What is 2011's most important game?

[koonja]

You guys all sound like coaches saying USF is the most important because it's the next on the schedule. We're blogging, we aren't speaking in front of cameras or the players, so we don't have to sound political.

Losing to a rebuilding Michigan team with a first year coach transitioning the offenses would be devestating. Not to mention, it will be 3 years in a row losing to Michigan.

We cannot lose to Navy again. Plain and simple.

USC, Stanford and Mich St honorable mention.

 

[GowerND11]

You guys all sound like coaches saying USF is the most important because it's the next on the schedule. We're blogging, we aren't speaking in front of cameras or the players, so we don't have to sound political.

Losing to a rebuilding Michigan team with a first year coach transitioning the offenses would be devestating. Not to mention, it will be 3 years in a row losing to Michigan.

We cannot lose to Navy again. Plain and simple.

USC, Stanford and Mich St honorable mention.

You are right, but the problem is that in recent memory Notre Dame plays to the competition. We are a better team than USF, but that doesn't make the game a cakewalk. We need to assert dominance and come out hard. We need to put USF away to show that we know how to win right. Then we get momentum for the other VERY important games.

 

[koonja]

You are right, but the problem is that in recent memory Notre Dame plays to the competition. We are a better team than USF, but that doesn't make the game a cakewalk. We need to assert dominance and come out hard. We need to put USF away to show that we know how to win right. Then we get momentum for the other VERY important games.

I completely agree we need to stomp USF, but I expect that to be more likely than a victory in the big house or vs. USC will be.

Like I said before, we're not going to look back on the season and say "Our biggest game was USF". At least I hope not...

Victories against USC, Michigan, Mich St, can carry a team and give momentum and confidence.

We expect to beat USF, not hope to.

 

[irishtrain]

USF. Got to get the first one.

Let it be known Skip Holtz would give blood to win this game. Unlike Lou who I do understand will pull for his son ( with good reason ) no one and I mean no one would get in the way of my desire for the Irish to win a football game. If my son was coaching the opponent I'd hope they give a good showing but I'm sorry my boy I do not pull against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. This game is HUGE to set the tone. We love ya Lou but I hope your boy gets his @$# handed to him.

 

[DuffHouse12]

i don't think losing @ michigan is as much of a disaster as losing @ USF. sounds pretty important to me.

 

[bert2834]

I am going to go with Wake Forest.


MUST WIN GAME!

 

[EddytoNow]

To keep momentum going, we've got to avoid the "Here we go again" thinking. Solid wins over Michigan and Navy would send the message that the ship is really back on course, and that Notre Dame is a team to be reckoned with once again.

 

[kmoose]

You guys all sound like coaches saying USF is the most important because it's the next on the schedule. We're blogging, we aren't speaking in front of cameras or the players, so we don't have to sound political.

Losing to a rebuilding Michigan team with a first year coach transitioning the offenses would be devestating. Not to mention, it will be 3 years in a row losing to Michigan.

We cannot lose to Navy again. Plain and simple.

USC, Stanford and Mich St honorable mention.

Maybe coaches say it to motivate their players, or to be politically correct........OR

Maybe they all say it because it's true!!!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Not the next game. Every game.

ND has not had an easy schedule since I started paying attention.

 

[koonja]

Maybe coaches say it to motivate their players, or to be politically correct........OR

Maybe they all say it because it's true!!!

Ok, well I'll revisit this after the season and you guys can remind me how USF was our biggest game of the year

It's going to be a great season. Go Irish!

 

[GreatGolson]

USC must win

you are one comma away from being a troll, i would edit that ASAP

 

[IrishMoore1]

I'd say all the games in the month of september are very important, so out of those games, USF is most important and then michigan. A loss to USF would be devastating for the season. Losing to Michigan would also be bad bc that makes in 3 years in a row and loss to a team that will should be average at best this year.

 

[beryirish]

.........all of them

 

[I.R.I.S.H. GL]

Have your years mixed up. Ohio Suck came to South Bend in '96. And their fans still blow.

Oops. Sorry, thanks for the catch. at osu was a terrible game too!

 

[loomis41973]

Stanford

 

[BGIF]

I completely agree we need to stomp USF, but I expect that to be more likely than a victory in the big house or vs. USC will be.

