Notre Dame at Michigan!!!

[jalopy]

Again, ill ask the question. Why does Notre Dame have to play a ridiculous schedule every year when other teams can schedule shitty non conf opponents and half their conference games are against garbage teams.

I wouldn't call ND's schedule ridiculous. The do play a bunch of solid, but not spectacular teams. Other than USC, which team on their annual schedule has consistently been good? Stanford? The last 3 years they have been very good but historically, no. Navy? No Purdue? No. AF? No . BYU? No. Pitt? MSU? Not consistently. I would hardly call their schedule soft but if ND was consistently elite, these are teams they should handle.

I don't think ND is taking criticism for their overall schedule, but rather the decision to drop UofM over MSU or Purdue. It's a pretty thin argument to say they didn't drop the best team of those three. My guess is the rift between Delaney and Swarbrick became contentious enough that ND made a decision that would inflict as much damage on the B1G as possible. They succeeded.

 

[TBBishop]

Lol, really? You're going to bang on ND's schedule now? ND could go 12-0 every year if they wanted to by playing absolutely nobody. But they don't. Stanford, USC and Navy are just more important games than Michigan is. I know that is hard to grasp for Michigan fans but its reality.

In what manner is Stanford and Navy more important games than Michigan? They are not typically more important nationally, locally, in the championship picture or for recruiting. They have simply played ND more times than Michigan has. I'll give you USC, but I'd love an explanation how Stanford who's about 20 minutes into national relevance and Navy 60 years removed from national relevance is more important than playing the school that taught you football. That's ludicrous IMO.

 

[aar000n]

Lol, really? You're going to bang on ND's schedule now? ND could go 12-0 every year if they wanted to by playing absolutely nobody. But they don't. Stanford, USC and Navy are just more important games than Michigan is. I know that is hard to grasp for Michigan fans but its reality.

Lol so your saying navy has better teams than Michigan or even Stanford. What 2 seasons of relevance now. Sorry the Irish are running because of 2-8 not because of wanting more important games.

 

[TBBishop]

Again, ill ask the question. Why does Notre Dame have to play a ridiculous schedule every year when other teams can schedule shitty non conf opponents and half their conference games are against garbage teams.

The myth of the ND schedule. Until the last couple of years with MSU and Stanford playing well and teams like Oklahoma going home and home, USC and Michigan were among a bunch of has beens and academies. If you look at ND's schedule in terms of every other top program's schedule, you'll see the same set up only without a conference structure. Pretty much every big program in this country has a big OOC game (we'll call that one Oklahoma), a few mid-majors to fill out the OOC (Navy, Air Force, Temple), the few good teams in the conference (Michigan, Stanford, Michigan State), mediocrity in the conference (BYU, ASU, USC), and bottom feeders of the conference (Pitt, Purdue). Outside of no conference affiliation what is so different about that schedule than anyone else's?

 

[BOTSLAYER]

So our Pass D scares the hell out of me but our run D and Denard Gardner is pretty fucking solid.

 

[ericd7633]

In what manner is Stanford and Navy more important games than Michigan? They are not typically more important nationally, locally, in the championship picture or for recruiting. They have simply played ND more times than Michigan has. I'll give you USC, but I'd love an explanation how Stanford who's about 20 minutes into national relevance and Navy 60 years removed from national relevance is more important than playing the school that taught you football. That's ludicrous IMO.

Navy, without question is way more important than the Michigan game is. It extends farther than just on the football field. That's why ND will play Navy every year, frankly the Navy game is ND's most important rivalry IMO. Read up a little on why it's so important for ND before criticizing them for playing them every year. Navy is the MOST important game on the schedule.

Stanford is located in California, ND wants to play a game in Cali every year, with USC and Stanford they have that opportunity.

It has nothing to do with who more relevant nationally.

 

[ericd7633]

Lol so your saying navy has better teams than Michigan or even Stanford. What 2 seasons of relevance now. Sorry the Irish are running because of 2-8 not because of wanting more important games.

Obviously not what I said at all. Please learn to comprehend. USC, Stanford and Navy mean more to ND than Michigan does. Relevancy aside. Honestly, saying these three teams aren't more important than Michigan, is like saying MSU means more to Michigan than Ohio State does.

