Why ND might not make the BCS..

[Freeman Ara]

I know this is a time of great anticipation about which BCS bowl game we get into but lets not put the cart before the horse here. There is a realistic chance that ND is the first team left out of the BCS bowls. Looking at the BCS rankings the Big 10 and the SEC are both getting two teams in so thats 4 spots taken. If Rutgers beats WVU on saturday then the Big East will also get two in, I believe Louisville is locked in being in the top 6 in the BCS, so thats 6 spots taken. Boise St. is locked in(7) ACC,Big12, and Pac10 champs respectively fill out the last 3 spots making 10. Just giving those of you who haven't loooked at this closely a heads up.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I don't believe Louisville is locked simply for being #6 but I could be wrong.

 

[irishfan1122]

there will take notre dame over almost anyone. So it doesn't really matter. When espn says they are taking them. they are in

 

[Irish Envy]

Do you really think the on-field performance matters? In the end, it's about money. If Notre Dame was skipped over, I'd be utterly and completely shocked.

 

[Freeman Ara]

PAc 10 champ is USC so they are already in. I don't believe Louisville is locked simply for being #6 but I could be wrong. Either way, the one spot left by USC as thePac 10 Champ is ND's.

I can't remember exactly whether its top 4 or top 6 but i think its top 6, if you finish in the top 6 your guaranteed at an large birth. and I was counting USC as the pac10 champ, so they are counted as one of the 10. If WVU wins this is a mute point but until that happens lets not get to excited. and I don't trust ESPN that much, especially since the conference championship games haven't been played.

 

[G-Domer]

Well we might not "deserve" it from our play on the field vs. UM & USC. But the BCS bowls games are not all about getting the correct teams on the field to play, it's about the almight $, which through TV and ticket sales, the ND faithful do better than anyone else.

My thoughts are do we really want to go to take a chance of getting waxed and being called 'overrated', etc. Or go to another bowl game and beat a decent team for a change (get the stigma of not winning a bowl game in x amount of years). Not saying that I'm not confident that we can't beat a Florida, LSU, Ark, or even a rematch with UM.

 

[Freeman Ara]

Do you really think the on-field performance matters? In the end, it's about money. If Notre Dame was skipped over, I'd be utterly and completely shocked.

Yeah I know its about money, but if you really look its possible we don't get picked. Just trying to keep people from getting totally shocked if something funny happens. Their are about 3 teams eligible for one spot.

 

[irishfan1122]

i wasn't indicating that the are smart, because they aren't. With their hatred of Notre Dame, i am sure it is killing them to say they are in a BCS game.

 

[KOWPOKE]

No way the no. 2 Big East team receives a bid ahead of ND. And L'Ville is not guaranteed anything at no. 6. ND is in.

 

[seniorle]

There's no doubt in my mind we're going to a BCS bowl. Just look at all the articles with the presidents of the BCS bowls and ND is being mentioned in all of them

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I know this is a time of great anticipation about which BCS bowl game we get into but lets not put the cart before the horse here. There is a realistic chance that ND is the first team left out of the BCS bowls. Looking at the BCS rankings the Big 10 and the SEC are both getting two teams in so thats 4 spots taken. If Rutgers beats WVU on saturday then the Big East will also get two in, I believe Louisville is locked in being in the top 6 in the BCS, so thats 6 spots taken. Boise St. is locked in(7) ACC,Big12, and Pac10 champs respectively fill out the last 3 spots making 10. Just giving those of you who haven't loooked at this closely a heads up.

The BC$ only cares about one thing...and we bring that to the table like no one else.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I still think we can play with just about any team in the country. ND lost 2 games pretty badly, but those losses were to the #2 and #3 teams in the country. LSU & Arkansas have 2 losses each and no one thinks they are overated. And Arkansas got beat worse by USC then ND did.

