So, here's how the Notre Dame opponents fared this season -- against teams ranked ahead of the Fighting Irish. And, how these teams (ranked ahead of the Irish) fared in their bowl games:
USC
- Beat #11 Utah by 5 points
- Lost to Notre Dame by 3 points
Virginia
- Lost to #9 Florida by 8 points
- Lost to Notre Dame by 15 points
Georgia
- Beat Notre Dame by 6 points
- Beat #9 Florida by 7 points
Iowa State
- Lost to #16 Iowa by 1 point
- Lost to #7 Baylor by 2 points
- Lost to #4 Oklahoma by 1 point
- Lost to Notre Dame by 24 points
I'm hopeful the 11-2 Fighting Irish will move up in the final rankings -- here's how the teams ahead of us have fared so far in the Bowl Season, that we might overtake:
#4: Oklahoma -- lost to LSU (63 - 28)
#11 Utah -- lost to Texas (38 - 10)