bartshan-83 Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Nope Sorry Smokin, but I'm about to rail on your boys. USC at #2?? You have to be out of your fargin mind. They lost to and UNRANKED team!!! I'm no fan of rematches, but you can't possibly tell me that if USC beats ND next week by less than 26 that they deserve the title game more than Michigan. Conversely, what if ND beats USC? I guaran-fckin-tee you that we won't be #2. And futhermore, why is it every team besides ND gets a pass for unconvincing wins against sh------- teams?? Arkansas 21-19 v. 4-8 Vanderbilt, 28-14 v. 3-8 Miss AND 50-14 LOSS v. USC but they are ranked ahead of us? Yeah ND sure has been sucked off in the polls this year... EDIT : AP Poll is out and we dropped a spot to Arkansas?? We won 41-9 vs. Army and Arkansas wins 28-14 vs. Miss and they jump us? ND sure gets preferential treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I think Michigan deserves another crack more than any other team in the nation and it's not even close. I also think Arkansas is playing better than ND, not that it means a whole lot. ND will definitely move up if they can go to SoCal and win - a tall order for the current defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millbank Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Michigan still No. 2 in the BCS Michigan still NO. 2 in BCS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 19, 2006 Author Share Posted November 19, 2006 I also think Arkansas is playing better than ND, not that it means a whole lot. ND will definitely move up if they can go to SoCal and win - a tall order for the current defense. 842174[/snapback] I disagree...I am fairly harsh when grading out ND, but we have been playing some good football lately and Arkansas struggled to put away a bottom feeder yesterday. If anything, they should have dropped a spot, not moved up one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I'm not really sure what to make of this. I guess I'll be able to assess things better after the USC-ND game next week. I only have two points for consideration about USC- 1) Their offense was not fully healthy when they went through their stretch of close wins and then the loss to Oregon St. They were missing either Jarrett or Smith for those games. Since about 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter against the Beavers, the offense has been clicking. However, UM was missing Manningham for a stretch and didn't falter. 2) USC is young. They have a rotation of 3 freshman tailbacks. Their QB is a redshirt junior but is seeing his first real action this year. Compare that with Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, and ND, who have all had their core offensive players in place for 3+ years. It makes sense that it took USC a while to gel. At this point in the season, the 'young' excuse doesn't fly- but USC appears to have found some of the explosiveness that has defined their recent teams. The Trojans seem to be in the driver's seat, and if they perform against ND and UCLA, they should jump into the #2 spot. UM made their case for a rematch, and while they are most definitely worthy, I don't want to see that game. They played as 1 vs. 2 on November 18th; I'm not sure I care to see it again 50 days (!!!) later on January 8th. Their in-season game feels so pure, and means the world. Something about playing in Arizona would diminish that, at least for me. There's still a lot of football left, and there are still 4 or 5 teams alive to face Ohio State. However it shakes out, each of those 4-5 teams controlled their own destiny at some point, and those left out will have to live with the results. I fly out Friday morning for the USC-ND game....EXCITED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 I fly out Friday morning for the USC-ND game....EXCITED 842442[/snapback] I wish you the same experience I had at the USC-ND game last year...with the exact same ending. For real, have fun man...if I had some more ends, I would make the trip too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffOrange Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Stop whining - you got your ass kicked at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Stop whining - you got your ass kicked at home. 842636[/snapback] Easy son...Exhibit A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffOrange Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Easy son...Exhibit A 842652[/snapback] Yes I'm aware of that game. After reading your post again, Arkansas appears to be the only team you have an issue with, and I think that's fair. Pretty unlikely that they beat LSU and Florida though IMO even though they'll probably be slight favorites in both games. I guess what bothers me is pretending ND doesn't get preferential treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted November 20, 2006 Author Share Posted November 20, 2006 Yes I'm aware of that game. After reading your post again, Arkansas appears to be the only team you have an issue with, and I think that's fair. Pretty unlikely that they beat LSU and Florida though IMO even though they'll probably be slight favorites in both games. I guess what bothers me is pretending ND doesn't get preferential treatment. 