It's gonna be the Sugar Bowl versus UF or Ark and ND wins. I would much rather take the risk of being waxed in a high profile bowl that means something than pounding someone like Purdue in Champs Bowl. Who cares if ND is called over-rated? Recruits want to play in Big Bowl games in January. They really don't care if ND lost the last 12 bowl games they were in. Why? Because elite athlete's are a little cocky and know "I'll win this game next year." No 5 star recruits are dreaming about the Gator Bowl. We're ND baby. Go big or go home. Greatest courts failure. Insert cliche here...

 

[bbrennan]

Not sure how the Sugar Bowl could pass up the money that ND will bring to New Orleans. One of the best ways to revitalize a community is to bring in a lot of plaid pants for a few days. Look what is does for South Bend on 5-6 weekends in the fall.

 

[irishfan1122]

how in the hell do i start my own thread

 

[Freeman Ara]

Look I know that besides the National championship game the rest of the Bowl season is all about money, the Rose Bowl has about as much meaning as the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Bowl. I was just saying there is a way, though slim, that we don't get into one of the BCS games. I know ND draws better then anyone and that why we get picked over more deserving teams sometimes(not saying that is the case here). I was just getting the idea out there so that when something goofy happens and we end up in the gator everyone's not pissing and moaning about it.

 

[dankus]

Look I know that besides the National championship game the rest of the Bowl season is all about money, the Rose Bowl has about as much meaning as the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Bowl. I was just saying there is a way, though slim, that we don't get into one of the BCS games. I know ND draws better then anyone and that why we get picked over more deserving teams sometimes(not saying that is the case here). I was just getting the idea out there so that when something goofy happens and we end up in the gator everyone's not pissing and moaning about it.

I'm curious, why even speculate.

You know it's not going to happen. I know it's not going to happen. Sure there is a slim chance. There is also a slim chance I could die tomorrow, should I prepare my will? Make sure my funeral is ready?

The Big East conference isn't going to get two teams in. As a conference, they have done nothing to merit it. Play some tough out of conference opponents and maybe one day it would happen.

 

[zimmsbg78]

First of all, ND probably travels better than any other college football team. We have fans all over the place. Second, I tought there was something to the effect that if ND was ranked at a certain position they get an automatic bid for a BCS game, or am I wrong? Since we are an independent. Kinda like a non conference BCS team such as Boise St. being ranked at a certain position come the end of the season.

 

[scooper]

nd doesnt deserve it

1. The two losses were to #2 and #3

2. Under the BCS rules, ND very much does deserve it

3. The BCS bowls, outside of the title game, are not a playoff. They are not there to match ranked teams. They are businesses to make money. ND makes money.

4. Is it as windy in Columbus today as it is in Cincinnati? Go burn a couch.

 

[njuneardave]

rofl at #4 scooper

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Rule #1 of the BCS: Make sure #1 plays #2.

Rule #2 of the BCS: Make as much money as we can.

Rule #3 of the BCS: There are no more rules.

 

[Denny]

ND will be in a BCS bowl but i can think of 4 SEC teams alone that are better. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn.

 

[Katzenboyer]

ND will be in a BCS bowl but i can think of 4 SEC teams alone that are better. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn.

I'll give you Florida and LSU, but I wouldn't be so quick to say that Arkansas and Auburn are better than ND.

 

[Irish Envy]

ND will be in a BCS bowl but i can think of 4 SEC teams alone that are better. Florida, LSU, Arkansas, and Auburn.

Just because they're in the SEC? Can you give me a little paragraph on each school and why you think they're better?

 

[irishindydawg]

Svo, I could not agree more. There is no way I can believe that there are 4 SEC teams better then ND. I am not really sure any of them are better let alone 4. LSU and Florida would both get great games from this ND team.

 

[UpstateIrish]

I'll give you LSU, because the Tigers are one of, if not the top defensive teams in the country. I also think their offense, with all those athletes, would give ND fits.

The Irish can play with and beat Arkansas, Florida and Auburn. Want to talk overrated? Auburn gets my vote as the most overrated team this season. I watched them play twice. After watching that loss to Georgia, I can't figure out how they were ranked in the top 10. Neither Arkansas, nor Auburn, can pass the football, which would give ND the advantage.

