There was a bit more drama – in a bad way – for Notre Dame this week with the College Football Playoff rankings release. Unlike last week when the Irish were considered a clear #3 heading into the release, this week the big question was how far would the Irish drop following the 41-8 loss to Miami. Turns out, not that far with Notre Dame settling in at #8 ahead of both two loss Ohio State and Penn State.
Despite the lopsided loss to the Hurricanes, Notre Dame stayed in the top 10 with a New Year’s 6 bowl bid in clear view. Miami jumped all the way up to #3, but why the undefeated Hurricanes with a blowout win over previously 3rd ranked Notre Dame aren’t ahead of Clemson is a pretty curious decision. Oklahoma moved into the top 4 for the first time this year following their win over TCU this past weekend.
Undefeated Wisconsin is still outside the top 4 and rounds outs the top 5. Auburn jumped up to #6 with their lopsided win over Georgia who comes in one spot ahead of the Irish at #7.
It appears as though the CFP committee gave Notre Dame enough credit for their lopsided wins over #11 USC, #17 Michigan State, and #19 NC State.
Notre Dame’s season finale opponent, Stanford, snuck back into the top 25 at #22 thanks for their upset of Washington this past weekend. If Stanford and Notre Dame both take care of business this weekend, both teams could be in the top 20.
After a week of absolute chaos in the rankings, this weekend might not provide a whole lot of drama. The only matchup of ranked opponents is #24 Michigan and #5 Wisconsin. If the Badgers get passed the Wolverines, they will only have Minnesota standing between them and an undefeated regular season.
If any other team ahead of Notre Dame loses this weekend, it will take one of the biggest upsets of the season to make it happen. Look at this gauntlet of games of the top 7.
- #1 Alabama vs. Mercer
- #2 Clemson vs. The Citadel
- #3 Miami vs. Virginia
- #4 Oklahoma @ Kansas
- #5 Wisconsin vs. #24 Michigan
- #6 Auburn vs. Louisiana Monroe
- #7 Georgia vs. Kentucky
Not exactly Murderer’s Row huh? Despite that lineup, there will still likely be the inevitable jabs at Notre Dame for playing Navy this weekend.
We got caught lookin last week … Wimbush responds today.
Any team without at least a capable, dependable QB should not be in the Top 10. When countless people (both straw grasping fans and TV talking heads) repeat the same “Wimbush is getting better every week”, that’s a tell. A big one.
Add to that issue the fact that ND has a fraud of a head coach who gets exposed in any/every big game, and ND had no business ever being in Playoff consideration. With weeks to prepare, any opponent in the playoff would have filleted ND.
Bullet dodged
David, ND already came up big in a very big game with only one extra week to prepare! What makes you think we wouldn’t do it again with two weeks to prepare? Other than that, I’d say I understand what you’re saying above. I even agree with some of it.
BGC ’77 ’82
Thank you for the illustration.
Darnold was a pre-season Heisman favorite, and USC was ranked 4th in the AP and Coaches polls.
Then the season started, and Darnold was erratic and played well below his hype.
Against ND, Darnold had a QB rating of 53.0, an interception and a fumble.
IMO, ND did not come up as “big” as USC came up “smaller” than they most often do….especially vs. ND. A win is a win, but go easy on the Kool-Aid.
Oh…with regard to the 2 weeks to prepare:
Alabama, Jan 7, 2013.
But David, USC has come up big in other games. So has Stanford. They are good teams…but far from playoff teams. We are a good team that was close to a playoff spot in November. That’s the name of the game…it’s what you need to do if you are ever going to win a NC. This year (if it ends well) is solid…just as 2012 was solid. That’s more than good enough for me to give this coaching staff more time. The University would be insane NOT to give them more time (if this year ends big instead of crashing and burning like Tyrone’s turnaround year did).
Oh, they’ll get more time. Given that they let Kelly stay after 4-8, that’s not exactly an insightful prediction.
But ND will never win a championship under this coach.
Holtz won only one…Lou. Effing. Holtz.
Kelly couldn’t carry Holtz’s clipboard.
