The 2019 schedule is insane

[BabyIrish]

Yeah - Navy in San Diego and Syracuse in Yankee Stadium... totally can't imagine a way to cut any miles out of our schedule. ND is obsessed with creating an "event" as many weeks as possible out of the 12 game season. Dump Stanford and only hit Cali every other year and you got another big travel improvement plus one less PIA opponent to replace with a second tier P5 like Purdue or Northwestern or Maryland or Illinois or Indiana (and that is just the B1Got)

I am happy to see Bowling Green and New Mexico in 2019, IMO better low tier of the schedule than usual. We need a third on that level, IMO - I mean everyone else is playing two FCS teams every year before they even get to their FBS cupcakes. Consider their fan bases get to pay for those games in their season ticket packages - which are usually seven games, not six (and an eighth neutral site game for only 4 true road games). They pay for seven games and get one decent home game a year on average.

Here you’re talking about the 2018 schedule, which is I agree just a stupid schedule. In 2019 I think it’s much more balanced in terms of travel and opponent that still keeps us competitive and in the conversation. Even the tough stretch, has a bye in between USC and Ann Arbor being a short trek. Then you come back home with VT and who knows what kind of team they’ll actually have. This could all change however if we travel far for the shamrock game which hasn’t been announced yet for 19.

 

[RDU Irish]

When you start the year in the Top 10 you don't need to do anything other than win to "stay in the conversation". Coming off of a 3-9 year you need signature wins to jump into the conversation. "Getting there" and "staying there" are two completely different things. This schedule says "I don't want to make the playoffs" b/c odds of going 2-1 vs. Top 10 teams is not good - and you still need to sweep the rest of them which is hard to do with that final three lineup. So go ahead - be a tough guy and take on all comers while the Bama/OSUs of the world set their schedule up to make the playoffs and compete for a championship.

 

[ND87]

So.... more like this?
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1988-schedule.html

 

[BabyIrish]

When you start the year in the Top 10 you don't need to do anything other than win to "stay in the conversation". Coming off of a 3-9 year you need signature wins to jump into the conversation. "Getting there" and "staying there" are two completely different things. This schedule says "I don't want to make the playoffs" b/c odds of going 2-1 vs. Top 10 teams is not good - and you still need to sweep the rest of them which is hard to do with that final three lineup. So go ahead - be a tough guy and take on all comers while the Bama/OSUs of the world set their schedule up to make the playoffs and compete for a championship.

Don’t you though. Miami and Wisconsin we’re both undefeated and outside the playoff because they played cupcakes.
Every other team has a conference that dictates their scheduling and an extra game to prove themselves where we don’t. So don’t we have to schedule strong to makeup for those deficiencies in our schedule?

 

[RDU Irish]

Don’t you though. Miami and Wisconsin we’re both undefeated and outside the playoff because they played cupcakes.
Every other team has a conference that dictates their scheduling and an extra game to prove themselves where we don’t. So don’t we have to schedule strong to makeup for those deficiencies in our schedule?

Miami was ranked #2 before they lost to Pitt to end the regular season and then had a shot at redemption THANKS TO the ACC Championship shot at Clemson. As an Independent they absolutely would have been in as a 12-0 finishing the season #2 (or better) had they beat Pitt. And they started the year around #20 - harder climb had they been unranked.

Wisconsin - their B1G Championship game cost them a shot at the playoffs. As an Independent or no conference title game they were in. Mostly because they started the year ranked #10 and didn't have far to go. Had they been unranked there was no way their schedule would have been enough to get them there on their own.

Such a ridiculous fallacy that you have to "prove yourself" - no, you just need to not F up if you are already ranked high.

 

[RDU Irish]

Those teams are perfect examples of WHY to schedule soft - they have no shot at all if they play a tough schedule BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED EARLIER AS UNDESERVING.

 

[snoopdog]

Why don’t we just join the Big Ten, then?
One year-end road trip to California is not the problem. ACC travel isn’t really the problem either. It’s going to some far flung coastal city for Navy road games, and having the stupid Shamrock Series game, and doing it all back to back to back in the second half of the season that gets to be a grind.