As far as the BCS, book ND in the Sugar Bowl. Outside of LSU, there's not another team in the country the Sugar Bowl wants more than ND -- New Orleans has a large Catholic population, a city struggling after Katrina, and plenty of big $$$ ND alumni and subway alumni spending their dollars in the French Quarter for 7 to 10 days.

 

[grantland]

Just because they're in the SEC? Can you give me a little paragraph on each school and why you think they're better?

Let me try:

#1 FLORIDA - It is just clear than UF is better, I think everyone would agree, correct?

#2 AUBURN - Auburn beat Florida who is clearly better than ND, therefore, Auburn is better that ND.

#3 ARKANSAS - beat Auburn who beat Florida and Florida is clearly better than ND, therefore, Arkansas is better than ND.

#4 LSU - beat Arkansas who beat Auburn who beat Florida and Florida is clearly better than ND, therefore, LSU is better than ND.

Man the SEC is tough, whew!

 

[dth31]

Why do people persist in thinking that the BCS system was set up to be fair? Like most things in life, it was not set up to be fair. It was set up to make lots of money for the bowls, networks, conferences, and teams. ND was granted "flexibility" because ND makes money for everyone. People either desperately want us to win, or desperately want us to lose. And they are very much willing to watch TV to see their desired outcome.

The BCS is first and foremost about business, with only enough "fairness" to not enrage football fans who believe it SHOULD be fair.

 

[grantland]

Why do people persist in thinking that the BCS system was set up to be fair? Like most things in life, it was not set up to be fair. It was set up to make lots of money for the bowls, networks, conferences, and teams. ND was granted "flexibility" because ND makes money for everyone. People either desperately want us to win, or desperately want us to lose. And they are very much willing to watch TV to see their desired outcome.

The BCS is first and foremost about business, with only enough "fairness" to not enrage football fans who believe it SHOULD be fair.

Yep, it is all about the Golden rule. He who has the gold (and wants more of it) makes the rules.

 

[Denny]

I've watched a lot of SEC games and can't help but come away impressed with how talented and fast the top teams are and we all know what SC's talent and speed did to us. I feel i can even make a case for Tennesse (with Ainge) as being better. Meachem and Swain would run circles around ND's secondary. They destroyed Cal early and lost to Florida only by 1 point. Yes they lost to LSU but that was with a redshirt freshman Crompton playing most of the game at qb and it still needed a Russell td with 4 seconds to go for LSU to win.

Florida's spread offense with talent and speed all over the feild i think would be tough for us to match. Baker and Caldwell have to scare you and their D is top notch. Yes they have struggled some on offense but they would put up some points vs. our D.

To me Auburn and Arkansas have questionable passing offenses but their running game is amazing. McFadden will probably finish 2 or 3 in the hiesman race and Irons (when healthy) is awesome. I can be convinced if you gave me a scenerio where ND played 8 in the box and made them pass to beat us, but i think both of those teams will find a way to beat ND. I've heard people argue that LSU is the best team in the SEC and they are not even in the SEC championship game! They lost at Auburn (#3 at the time) and lost at Florida with big wins at Tennesse (#8 at the time) and at Arkansas (#5 at the time). Talk about battle tested... 4 conference away games vs. 4 of the top 8 teams. Now that is impressive. ND's schedule this year just can't compete with these 5 teams.

Yes i am still very down after the USC game. Watching SC's speed and talent destory our defense was very humbling. Bottom line, these teams have the athletes and speed and we don't. I'm not trying to be anit ND, i just think that after watching all these big time SEC games that we are not on that level.. yet.

 

[NDOM]

Do you really think the on-field performance matters? In the end, it's about money. If Notre Dame was skipped over, I'd be utterly and completely shocked.

Great point SVO. I agree that it's not about performance of the last game but Notre Dame travels well and it's all about ratings. There's so many Notre Dame followers and watchers out there. So basically like SVO pointed out; It's all about the money. Notre Dame will be in a BCS game simply for the fact that it's Notre Dame. They will find somewhere to place the Irish.