Notre Dame's problem, IMO

Football Insider Board
#1

Is their admission standards. They can’t get some studs into school who would be playing at Alabama or Clemson, or even Michigan or Ohio State. That’s not to say that all their athletes made 1400 on the SAT, but they’re not working on bargain-basement NCAA sliding scale students either.

The typical ND recruiting class is good but not great. They’ve typically had a class ranked in the low double digits by Rivals, somewhere around where we are now for 2019. But that kind of class should not go 12-0 and be in the CFP, so Brian Kelly is likely coaching them up some (it must be said that they caught a schedule break this year; USC, Navy, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Pitt were all down, and Pitt still almost beat them, as did Vandy).

And the ND administration is not likely to cut them all that much slack on athlete admissions, so that’s what he’s going to continue to deal with. Keeping them eligible once they’re there isn’t that easy either; ND doesn’t offer “general studies” majors.

#2

Notre Dame was just way overmatched. Georgia was the 4th best team in the NCAA and everyone knew it, except the committee. I don’t know if Georgia could have beaten Clemson or Alabama again, but they should have had the opportunity. The goal was supposedly to get the 4 best teams into the playoffs. That didn’t happen.

I don’t have a clue about the academic standards for Notre Dame or Clemson or Stanford or Harvard, but when it comes to football, the Irish are just too slow and not talented enough. Clemson just dominated them. Clemson looks really good. I would love to see Clemson and Alabama match up.

#3

Notre has ALWAYS gotten the ranking breaks

#4

I got tired of hearing GA. is one of the best four team but…

The goal is to have the best four teams in the playoffs and the committee failed on that.

#5

NCAA needs to make all 6 of the D1 Football programs including Notre Dame join a conference and have to win a conference championship to be considered for the CFP.
There is no doubt that neither Notre Dame or Oklahoma should be in this years CFP based on the competition they played during the regular season, but as long as the committee eliminates better teams from better conferences based on wins and losses this is what we will get.
That’s why they need to go to six or eight teams so that they actually give the best teams an opportunity to prove themselves worthy on the field of play.

Go Hogs!

#6

Notre Dame had no chance whatsoever that’s why they were a two-touchdown underdog they had not faced any kind of speed like they faced tonight plain and simple. Georgia was much the better team

#7

Norte Dame should have to get into a Power 5 conference or face the same fate as UCF! They had no business in the CFP.
Oklahoma is in the same situation.
Georgia should have been in.

#8

ND has a nice team. Overmatched tonight, but you don’t go 12-0 without being very good even with an iffy schedule. They’d beat the stuffing out of UCF, for instance.

Pat Forde made the point this week that based on ND’s recruiting rankings over the past five years, you’d expect them to be playing in a New Year’s Six bowl, maybe with a 10-2 record. That sounds about right. Bama and Clemson are good enough to steamroll 10-2-type teams, and that’s what Clemson did tonight.

Problem is, Bama and Clemson are so good that they make the other 128 teams in FBS look a lot worse. Which leaves it up the the other 128 to get better.

#9

Ya. If only ND could catch a break. :slight_smile:

#10

ND at 0-12 is Heavenly.

#11

ND’s admission policy is hairy and heavy handed… ND’s ranking, schedule, and participation in the playoffs has been touched by an angel.

#12

The committee new it also, but politics intervened to keep from possibly having a all Sec Championship game with low tv rankings. That’s my opinion anyway! WPS

#13

I agree Georgia was the better team. I disagree under the current format they should have been selected.
They had their shot, they lost :sunglasses:

#14

UGA might have the better team, but ND was undefeated. Wins and losses must count. I have no problem with Notre Dame being one of the final four.

#15

ND’s and Clemson’s best wins are very similar. Not sure how ND joining a conference would’ve changed anything. Outside of a SEC schedule perspective, NDs schedule was fine.

#16

For all intents and purposes ND is in the ACC in football. They play five league games to eight for everyone else, but they had four common opponents with Clemson in the regular season, five when you count Pitt in the ACCCG. We never have five common opponents with anyone in the SEC East, unless they happen to play the same rent-a-win we do.

#17

Notre Dame,a program that I have never had any love for, did everything it needed to do to get into the playoff.

Georgia lost two games.

If you wanted a spot for Georgia, it would have been at the cost of No. 4 Oklahoma, not No. 3 Notre Dame

#18

Yup.

I’m really hoping to get to make the trip to South Bend in 2020 and put a whuppin on the Domers on NBC.

#19

I attended the Cotton Bowl. Great atmosphere and a very good time. Notre Dame played well except for about 6-8 plays. Notre Dame lines up well with every team except Bama and maybe Georgia in the trenches. They need a little more speed at receiver and safety. It does not matter who makes the playoffs because its Bama and everyone else. I will say this…the Clemson QB made very few mistakes and he was on target all night. That dude could be special and he is the reason Clemson is playing for another NC.

The Clemson video on the big screen prior to kickoff was awesome…that guy had me ready to hit someone. Google 4th qtr video Clemson football. I would have linked it here but I am sure someone would get their feelings hurt if I had so I didn’t.

Side note…If Bama doesn’t have penalties in the 2nd Qtr they beat Oklahoma by 30 plus. It is almost comical how they make other teams look.

ND has the same issue that most teams do who are not ranked in the top 5 recruiting classes on an annual basis…can you put enough players together in each recruiting class to make each position group special year in and year out. I agree with the original poster…they lose out on 3-4 recruits per year due to academic admission standards. Everyone can cry all they want about ND being in the playoff but Georgia got pimp slapped by LSU (average at best) and Ohio State got bowled over by Purdue. I think GA and Clemson are the only consistent threats to Bama in all of College football. Threat means someone who might slip up and beat Bama if Bama has an off night.

It was great to be at a game that meant something. I just don’t see the Hogs being on that stage in the next 3-5 years. Hoping things get better once Saban retires and we improve the roster.

For all of you who complain about ND’s schedule. I was talking to their fans last night and learned a few things. They play GA next year (lost to GA by 1 pt last year). They have A&M, Arkansas, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Alabama on future schedules. Clemson is on their ACC schedule every other year. It’s not an SEC schedule but they are not afraid to play anyone. They may get taken behind the wood shed in a few of those games but that is a risk they are willing to take.

https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/notre-dame/

I don’t want ND in a conf. I like how they schedule teams from all conferences. If it were not for all the conf money associated with being in the SEC then I would like the Hogs to go independent and play a variety of teams (I know it won’t happen so save your breath).

Hog Independent Schedule (my sample):
Memphis (always)
South Carolina (always)
Ole Miss or MS State (rotate)
Texas or A&M (rotate)
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor or TCU
Nebraska, Iowa, or Kansas State
Houston, Rice, or SMU
Tulsa (always)
Southern Miss (always)
Georgia Tech or UAB
Vandy or Tennessee
LSU (every year…they would not agree to this)

Always keep teams on the schedule from Texas, GA, MS, TN, LA and OK. That schedule has 6 potential ranked teams on it most years. If you ran that schedule then you would be in the CFP most years. No Bama, Auburn, Georgia or schools from Florida unless it’s UCF or South Florida.

#20

Their schedules are similar because they both play ACC… had ND been in the conference, they would have played Clemson in the CCG and one would have been eliminated, as was Georgia… Not the same for the Irish… they get in by beating the service academies and a weak ACC schedule… not worthy of top 4, imo…