We are going to SAN Diego and Los Angeles a few weeks apart. NFL teams try and avoid that. And you can lose 3-4 games in the NFL no problem.

For me the issue is, strength of schedule does not take travel into consideration. So the harder the travel the worse for team success.

 

[stlnd01]

We are going to SAN Diego and Los Angeles a few weeks apart. NFL teams try and avoid that. And you can lose 3-4 games in the NFL no problem.

Playing Navy in San Diego is the problem there, not playing USC in LA the last game of the season. I was responding to a suggestion that we trade USC/Stanford for MSU/Michigan. That would be a mistake, in my opinion.

Notre Dame has always played a national schedule, and should continue to do so. That requires travel. I agree we could be smarter about how we do it - like, as you said, not flying to California twice in a month.

 

[stlnd01]

Those teams are perfect examples of WHY to schedule soft - they have no shot at all if they play a tough schedule BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED EARLIER AS UNDESERVING.

A soft schedule gives you no margin for error. Lose and you're out. We have been in the playoff mix in 2015 and 2017 despite a loss because we played a tough schedule and had impressive wins.

 

[ACamp1900]

A soft schedule gives you no margin for error. Lose and you're out. We have been in the playoff mix in 2015 and 2017 despite a loss because we played a tough schedule and had impressive wins.

The single biggest reason we fell off is the schedule.... bigger than the academics... schedule ten wins a season and may the chips fall from there... we’d basically be tOSU today with a couple more titles.

 

[T-Boone]

I think a game against Rice in Houston each year would cover recruiting down there and also be a week off.

 

[Sea Turtle]

The single biggest reason we fell off is the schedule.... bigger than the academics... schedule ten wins a season and may the chips fall from there... we’d basically be tOSU today with a couple more titles.

I tend to agree with this.

 

[Circa]

I just checked

Michigan's
Alabama
OSU
PSU
Wisconsin's

Travel schedule this upcoming season on a whim, and basically nobody travels anywhere of distance, except OSU goes to TCU

That's 5 top level P5 teams , that refuse to travel outside 500 miles.

I don't no how to square the circle, of making it extremely difficult to compete, while having sky high expectations for success??

Maybe you havn't traveled much or maybe I'm reading what your writing down wrong. Traveling is as easy as pie these days, and If the coaches are the sounding tone for a 3 hour time difference then they need to accommodate and make their teams more prepared.

If far off places like those of the USA are that crazy to travel to with the tech we have today..... We need to stick to lacrosse

 

[texbender]

I think a game against Rice in Houston each year would cover recruiting down there and also be a week off.

Agree, or a trip to Dallas vs SMU. Provides ND exposure to big Texas metro markets with some of the best HS talent in the nation, as well as a game that should be a no-brainer win. Ever since TAMU joined SEC, recruiting by SEC schools in Texas has blown up.

 

[drayer54]

At least Georgia is away so we don’t have to worry about hosting a sea of red... again.

 

[phork]

A 12-0 and 11-1 ND team will not be left out of the playoffs. Regardless of schedule.

 

[Sea Turtle]

A 12-0 and 11-1 ND team will not be left out of the playoffs. Regardless of schedule.

Will we ever actually know that? Let's be honest, that's happened only once in the last 25 years. And while the schedule isn't the only reason, it's certainly one of them.

 

[Irish YJ]

Will we ever actually know that? Let's be honest, that's happened only once in the last 25 years. And while the schedule isn't the only reason, it's certainly one of them.

unlikely, but possible. an 11-1 team with a late loss is an easy possibility, especially if that loss is to another 11-1 team like USC.... unlikely, but never say never.

 

[Old Man Mike]

2019: If Wimbush, Book, or Jurkovec is REAL good, then none of those teams will want to play us. Getting past Georgia will probably be the toughest, but if our QB is really good, we'll have the offense to mess with anyone. And by that time we'll be two-deep high-quality everywhere except maybe LB (jury out on everyone there except Tranquil and Coney who'll be gone.)

I want a slightly easier schedule too, and the easiest way to do it would be to dump the dirtiest team in football and put in Rice (for the Houston area recruiting --- Houston is by FAR the number one producer of D1 college players in the nation. --- don't know if many of them can read, write, or think, but they play football.)

