When asked whether or not he thought his team should be ranked in the top 25 on Sunday, Charlie Weis said that his team was on the cusp of the top 25, but probaby not quite there yet.
Well, looking at the number of teams that have been evolving, and because I vote, you know, looking at the number of teams that have been going in and out of that bottom 15 to 25 range, I’d say you’re on the cusp. You’re one of those teams in that mix, in the conversation piece.
I mean, like Pittsburgh this week is not in the top 25. North Carolina’s not in the top 25. In the coach’s poll they aren’t because that’s the one I ended up seeing. But they weren’t in the top 25. So I’m looking at those teams. Those teams were in my top 25 because I’m looking at Pittsburgh just beat South Florida, who is ranked 10th, on the road. You know, how could I not put them in the top 25? But South Florida I saw was ranked 20th. I mean, I just don’t understand. Sometimes I just don’t understand how that happens. You beat a team, you have the same number of losses, you beat them at their place. I mean, that’s got to stand for something.
But I think that we’re on the cusp. I think this game this week, you know, you talk about polls, I can’t worry about the polls. But you go beat North Carolina at North Carolina, I’d say the odds are you’ll be in the top 25 next week.
I agree with Weis here. Up until now, the Irish haven’t really done a whole lot to be upset about not being ranked at this time. A fourth quarter comeback over San Diego State, a win over a Michigan team with a losing record, a 14 point win over Purdue, and just a 7 point win over Stanford is not really the resume for a top 25 team. Now, if the Irish go into Chapel Hill this weekend and beat North Carolina, who is ranked #22 in the AP Poll, then we have a case.
It is odd to think of a 4-1 Notre Dame team not being ranked since it literally has never happened before, but that is the situation we find ourselves in because of being 3-9 last year. Notre Dame being absent from the polls this week is not the result of any media bias or conspiracy. It’s a result of coming off one of the worst season’s in school history.
If we keep winning, the rankings will take care of themselves and honestly, there are way too many problems left to fix on this team to even be worried about the rankings yet.
We will be hard pressed to make any headway in the polls as long as Charlie is in charge of things. He doesn’t have a clue. He has to run the ball if he wants to win games.
Why do the sports writers waste time asking about this. It only really counts in November. Pretty simple too, Wins and Losses, and take a look at your opponents’ wins and losses. Throw some other indicator for strength of schedule and have at it. It only really matters for teams moving in and out of the Top 10. By November you have a pretty good idea.
And yes, Notre Dame is not overrated. But for all who say we are, or otherewise are haters, I say, every time they go out of their way to blast Notre Dame, the make us more relevant.
I agree on the running game and defense. We need 200+ yards on the ground and a new knock-out punch mentality…………KEEP SCORING and no FREE POINTS.
Goooooooooooo Irish!
I feel confident enough that the Irish will beat North Carolina if they bring their A+ game. Of course, they’ll have to bring their running game with them too if they want to win.
I think if we win this game on the road at UNC we should be in the top 20 heading into the bye-week. I am not so worried about our O as I am our D. We didnt play good run or pass D. We will need to step it up against Greg Little and UNC’s good WR.
I agree entirely. We don’t deserve to be ranked quite yet.
On the flip side, this says a lot about ND not being an overrated program.