 

[ericd7633]

The myth of the ND schedule. Until the last couple of years with MSU and Stanford playing well and teams like Oklahoma going home and home, USC and Michigan were among a bunch of has beens and academies. If you look at ND's schedule in terms of every other top program's schedule, you'll see the same set up only without a conference structure. Pretty much every big program in this country has a big OOC game (we'll call that one Oklahoma), a few mid-majors to fill out the OOC (Navy, Air Force, Temple), the few good teams in the conference (Michigan, Stanford, Michigan State), mediocrity in the conference (BYU, ASU, USC), and bottom feeders of the conference (Pitt, Purdue). Outside of no conference affiliation what is so different about that schedule than anyone else's?

Look at our schedule next year, just brutal. Michigan, Stanford, Arizona State, Northwestern, USC, Florida State, Louisville, and UNC. The "easy" games are Purdue, @ Syracuse, @ Navy and Wake Forest.

The following year we add Texas, and Clemson.

2016 Miami and Va Tech are added to the schedule, on top of @Texas, @USC and Stanford.

Don't want to look to far ahead b/c teams can certainly change. But the ACC is going to have a couple respectable teams a year to play.

Days of playing mid major opponents are basically out the window for ND.

 

[TBBishop]

Navy, without question is way more important than the Michigan game is. It extends farther than just on the football field. That's why ND will play Navy every year, frankly the Navy game is ND's most important rivalry IMO. Read up a little on why it's so important for ND before criticizing them for playing them every year. Navy is the MOST important game on the schedule.

Stanford is located in California, ND wants to play a game in Cali every year, with USC and Stanford they have that opportunity.

It has nothing to do with who more relevant nationally.

I understand the history of ND and Navy and I'm not saying that it's irrelevant but IMO it doesn't have as many positives for Notre Dame as playing Michigan does. Sure it's great for Navy which is what it's all about at this point but it's certainly not what's best for the program.

I also get that they want to play a game in Cali every year for recruiting purposes. What I don't understand is how people as smart as Swarbrick could believe that being able to sell to Cali kids that they will be able to play in the vast state of California once a year is more important than being able to tell kids in Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and so on and so forth, that they get to play Michigan every year and also sell to the Cali kids that they get to go home every other year. There's nothing about that that makes sense to me.

And it has everything to do with national relevance, at least it should.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

...frankly the Navy game is ND's most important rivalry IMO...

because it is the game they win very year?

Honestly I understand why ND is not going to play Michigan anymore. It is all about recruiting and it is really hard to recruit players when a team close to you regionally beats you all the time.

 

[TBBishop]

Look at our schedule next year, just brutal. Michigan, Stanford, Arizona State, Northwestern, USC, Florida State, Louisville, and UNC. The "easy" games are Purdue, @ Syracuse, @ Navy and Wake Forest.

The following year we add Texas, and Clemson.

2016 Miami and Va Tech are added to the schedule, on top of @Texas, @USC and Stanford.

Don't want to look to far ahead b/c teams can certainly change. But the ACC is going to have a couple respectable teams a year to play.

Days of playing mid major opponents are basically out the window for ND.

I wouldn't assume at this point that ASU, UNC or even USC would be making anyone's schedule brutal. And you can't say who you add to the schedule and not say who you drop. I'll admit that next year's schedule does look pretty strong, especially compared to pretty much any year over the last 20, but it's still not this every week grind that people make it out to be.

 

[FSUmanager]

Look at our schedule next year, just brutal. Michigan, Stanford, Arizona State, Northwestern, USC, Florida State, Louisville, and UNC. The "easy" games are Purdue, @ Syracuse, @ Navy and Wake Forest.

The following year we add Texas, and Clemson.

2016 Miami and Va Tech are added to the schedule, on top of @Texas, @USC and Stanford.

Don't want to look to far ahead b/c teams can certainly change. But the ACC is going to have a couple respectable teams a year to play.

Days of playing mid major opponents are basically out the window for ND.

Just to correct a few things there Eric. Louisville will be WITHOUT Teddy Bridgewater so take them off the list of tough teams right now. You have Michigan State not Michigan and MSU is downright pathetic on offense. Not a tough team. UNC may or may not be good next year. Trying to count them as a tough game even now is not very wise considering last season for them. ASU really? Come on not a tough game. USC(LMFAO) as long as Kiffin is there that will not be a tough game unless ND plays down to USC's level.

