Here's How Notre Dame Ends Up In CFP!

Okay, with the loss to Georgia -- we drop to #10 in the polls -- meaning we have the next eleven weeks to move up six more spots.  Here's how we do it.

Week #1 -- BEAT #18 Virginia

• There's only two games this week -- with ranked teams taking on each other.  Beat Virginia and ND probably remains #10

Week #2 -- BEAT Bowling Green

• Auburn and Florida play this week -- Florida loses, drops below Notre Dame.
• Win big over Bowling Green and Notre Dame moves to #9

Week #3 -- BEAT #21 USC

• Alabama travels to Texas A&M -- don't expect the Tide to lose this
• Texas travels to Oklahoma -- Longhorns beat Oklahoma
• Notre Dame beats USC handily -- and move up to #8

Week #4 -- SIT BACK and WATCH

• No teams ahead of Notre Dame play a ranked opponent this week.
• Notre Dame remains #8 in the polls

Week #5 -- BEAT #20 Michigan

• Auburn travels to LSU -- Auburn loses to LSU, drops below Notre Dame in the polls
• Notre Dame beats Michigan -- and moves up to #7 in the polls

Week #6 -- BEAT Virginia Tech

• Georgia travels to Florida -- Georgia handles the Gators
• Notre Dame beats VT -- and remains #7 in the polls

Week #7 -- BEAT Duke -- KEY WEEKEND FOR NOTRE DAME

• LSU travels to Alabama -- Bama wins handily, LSU drops below Notre Dame in the polls
• Iowa travels to Wisconsin -- Badgers lose to Hawkeyes, Wisconsin drops below Notre Dame in the polls
• Notre Dame beats Duke -- moves up to #5 in the polls

Week #8 -- BEAT Navy

• Georgia travels to Auburn -- Georgia wins handily
•  Notre Dame beats Navy -- remains #5 in the polls

Week #9 -- BEAT Boston College

• Penn State travels to Ohio State -- Ohio State rolls the Nittany Lions
• Notre Dame rolls over BC -- remains #5 in the polls

Week #10 -- BEAT Stanford -- KEY WEEKEND FOR NOTRE DAME

• Alabama travels to Auburn -- Bama wins
• Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor -- Harbaugh saves job, beats Buckeyes -- who drop behind Notre Dame in the polls
• Notre Dame destroys Stanford -- moves up to #4 in the polls

Week #11 -- Conference Championships

• Georgia beats Alabama to win SEC
• Notre Dame moves up to #3 in the CFB Playoff
• Gets another shot at Clemson -- who drops to #2 behind Georgia (strength of schedule comparison vs. Georgia) 

CFB PLAYOFF FINAL RANKINGS:

1. Georgia
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Big Ten Champ or Big Twelve Champ

Georgia 23 -- Notre Dame 17: Highlights

Kelly & Book: Post Game Media Session

Just Got Back From Athens -- Some Thoughts

 

 

Never seen anything like I experienced last night in Notre Dame's 23 - 17 loss to Georgia at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.  Click on the photos above to enlarge.

• It was a "black out" -- but, it looked more like a RED OUT!
• There were red and black tents, tablecloths and chairs -- on every square inch of green grass on campus.  They don't have any parking lots around the Stadium -- so the tailgating is on campus grounds...
• The noise was beyond anything I've ever heard before.  I thought Miami 2017 was loud -- this was at another level.
• The Georgia student section -- world-class!  A little like Oakland's "Black Hole..."
• Don't know how we ever got any snap off in sync.
• First time I ever saw a football stadium turn into a night club -- the light show was impressive and effective -- pre-game and prior to 4th quarter!  The top photo, that's the start of the fourth quarter light show -- a first for Georgia...
• The Georgia home field advantage -- is incredible.
• The campus is very nice -- and very hilly.
• The fans treated us very nicely -- now, if we had pulled the game out -- not so sure...   
• The Georgia fan base did not sell their tickets to Notre Dame fans   
• I was sitting with Tim Brown and Jerome Bettis at half-time on the Notre Dame bench when the Georgia "Red Coats" Marching Band -- marched directly at us on the sideline.  See the photo of Jerome and Tim's reaction seeing the band charging at us -- that's me on the left:  
• 

Now, on to what I saw on the field;

• We miss quickness and speed at the running back spot
• Georgia's speed at every position (but OL and QB) -- is scary!
• Not sure what percentage of Georgia's starting line-up is "home grown" in the Peach State -- but, when they announced their starting line-up, it seemed like every player grew up in Georgia.
• I stood on the sideline for half of the game -- the hitting was intense
• Our kicking game -- solid
• We need to find a running game in big games like this...
• Dropped passes hurt us in the 1st half
• And, the penalties -- when I saw the officials come out onto the field with their SEC sweaters -- I knew we were in for a long day
• The Georgia fan base thought they were going to destroy us -- we earned their respect...
• Impressed we didn't cave -- in that environment, it would have been easy too!
• Georgia's home field advantage is at least 14 points -- it's a really tough environment to play in...