 

[T-Boone]

the easiest way to do it would be to dump the dirtiest team in football

Stanford?

 

[texbender]

Stanford?

I was thinking NAVY.

Doubt ND would cut that cord.

 

[BobbyMac]

NOW everyone wants to dump Stanford and play Rice & SMU.

Where were you guys in 2015 when I said this and the IE regulars laughed at me?

 

[ickythump1225]

Too early to panic about next year's schedule.

 

[Irish YJ]

NOW everyone wants to dump Stanford and play Rice & SMU.

Where were you guys in 2015 when I said this and the IE regulars laughed at me?

Keep skrong Crusader. Yesterday's idiot is tomorrow's sage (or president).

I'd prefer to rotate SC/Stanford, MichSt/Mich/NW, Army/Navy/AF, and BallSt/IU/PU. Add a SMU/Rice/BYU and UCF/SF/Tulane rotations + 5 ACC + 1 SEC

 

[Old Man Mike]

the dirtiest team in football is Navy (I thought we all knew that.)

I'd like to keep Stanford around for a few years so we can begin thumping them, and widening up some recruiting opportunities.

 

[ChiNDGuy]

It's your typical Notre Dame football schedule. On paper, especially now, many of those teams look formidable. In reality, by the time those games happen, that will change. Like it or not, as long as Notre Dame eschews joining a conference, they HAVE to schedule like this. The ONLY reason the Playoff Committee would look seriously at Notre Dame, given that they are not in a conference, is their strength of schedule.

The bigger concern for me is when the bye comes early in the year. Brian Kelly ND teams always fade physically in November. Not having the bye late in the year only makes that worse.

 

[ACamp1900]

Too early to panic about next year's schedule.

 

[BobbyMac]

It's your typical Notre Dame football schedule. On paper, especially now, many of those teams look formidable. In reality, by the time those games happen, that will change. Like it or not, as long as Notre Dame eschews joining a conference, they HAVE to schedule like this. The ONLY reason the Playoff Committee would look seriously at Notre Dame, given that they are not in a conference, is their strength of schedule.

The bigger concern for me is when the bye comes early in the year. Brian Kelly ND teams always fade physically in November. Not having the bye late in the year only makes that worse.

Welcome new guy. IF you stick around long enough you will find just how UNtrue the bolded is. ND doesn't need marquee games like OU, UT, UGA, AR, WI, OSU, A&M during the season... that's what the playoff's are for.

Playing MI/MSU, VT/NCSt, Stanford, Clem/FSU/U, SC is all the strength you need as long as ND doesn't dip into sub-MAC comp... that SEC powers still gets away with multiple times per season.

Rotate teams that share a slash, always have 7 home games and shoot for 1 good loss per year at most, this is a winner:

@MI/MSU

SMU/Rice/Tulane

Vandy/Northwestern

@Purdue

Temple/UConn

ACC-1 (NCSt/UNC/VT)

Stanford

@ACC-2 (BC/Cuse/Pitt)

@ACC-3 (WF/UVa/Duke)

ACC-4 (Clemson/FSU/U)

ACC-5 (GT/Ville)

@SC

 

[ACamp1900]

Welcome new guy. IF you stick around long enough you will find just how UNtrue the bolded is.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Welcome new guy. IF you stick around long enough you will find just how UNtrue the bolded is. ND doesn't need marquee games like OU, UT, UGA, AR, WI, OSU, A&M during the season... that's what the playoff's are for.

Playing MI/MSU, VT/NCSt, Stanford, Clem/FSU/U, SC is all the strength you need as long as ND doesn't dip into sub-MAC comp... that SEC powers still gets away with multiple times per season.

Rotate teams that share a slash, always have 7 home games and shoot for 1 good loss per year at most, this is a winner:

@MI/MSU

SMU/Rice/Tulane

Vandy/Northwestern

@Purdue

Temple/UConn

ACC-1 (NCSt/UNC/VT)

Stanford

@ACC-2 (BC/Cuse/Pitt)

@ACC-3 (WF/UVa/Duke)

ACC-4 (Clemson/FSU/U)

ACC-5 (GT/Ville)

@SC

And what if Swarbrick listens to reason by dropping Stanford?