Right there goes 3 games who you list as tough, but should not be tough games unless ND plays down to their opponent's level.

TO the bold. The ACC might have 3 respectable teams to play. Those being FSU, VT, and Clemson(depending on what happens after Tahj Boyd). Miami might be a 4th, but that depends on how they continue. So that gives you 4 teams that you will play over the course of 3 yrs. Not really helping your SOS. With keeping Navy, Purdue, and adding 5 ACC teams your SOS will go down every year. No matter who else you play. THat is unless the ACC and ND would agree to play FSU, Clemson, Miami, and VT every year instead of every 3 years as it is set up now.

 

[ericd7633]

I understand the history of ND and Navy and I'm not saying that it's irrelevant but IMO it doesn't have as many positives for Notre Dame as playing Michigan does. Sure it's great for Navy which is what it's all about at this point but it's certainly not what's best for the program.

I also get that they want to play a game in Cali every year for recruiting purposes. What I don't understand is how people as smart as Swarbrick could believe that being able to sell to Cali kids that they will be able to play in the vast state of California once a year is more important than being able to tell kids in Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and so on and so forth, that they get to play Michigan every year and also sell to the Cali kids that they get to go home every other year. There's nothing about that that makes sense to me.

And it has everything to do with national relevance, at least it should.

Stopping playing Navy just isn't an option. It was an agreement made back in WWII. Going back on our word would look really bad.

 

[ericd7633]

because it is the game they win very year?

Honestly I understand why ND is not going to play Michigan anymore. It is all about recruiting and it is really hard to recruit players when a team close to you regionally beats you all the time.

You have honestly no clue. And one thing ND doesn't have is trouble with recruiting.

 

[ericd7633]

Just to correct a few things there Eric. Louisville will be WITHOUT Teddy Bridgewater so take them off the list of tough teams right now. You have Michigan State not Michigan and MSU is downright pathetic on offense. Not a tough team. UNC may or may not be good next year. Trying to count them as a tough game even now is not very wise considering last season for them. ASU really? Come on not a tough game. USC(LMFAO) as long as Kiffin is there that will not be a tough game unless ND plays down to USC's level.

Right there goes 3 games who you list as tough, but should not be tough games unless ND plays down to their opponent's level.

TO the bold. The ACC might have 3 respectable teams to play. Those being FSU, VT, and Clemson(depending on what happens after Tahj Boyd). Miami might be a 4th, but that depends on how they continue. So that gives you 4 teams that you will play over the course of 3 yrs. Not really helping your SOS. With keeping Navy, Purdue, and adding 5 ACC teams your SOS will go down every year. No matter who else you play. THat is unless the ACC and ND would agree to play FSU, Clemson, Miami, and VT every year instead of every 3 years as it is set up now.

We play Michigan next year.

 

[jdwills126]

Who is Notre Dames rival?

Michigan has Ohio State.

USC has UCLA

Stanford has Cal

Navy has Army

Notre Dame has a lot of teams it claims rivalries with but it is not the other teams main rival. Notre Dame will remain a good team on other teams schedules nut it will never have the impact for a team as a conference rival. As much as I hate to see Notre Dame off UofM's schedule if UofM was going to lose a team off I would much rather it be the Irish than MSU or OSU.

Unless you can forge a rivalry with another independent it will als=ways be a secondary rivalry IMO.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Who is Notre Dames rival?

Michigan has Ohio State.

USC has UCLA

Stanford has Cal

Navy has Army

Notre Dame has a lot of teams it claims rivalries with but it is not the other teams main rival. Notre Dame will remain a good team on other teams schedules nut it will never have the impact for a team as a conference rival. As much as I hate to see Notre Dame off UofM's schedule if UofM was going to lose a team off I would much rather it be the Irish than MSU or OSU.

Unless you can forge a rivalry with another independent it will als=ways be a secondary rivalry IMO.

If I had to guess, I'd say they consider their main rival USC.

 

[ericd7633]

If I had to guess, I'd say they consider their main rival USC.

USC and Navy I would consider to be ND's main rivalry games.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

Is it just me or do neither of these teams have a defense?

 

[ellupo]

What the hell were you doing watching the Bucknuts spring game?

You know who I was watching, convicted felon on one team and a rapist they refused to investigate on the other. Stay classy.