I think Notre Dame has a chance but one thing that they need to do. That would help their case. Is literally decimate Navy and Stanford. But here’s the thing though, I can’t see Notre Dame running up the score on Navy like that. Because some people would see it as disrespectful. But I also believe that maybe you would want Notre Dame to play their best. But hey it’s one thing to have a blowout against Navy another thing again Stanford that’s the one to me that really matters. And when I say decimate I mean literally destroy. Like 70 to 0. LOL a man can dream right?
I know this sounds crazy but sitting at #8, it seems to me there is still an outside chance with a LOT of help that ND could still be considered for the playoff. Basically, Alabama would have to win out which would mean beating both Auburn and GA which would probably bump them both below us. The committee obviously hates Wisconsin so if MI and/or OSU beat them, they are definitely out of the way. And I think more than anything here, ND needs Miami to win out which would mean beating Clemson and hopefully beating them big.
That would give an Alabama, Miami, Oklahoma, and ND top 4. They’ve had ND ahead of Clemson and OSU with the same amount of losses the whole time so I don’t know how they could switch it but you never know. Again, it would take a lot of help but there is a realistic outside chance.
If that happens they should just get rid of the sport.
Forget it. Without a conference championship game there’s no chance. It’d be more likely a team below them jumps them with a conference championship. The only way ND would get a playoff spot is if everyone above us loses 3 games (ok Wisconsin would only get 2, but the rest…). All the talking heads said ND is out of playoff consideration, and I believe them. They had their chance, all they had to do was win out.
What the ranking does do is put ND in the drivers seat of a NY Day 6 bowl. If they win out they will get one of those.
If USC wins out and is the PAC-12 champ AND we smoke Stanford at their place, ND could represent being the PAC-12 conference winner. I agree the chances are slim and without a 13th game, getting two losses really hurt bad. But there may at least be an opportunity for a case for ND, especially if Miami wins out and somehow smokes Clemson too.
I thought this too. I was hoping we’d be 8th and were. Its a long shot…”so you are telling me there’s a chance,” Dumb and Dumber.
Chris, That is what my younger brother Frank calls “philanticizing” (a cross between philosophizing and fantasizing…he used to say that was what Louie the bookie’s clients would do about a game as they paid off their accounts. It’s never going to happen, though some of it will. And you’d have other claimants. And we’d need a blow out at Stanford ala/ OSU against Wisconsin in year one. It ain’t all going to happen. This is a year we could finish very high, have a great turnaround, and win a major bowl. It isn’t a NC year, though we had our chance.
I’m kind of surprised ND wasn’t punished more, not so much for losing to Miami, but for the way they lost. They were crushed. But if ND wins out they will get a NY Day 6 Bowl. Again, I don’t care about past lack of success in those big games. It’s high time ND puts it on the line once and for all.
Great article Frank! Awesome points made!
Interesting Rankings?????? A lot can happen ND Nation with the rest of the schedule!!! Could be CFP bound after all!!!!!!!!!!:)
🙂
Those who gave this a “like” are real “marks” who believe “Positive Pete” and his posts are real and not “kayfabe”.
SFR, if we drop two or three of the next three, Positive Pete may disappear…though I do like his spunk.
Don’t worry though, you and I will still be here.
Your “posts” lack “thought” and “relevant content” and “insights”.
BGC,
Yeah, I can’t wait for the “Loser leaves town” match between this site’s new favorite “face” “Positive Pete” and the “heel” “Demon David.” Perhaps in an incredible twist of “kayfabe,” both turn out to be one and the same, non other than Frankie V. or GF himself.
In other news from the “squared circle,” in a shocking turn of events, “C-(‘Junkyard’)Dog” jumped “Ron Burgundy” in the middle of the ring and stripped him of his cheap tuxedo, revealing his women’s undergarments complete with bra, panties, and stockings. Oh the humanity!
“Ron” now claims he will compete in the Ladies division as “Ronda Burgundia.” You go, champ!
“Squared circle” (RIP Gordon Solie, a legend).