842675[/snapback] No doubt ND gets good treatment, but I'd love to see someone point out when that has happened once this year. We have not really gotten the benefit of the polls at any point this season. Hell we dropped two spots after our first game for beating G-Tech at their place! However, beyond the National Title Game, we will always get an unfair advantage for bowl selection because of the $$$. But that's the way it goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffOrange Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Fair enough. Weighing the quality of loss vs. # of quality wins is a tough paradox to evaluate. Oregon has lost that argument from both sides recently vs. Nebraska and Texas respectively, so there appears to be little rhyme or reason to it. Good thing ND and USC actually play each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I wish you the same experience I had at the USC-ND game last year...with the exact same ending. For real, have fun man...if I had some more ends, I would make the trip too. 842622[/snapback] I'm pretty gassed. Since I graduated in '01 I've made it out to at least one game each year. Last year, I was kinda bummed going in because it was 'only' the Fresno State game- and the only reason I went to that one was because I was heading down to SD the next day for the Bills game. Then it turns out to be an amazing game, with Bush going off. I'm sure this one will be just as crazy. Teams have been moving on SC's defense, but they've managed to get the timely sack or turnover. If Quinn and ND can avoid mistakes, they should be able to put up some points. I expect the Trojans to do the same. I know the Irish want this one bad, and USC has everything to play for as well. I can't wait for Saturday.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie2times Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Nope Sorry Smokin, but I'm about to rail on your boys. USC at #2?? You have to be out of your fargin mind. They lost to and UNRANKED team!!! I'm no fan of rematches, but you can't possibly tell me that if USC beats ND next week by less than 26 that they deserve the title game more than Michigan. Conversely, what if ND beats USC? I guaran-fckin-tee you that we won't be #2. And futhermore, why is it every team besides ND gets a pass for unconvincing wins against sh------- teams?? Arkansas 21-19 v. 4-8 Vanderbilt, 28-14 v. 3-8 Miss AND 50-14 LOSS v. USC but they are ranked ahead of us? Yeah ND sure has been sucked off in the polls this year... EDIT : AP Poll is out and we dropped a spot to Arkansas?? We won 41-9 vs. Army and Arkansas wins 28-14 vs. Miss and they jump us? ND sure gets preferential treatment. 841224[/snapback] I think people discredit the strength of a team too much if their perception of that team proves wrong. The perception of ND coming into the season was that they would roll. Unfortunately they started slow, and had to play two underrated teams in GT and Michigan. People overreacted to those games without the foresight of GT and Michigan being good, and ND just starting slow. Now they started to get things rolling but so have a few other teams and ND hasn't been able to overcome those early impressions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I think people discredit the strength of a team too much if their perception of that team proves wrong. The perception of ND coming into the season was that they would roll. Unfortunately they started slow, and had to play two underrated teams in GT and Michigan. People overreacted to those games without the foresight of GT and Michigan being good, and ND just starting slow. Now they started to get things rolling but so have a few other teams and ND hasn't been able to overcome those early impressions. 843054[/snapback] I think this is true. However, they were dominated by Michigan. They were dominated for three quarters by Michigan State. They needed a last minute TD to defeat a pretty average UCLA team at home. Going into the season, it was easy to see that the meat of ND's schedule was front-loaded. That was the stretch they had to escape unscathed, and then they could coast into the USC game. Well, they didn't escape. And while it's true they have gotten things rolling, it's tough to throw previous impressions out the window, when the teams they've 'gotten it rolling' against have been Purdue, Stanford, UCLA, Navy, UNC, Air Force, and Army, with only Navy and Air Force on the road. Personally, I've always had them ranked pretty high, for whatever that's worth. An offense like theirs is never out of a game, as the Spartans know. They have one chance left to stake their claim for the title game, and I'm sure they'll show up. They desperately needed USC to be undefeated for this week's matchup; as it stands, even with a victory, I can't see ND jumping both Michigan and the SEC champ to slide into the title game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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