Like I said before, we're not going to look back on the season and say "Our biggest game was USF". At least I hope not...

Victories against USC, Michigan, Mich St, can carry a team and give momentum and confidence.

We expect to beat USF, not hope to.

In 1926 ND opened 8-0 with 7 shutouts. The Defense was stifling, allowing only 7 pts. It was the first year Rockne had to deal with the Rules Committee passing a rule against The Rockne Shift requiring all the players in motion to come to a full stop for one full second before snapping the ball. It didn't bother Rockne nor the backfield, the ND Offense was averaging 25 pts/gm. Average score through 8 games, 25-1.

ND traveled to Pittsburgh for game 9 to play Carnegie Tech who was 6-2 with 6 shutouts. Tech had lost to the only teams that scored on them, an 8-1, NYU and a 7-1-1, Washington and Jefferson. Tech had just shutout a mediocre West Virginia and earlier had shutout Pittsburgh but the rest of their wins were over Theil, Adrian, Detroit, and Juanita (yeah, who the hell were they).

Rockne expected another ND shutout. Rockne's expectations were so high he sent the team to Pittsburgh under Hunk Anderson while he went to Chicago to scout an Eastern Powerhouse that ND would play for the first time the following year. He wanted to see this 9-0 Navy team himself. Navy and Army played to a 21-21 tie at Soldier Field knocking the Navy out of the National Championship race. Rockne's scouting trip to Chicago was fruitful as ND beat Navy the following year.

Rockne was right in expecting a shutout in the Carnegie Tech game. Tech finished their season 7-2 with a 19-0 shotout over the previously undefeated Irish. Rockne's 4th undefeated season and a National Championship went down the toilet against a team nobody ever expected to look back at and say, "Our biggest game was against Carnegie Tech."


We expected to beat Tulsa, Navy, Syracuse, UCon, Northewestern (28 pt dog in '95) as well. Today's ND fans lament the "disastrous" losses to Tulsa, et al., but none of those losses spoiled a perfect season nor cost a National Championship. They weren't the first ND teams to snatch defeat from the jaws of an expected victory. Unfortunately they won't be the last.

And no, it's not political talk, it's just what happens when somebody else's execution surpasses your expectations.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Oops. Sorry, thanks for the catch. at osu was a terrible game too!

Agreed. One of their jackrag fans punched one of our female band members in the face. I will never respect that school. Ever. And don't even get me started on the pep rally our band was "invited" to.

 

[GowerND11]

I think we are talking apples and oranges right now with the disagreements. I agree AFTER the season no one will say USF was our most important game, but NOW it is. There is the difference.

 

[kmoose]

Ok, well I'll revisit this after the season and you guys can remind me how USF was our biggest game of the year

It's going to be a great season. Go Irish!

Well, maybe I am misunderstanding your question........

Are you asking what game is the most important, today?

Or are you asking what game will have been the most important, at the end of the season?

 

[crzychris]

Win the next game. Every week is more important than the next, until you lose. Win them all and then you don't have anything to worry about!!

Couldn't have said it better myself. Next game is most important all the way to the BCS Title Game!

 

[koonja]

Well, maybe I am misunderstanding your question........

Are you asking what game is the most important, today?

Or are you asking what game will have been the most important, at the end of the season?

The thread asks which 2011 game is the most important.

This is my opinion:

1) Michigan - we have to beat them or it will be 3 straight years. And we should beat them. They are changing coaches and offenses. It would be an embarassing loss.

2) Michigan St - IMO, if we win this game we'll be undefeated going into the USC game, and college gameday, the blue chip recruits, and everyone else will be tuned in for my #3 game...

3) USC - I put them behind MSU and Mich because we should beat both Michigan teams. Although we will be favored in the USC game, they're still extremely talented, especially compared to the Michigan teams. It would not be a disaster if we lost to them, although, it is still a big game.

4) Stanford - Again, it's on the road and probably will be our toughest game. Won't be the end of the world if Luck beats us for his final home game.

5) Navy - If we lose to Navy again, some people will be calling for BKs head.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

After the season, I don't see BK answering the QU: Which was your most important game? And answering: South Florida.

I don't see BK answering that question at all.

