ND'S end of years strength of schedule was #2 in the country. The played 6 teams in the final CFP top 25. The team turned the corner is playing strong ND football.

 

http://www.espn.com/college-football/playoffPicture

 

1. Clemson 12-1

2. Oklahoma 12-1

3. Georgia 12-1

4. Alabama 11-1

5. Ohio State 11-2

6. Wisconsin 12-1

7. Auburn 10-3

8. USC 11-2

9. Penn State 10-2

10.Miami 10-2

11.Washington 10-2

12.UCF 12-0

13.Stanford 9-4

14.Notre Dame 9-3

15.TCU 10-3

16.Michigan State 9-3

17.LSU 9-3

18.Washington St 9-3

19.Oklahoma State 9-3

20.Memphis 10-2

21.Northwestern 9-3

22.Virginia Tech 9-3

23.Miss St 8-4

24.NC State 8-4

25.Boise State 10-3

The problem is going 1-3 vs top 15. Those two games were so winnable its frustrating

We need to start lining up more cupcakes in our schedule... period. Or join a conference.

The committee is going to force Notre Dame's hand to join a conference in the near future.

The committee is going to force Notre Dame's hand to join a conference in the near future.

 

Good. We need to.

I can see ND joining a conference at some point but I can't see it being the ACC. Part of me would hate it but I would want it to be the Big Whatever It Is Now with the provision that ND still plays non-conference rivals like USC and Stanford. More regional match ups like Meatchicken, Sparty, Purwho, a few cupcakes and less travel for the team.

 

I don't see that happening though. You will take your barnstorming independent status for football and like it because the school stubbornly clings to it for dear life because tradition or some such garbage. Tradition started flying out the window years ago anyway though. The stadium, the uniforms, turf, winning titles, etcetera.

 

At least playing for a conference title would give the kids something to play for, even in a less than perfect season instead of sitting around for weeks and waiting to play in some ho-hum bowl game that nobody will remember two months later.

We played the 2nd hardest schedule and still lost to two inferior teams....I guess that means ND football is in a decent spot....BUT I WANT A DAMN CHAMPIONSHIP

We played the 2nd hardest schedule and still lost to two inferior teams....I guess that means ND football is in a decent spot....BUT I WANT A DAMN CHAMPIONSHIP

 

We have no business playing that kind of schedule. It's just stupid.

We have no business playing that kind of schedule. It's just stupid.

 

I think it’s also the only reason we were still in a good position to make the playoff even with a loss....even though we proceeded to crap the bed

I think it’s also the only reason we were still in a good position to make the playoff even with a loss....even though we proceeded to crap the bed

 

Exactly!! Look at what Wisky's weak schedule did to them - until the chaos of the last 2 weeks that was an undefeated major program with multiple 1-loss teams ahead of them,wondering what else they could do to get in to the playoff.

We have no business playing that kind of schedule. It's just stupid.

 

There is a very good chance that a 10-2 ND with losses to Georgia and Miami gets into the CFP ahead of Alabama based solely on strength of schedule. At a minimum, ND would have been ahead of Ohio St for the 5th spot.

There is a very good chance that a 10-2 ND with losses to Georgia and Miami gets into the CFP ahead of Alabama based solely on strength of schedule. At a minimum, ND would have been ahead of Ohio St for the 5th spot.

 

Not with the blow out loss to Miami

we played the 2nd hardest schedule and still lost to two inferior teams....i guess that means nd football is in a decent spot....but i want a damn championship

 

join a damn conference or start scheduling more cupcakes

Not with the blow out loss to Miami

 

In terms of being #5 ahead of Ohio St, blow out vs Miami < blow out vs Iowa

 

Then, if there was some debate between Bama and Ohio St, then there would have been even more debate between ND and Bama.

In terms of being #5 ahead of Ohio St, blow out vs Miami < blow out vs Iowa

 

Then, if there was some debate between Bama and Ohio St, then there would have been even more debate between ND and Bama.

 

Same debate

 

Same outcome

join a damn conference or start scheduling more cupcakes

 

Oklahoma made it not just because of their conference championship but because they had the cajones to schedule a home-and-home early season game against the Ohio State University, and actually beat the snot out of OSU early in the year. If the Okies had instead played and badly beaten, say, Louisiana Lafayette, and Ohio State had played and beaten Miami of Ohio, I suspect Ohio State would have gotten in ahead of Oklahoma.

Strength of schedule matters.

ND lost to good teams this year. Shouldn't have lost in as embarrassing a fashion as they did to Miami and Stanford, but at least they didn't lose to BC or Temple or Wake. (And please, I'm NOT saying Kelly will ever win a championship at ND or that not losing to those teams is a measuring stick of a great coach; it's just that ND actually beat teams that they should. Just ask Ohio State about how their Iowa game turned out this year.)

We need to start lining up more cupcakes in our schedule... period. Or join a conference.

 

I disagree here. We were favored in the games we lost. All we had to do was take care of business but we did not show up in the big games.

 

This was the perfect formula for getting in the playoff without a conference championship and we blew it. Conversely the all powerful big10 is left out because their champion had 2 losses and a weak resume.

 

Win games that we should and we would be in a rematch with GA in January.

We could mix in more cupcakes. We just have to demolish every team we play then. Style points do count. That’s how tOSU jumped back up after they were beat down by Oklahoma this year. They went on to smash Army, UNLV, Rutgers Maryland to jump back to 5th. Smash and you’ll be ok.

Strong schedule with total pansies in between like Alabama.

 

ND needs games they can take off.

 

Until we get to scheduling where teams can only play 2 games in a row and be required to take a week off to recuperate physically and mentally we will need to do that in effect by schedule.

Oklahoma made it not just because of their conference championship but because they had the [I]cajones[/i] to schedule a home-and-home early season game against the Ohio State University, and actually beat the snot out of OSU early in the year. If the Okies had instead played and badly beaten, say, Louisiana Lafayette, and Ohio State had played and beaten Miami of Ohio, I suspect Ohio State would have gotten in ahead of Oklahoma.

Strength of schedule matters.

ND lost to good teams this year. Shouldn't have lost in as embarrassing a fashion as they did to Miami and Stanford, but at least they didn't lose to BC or Temple or Wake. (And please, I'm NOT saying Kelly will ever win a championship at ND or that not losing to those teams is a measuring stick of a great coach; it's just that ND actually beat teams that they should. Just ask Ohio State about how their Iowa game turned out this year.)

 

yes...but they didn't have the cajones to schedule Georgia, USC and Stanford all in one season

Frankly, if we joined a conference it would be so much easier. Two to three really tough games and 8-9 easy games. Sprinkle those tough games with some FCS/MAC schools prior to the tough games and walah..we’ll be talking National Champions before long.