Need to beat Virginia!

It All Comes Down to Tonight -- Playoff Game!

Brady Quinn Interviews Book and Coach Kelly

Georgia Royalty Hosts Notre Dame Tonight

 

Was fortunate to be able to tag along with Notre Dame alum Dick Corbett '60, to an event put on by former Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne (a former Georgia Bulldog football player) and his friends.  What a night -- here's some of the highlights...

• We get off the bus and what are we greeted by -- four F-16 Fighter Jet's doing their test run over Sanford Stadium for tomorrow night's game
• A beautiful view from the west end of Sanford Stadium -- the most beautiful natural grass field you'll ever see.  I learned that Georgia does not practice on the field -- only the kicker's have access to the field (one day each week)
• We were treated to an event in Georgia Football's Recruit Lounge -- a very large facility that sits on the western edge of the Stadium -- it's slick
• A gospel choir surprised us with a singing of Here Come The Irish and Georgia On My Mind 
• Every table had Georgia guests and Notre Dame guests 
• Broadcasting great, Vern Lundquist was the MC
• The Governor of Georgia and their two (2) U.S. Senators were in attendance
• Heisman Trophy Winner Herschel Walker
• CBS's Sports' Chairman Sean MacManus
• NBC Sports' President Pete Bevacqua (ND grad)
• Jerome Bettis
• Lou Holtz
• Vince Dooley -- the legendary Georgia coach admitted he grew up rooting for the Fighting Irish, hoping to play for Notre Dame someday...
• CBS's broadcast crew for tomorrow night; Nessler and Danielson 
• University of Georgia's President and Athletics Director
• Jack Swarbrick
• Executive Director of the College Football Playoff
• A number of Augusta National members
• Shannon Cullinan (Notre Dame's EVP)
• Tom Burish (Notre Dame's Provost)
• Etc.

A truly wonderful event!

This is the first of three events (tonight and tomorrow) -- where Georgia is hosting Notre Dame...

There's a "Few of Us" Here in Athens, GA!

 

Just spent the last three hours in downtown Athens -- and saw some GREEN, BLUE and GOLD in the restaurants and sidewalks...

Even ran into a College Football Hall of Fame Coach walking the streets by himself -- then spent a good 30+ minutes talking with Lou outside our hotel -- with many Georgia fans interrupting for photos (I took many!)...

Coach Holtz took it all in stride.  That's Notre Dame alum Dick Corbett (of Corbett Hall fame) taking the photo for a fan with Coach Holtz.

I will tell you -- he's not happy that we're 15 point underdogs...

He jokingly said "Jim, I wouldn't wait until 8 PM -- I'd knock on their locker room door at noon tomorrow -- and tell Kirby; we're on the field right now, come and get it!"

Thursday Night With the ND Offensive Line

Mick's Mix Tape -- Beat Georgia Bulldogs

Urban Meyer Talks About Brian Kelly & ND

The discussion on Brian Kelly and Notre Dame -- begins at the 6:07 mark.

More "Notre Dame Love" From the Pundits...

 

Gary Danielson on the script for ND to beat UGA:
“When you’re a slight underdog on the road, the formula is stay in the game. Just don’t let them run away from you. Stay in the game. And there’s no doubt in my mind that #NotreDame can do this.”
Podcast: https://t.co/hDjlHjSMQr

— Tyler James (@TJamesNDI) September 19, 2019

 

Brian Kelly Talks Georgia Game With SVP

Notre Dame Volleyball Off To Great Start!

The win over Michigan puts the Fighting Irish at 7-2 on the season...

Georgia Week: Injury Report on Bulldogs

This is from the folks at DawgNation...

LINK:  INJURY UPDATE

Missed This: Brady Quinn with Rich Eisen

Defensive Players Talk Georgia Game Prep

Ian Book Talks Georgia Prep With Media...

Inside Notre Dame Football -- New Mexico

Holtz & May Talk Notre Dame vs. Georgia