 

[BGIF]

I don't see BK answering that question at all.

^

 

[koonja]

I don't see BK answering that question at all.

I don't see why he wouldn't. He did this last year when he was asked that after the season (it might have been before the Miami game) and he pointed to the Utah game and noted how that injected confidence into the team.

 

[HawaiianIrish]

#1 FU$C
#2 SKUNK BEARS
#3 SEMEN
#4 TARDNIALS
#5 300

 

[Rocket89]

In 1926 ND opened 8-0 with 7 shutouts. The Defense was stifling, allowing only 7 pts. It was the first year Rockne had to deal with the Rules Committee passing a rule against The Rockne Shift requiring all the players in motion to come to a full stop for one full second before snapping the ball. It didn't bother Rockne nor the backfield, the ND Offense was averaging 25 pts/gm. Average score through 8 games, 25-1.

ND traveled to Pittsburgh for game 9 to play Carnegie Tech who was 6-2 with 6 shutouts. Tech had lost to the only teams that scored on them, an 8-1, NYU and a 7-1-1, Washington and Jefferson. Tech had just shutout a mediocre West Virginia and earlier had shutout Pittsburgh but the rest of their wins were over Theil, Adrian, Detroit, and Juanita (yeah, who the hell were they).

Rockne expected another ND shutout. Rockne's expectations were so high he sent the team to Pittsburgh under Hunk Anderson while he went to Chicago to scout an Eastern Powerhouse that ND would play for the first time the following year. He wanted to see this 9-0 Navy team himself. Navy and Army played to a 21-21 tie at Soldier Field knocking the Navy out of the National Championship race. Rockne's scouting trip to Chicago was fruitful as ND beat Navy the following year.

Rockne was right in expecting a shutout in the Carnegie Tech game. Tech finished their season 7-2 with a 19-0 shotout over the previously undefeated Irish. Rockne's 4th undefeated season and a National Championship went down the toilet against a team nobody ever expected to look back at and say, "Our biggest game was against Carnegie Tech."


We expected to beat Tulsa, Navy, Syracuse, UCon, Northewestern (28 pt dog in '95) as well. Today's ND fans lament the "disastrous" losses to Tulsa, et al., but none of those losses spoiled a perfect season nor cost a National Championship. They weren't the first ND teams to snatch defeat from the jaws of an expected victory. Unfortunately they won't be the last.

And no, it's not political talk, it's just what happens when somebody else's execution surpasses your expectations.

Solid history lesson, nonetheless...we should still expect to beat USF.

I guess we shouldn't ignore history, but we're not the players. The past is the past and I for one, as a fan, don't really want to go around having to over sell every opponent because we've been upset in the past.

Also, I don't think naming the Michigan, USC, or Stanford games as being the most important to the season necessarily means that we have ridiculous expectations for 2011 and that we have to pull back and say, "Whoa guys, we'd better lower our expectations and take this one game at a time."

I expect us to methodically cut off USF's head in a month....a 1926 loss to Carnegie Tech be damned.

Plus, I don't think Brian Kelly will be going to Ann Arbor on Sept. 3rd to scout UM.

 

[tankjeep]

The most important game is the next game.

+1

 

[nlroma1o]

I would have to say that the scUM game is the most important of the season. The reason being becasue it is only week 2. We have to go in to their stadium and play them during their first night game ever. Its going to be amazing. This game has the potential to shape what the rest of the season is going to look like. This is the must win game of the season. Remeber in 2009 we stomped Nevada, everthing was looking up, but then we went to the big hosue and blew it. I feel like that loss set the tone for the rest of the season almost. The next week we struggled to beat MSU at home, and then all hell broke loose after that game. Yes, this year we need to come out and beat USF like we beat Nevada in 2009. But even more importantly we need to make a statement and kick the poop out of scUM.

GO IRISH!!!

 

[DuffHouse12]

we have a chance to make michigan's first home night game their last by blowing the doors off them. i say we go for the jugular.

in fact - i think the negatives of a let-down loss v. USF could be overcome by a win in that michigan game.

 

[IndyIrishFan1]

Look at the number of blue-chip recruits visiting for the USC game.

No contest.

Is that list of recruits coming in for the USC game available? I would like to see that list if its around.