10 wins, I can't blame outside analysts for being a little bearish on us. The Irish haven't lived up to expectations in quite a long time.
GoldenDomer87
New member
- Messages
- 165
- Reaction score
- 9
Exactly. Well said. I have us 9-3.
Fan of the Irish
New member
- Messages
- 290
- Reaction score
- 7
I think this is a good pre-season assumption for us to end up here. I don't think we will have a rematch with UM though.
IrishSteelhead
All Flair, No Substance
- Messages
- 11,114
- Reaction score
- 4,686
9-3 + Champs Bowl + mudhole stomping of Miami = Me like
Sherm Sticky
The Prophet
- Messages
- 19,321
- Reaction score
- 1,638
Ugg...that would mean 5 years in a row of playing Miami...It would take away from the luster of playing them in the regular season, especially in Chicago in 2012.
K
koonja
Guest
If that happened, what a way to restart the rivalry.
IrishSteelhead
All Flair, No Substance
- Messages
- 11,114
- Reaction score
- 4,686
That's what I'm thinking. Two bowl game blowouts heading into a regular season series would be great, and why not make it a clean sweep?
mick2
JRPG's are for nerds!
- Messages
- 2,108
- Reaction score
- 135
if were not gonna be in a bcs bowl, i'd like champs or gator bowl. i thought the champs sports bowl had a big ten affiliation tho?
i want a good matchup, against a school with some tradition. maybe a georgia, or penn state or tamu.
or
a matchup against one of the newer winning programs on the block like boise state, ok state, tcu even ucf!
i want a good matchup, against a school with some tradition. maybe a georgia, or penn state or tamu.
or
a matchup against one of the newer winning programs on the block like boise state, ok state, tcu even ucf!
Sherm Sticky
The Prophet
- Messages
- 19,321
- Reaction score
- 1,638
Champ sports bowl has a ACC-Big East affiliation.
Last edited:
mick2
JRPG's are for nerds!
- Messages
- 2,108
- Reaction score
- 135
so we would replace a big ten team as an at large then?
Sherm Sticky
The Prophet
- Messages
- 19,321
- Reaction score
- 1,638
Sorry mty mistake I ment Big East team not Big Ten. So we would replace a Big East team.
Honestly I would rather play and FSU or VA Tech in the game.
Riddickulous
"That" Guy
- Messages
- 16,866
- Reaction score
- 8,325
Incorrect.
We play Miami at Soldier Field in 2012, but our home-and-home is not until 2016/2017.
- Messages
- 20,894
- Reaction score
- 8,126
Champs Sports Bowl is the most likely destination if we finish 9-3.
Riddickulous
"That" Guy
- Messages
- 16,866
- Reaction score
- 8,325
I would be happy with a 9-3 record and the Champs Sports Bowl if we showed steady improvement throughout the year.
Sherm Sticky
The Prophet
- Messages
- 19,321
- Reaction score
- 1,638
My bad
GoldenDomer87
New member
- Messages
- 165
- Reaction score
- 9
I think Pitt is a stumbling block after a 3-0 start and the first time we beat both Mich and Mich St. since 2004. Air Force could be the other one. Arguably the best academy, this team can put up points. Navy and Air Force know how to run their offense and we didn't stop Navy last year. I don't think holding Army to 3 is a good example of a "fix." They just don't run the offense as smoothly as the other academies.
tommyIRISH23
Well-known member
- Messages
- 1,629
- Reaction score
- 156
I could be overly optimistic (which I do have a track record of being) but I feel like it would take some bad luck for us to lose 3 games this year. I.e. Michigan State fake field goal, or game changing injuries to more then 1 player.
I think ND should beat most of the teams on the schedule as of right now, except Stanford, but I don't see them being as good as they were last season, especially by the time we play them.
Now, I don't think any games are "gimme's" but I do think ND is due to win those close games it has lost for so long, and I think the defense is going to get better and better.
As BK said, the key is starting out fast, a 2-2 start would be a bad momentum killer. If they start out 3-1/4-0, and intact, theyll be tough to beat down the stretch, especially with Ishaq/Tuitt/Lynch contributing more and more as the season goes on. I only wish we had UM later in the season, because Lynch and Co.'s athleticism would be a big help when they are comfortable in their small, but strong roles. Man, I'd hate to game plan against our defense, you don't know what the hell is going to get thrown at you, so many options
I think ND should beat most of the teams on the schedule as of right now, except Stanford, but I don't see them being as good as they were last season, especially by the time we play them.
Now, I don't think any games are "gimme's" but I do think ND is due to win those close games it has lost for so long, and I think the defense is going to get better and better.
As BK said, the key is starting out fast, a 2-2 start would be a bad momentum killer. If they start out 3-1/4-0, and intact, theyll be tough to beat down the stretch, especially with Ishaq/Tuitt/Lynch contributing more and more as the season goes on. I only wish we had UM later in the season, because Lynch and Co.'s athleticism would be a big help when they are comfortable in their small, but strong roles. Man, I'd hate to game plan against our defense, you don't know what the hell is going to get thrown at you, so many options
phork
Raining On Your Parade
- Messages
- 9,863
- Reaction score
- 1,019
If you think about last years record at 8-5 with last second losses vs Michigan and MichiganSt, thats 10-3. The only games we were out of was Navy and Stanford. Should have let the kicker beat Tulsa instead of throwing it deep with your backup QB in. Could have been 11-2 last year.
Kelly went 12-0 with a bunch of 0-3 star football players. He is now coaching a bunch of 4 and 5 star players from top ten classes in the second year.
Stanford had incredible luck last year with no significant injuries to any starter. That won't happen again. They have to replace 3 offensive line players and some defensive players all the while dealing with a new coach.
I don't think they will be much a a problem. USC hates our guts and they have more talent than we have at almost every position. That is the only game I think we will have a problem with. Nevertheless, if we have no serious injuries to our starting players, no weather disasters, such as playing in a blizzard or a monsoon, and our backup players come through, I think we can be 12-0 going into the BCS season.
9-3 would be a major disappointment, as would 10-2.
Stanford had incredible luck last year with no significant injuries to any starter. That won't happen again. They have to replace 3 offensive line players and some defensive players all the while dealing with a new coach.
I don't think they will be much a a problem. USC hates our guts and they have more talent than we have at almost every position. That is the only game I think we will have a problem with. Nevertheless, if we have no serious injuries to our starting players, no weather disasters, such as playing in a blizzard or a monsoon, and our backup players come through, I think we can be 12-0 going into the BCS season.
9-3 would be a major disappointment, as would 10-2.
H
HereComeTheIrish
Guest
^^^^^ This
Not many due to conference tie-ins.
Champs gets the ACC #3 team vs the BE #2 but has the option to select ND once in a 4 year period. ND hasn't played there yet.
ND can be selected when a conference fails to provide enough bowl qualified teams to meet it's tie-in obligation. With 35 bowl games requiring 70 teams with 6 wins, ND should have some opportunities but those are wait and see.
Before the BCS, ND had the policy of playing the best team available in a bowl. The BCS (think SEC here) made sure that was blocked. The irony is that an ND team with a good record, 9-3 against a formidable schedule, can get shutout of a BCS game but get selected to play a "cupcake" when filling in where a conference fails to meet it's tie-in obligation. ND could end up playing 6-6 teams as better conference teams would have already filled higher conference bowl obligations.
Every year.