Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Take the Test -- Rank the TEAMS in the Playoff


Well, the Notre Dame family has its IRISH UP!

We just saw our Fighting Irish drop from #4 to #6 -- with three teams jumping us this week in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Here's what happened Saturday to precipitate this change:
  • #4 Notre Dame beat Boston College (3 - 8) 19 - 16 -- despite five turnovers
  • #5 Iowa beat Purdue (2 - 8) 40 - 20 at home
  • #7 Oklahoma beat TCU (9 - 1) 30 - 29 -- stopping TCU's two point conversion to win the game
  • #9 Michigan State beat Ohio State (10 - 0) 17 - 14 -- last second FG

We keep hearing the term "body of work" -- so, here it is -- the body of work for each of the teams ranked #3 to #6 in the CFB Playoff Rankings.  Now it's your turn to sit on the Committee.  You rank the teams...

TAKE THE CFB PLAYOFF COMMITTEE TEST! 
Rank these four "nameless" teams -- in order of #3 to #6.  I'm willing to bet you that if you just use the body of work -- you won't see the Fighting Irish outside the TOP FOUR!

TEAM A  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  69 - 59
  • FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 3

TEAM B  11 - 0
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  53 - 68
  • FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  3

TEAM C  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record: 70 - 60
  • FBS Opponent's with 8+ wins:  4

TEAM D  10 - 1
  • FBS Opponents' Record:  73 - 58
  • FBS Opponents with 8+ wins: 5

If you need "tie-breakers" to assist you in determining the rankings of these four teams -- here they are:
  • Team D beat Texas 38 - 3
  • Team A lost to Texas 24 - 17
  • Team D beat Pittsburgh:  42 - 30 @ Pitt
  • Team B beat Pittsburgh:  27 - 24 @ Home (on a last second FG)  

Cheat Sheet: Team A is Oklahoma, Team B is Iowa, Team C is Michigan State and Team D is Notre Dame.

A "Sneak Peek" -- A Season With Notre Dame


On Showtime this evening at 10 PM ET.

Stanford Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference


OT: Pope Francis' Miracle Kiss...


   

Romeo Okwara Talks With Jac Collinsworth


Coach Kelly Talks BC Win with Jack Nolan


Tonight's CFB Playoff Rankings...

Folks, here's the drill...

Whether we're #3, #4, #5 or #6 tonight -- it really doesn't matter.

WE HAVE TO BEAT STANFORD SATURDAY ON THE ROAD -- we do that and I like our chances of finishing in the TOP FOUR.  Here's why:
  • The ACC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
  • The SEC will have one team in the CFB Playoff
  • The Big Ten will have one team in the CFB Playoff 

This is a given.

It will come down to who looks better on paper out of these three teams -- for one of those four positions in the Playoff:
  • 11 - 1 Notre Dame
  • 11 - 1 Oklahoma or an 11 - 1 Oklahoma State

Here's what that "paper" looks like right now:

NOTRE DAME:
  • FBS Opponents:  11
  • Opponents Records:  73 - 58
  • Opponents with 8+ wins:  5
  • Common opponent Texas: Notre Dame 38 - Texas 3
Please note:  if Pitt beats Miami this Saturday -- ND will have 5 opponents with 9+ wins this season.

OKLAHOMA:
  • FBS Opponents:  11
  • Opponents Records:  69 - 59
  • Opponents with 8+ wins:  3 
  • Common opponent Texas:  Texas 24 - Oklahoma 17

OKLAHOMA STATE:
  • FBS Opponents: 9
  • Opponents Records:  67 - 60 
  • Opponents with 8+ wins: 3
  • Common opponent Texas: Oklahoma State 30 - Texas 27

We beat Stanford Saturday night -- it will be difficult to keep us out of the Playoff!