I'm frustrated -- we're 3 - 6 and I'm looking for excuses -- like any good fan!
Especially now that it's being reported that the ACC crew should not have allowed a replay official to make the 12 man-on-the-field penalty call against Notre Dame. SEE THE RULE.
Anyway, it made me wonder how Notre Dame has fared over the past three seasons since we began taking ACC officiating crews with us to our road games against non-ACC teams. Versus, how the "real ACC teams" fare when they go on the road with the same ACC officiating crews.
Here's what I learned...
Notre Dame has played 5 road games these past three seasons against non-ACC foes where we've taken "our ACC officials" with us. Here are the results:
- ND: 21 penalties for 195 yards
- Opponents: 13 penalties for 99 yards
- In three of these five road games, our opponents had a grand total of 4 penalties called on them!
- ACC officials have called 62% more penalties on the Fighting Irish
- ACC officials have walked off 97% more penalty yards on the Fighting Irish
ACC Officiating Crews -- working ACC Teams' road games against non-ACC foes:
Clemson has had three road games officiated by ACC crews against non-ACC foes -- in the same time frame -- here's what I learned:
- Clemson: 10 penalties for 100 yards
- Opponents: 21 penalties for 155 yards
Florida State has had three road games officiated by ACC crews against non-ACC foes -- in the same time frame -- here's what I learned:
- Florida State: 19 penalties for 173 yards
- Opponents: 22 penalties for 201 yards
North Carolina has had three road games officiated by ACC crews against non-ACC foes -- in the same time frame -- here's what I learned:
- North Carolina: 20 penalties for 161 yards
- Opponents: 30 penalties for 236 yards
ACC Officiating Crews -- working ND games against ACC foes:
Notre Dame has played 13 games over the past three seasons against ACC foes -- here's how the ACC officials have called these games:
- ND: 74 penalties for 592 yards
- ACC opponents: 84 penalties for 705 yards
- ACC officials have called 14% more penalties on ND's ACC foes
- ACC officials have walked off 20% more penalty yards on ND's ACC foes
It makes you question why Notre Dame is less penalized against their ACC opponents when they go head-to-head, yet, when we (ND, Clemson, FSU and NC) go on the road --- with the same ACC officiating crews -- ND is the only team that is penalized more than their non-ACC opponent?
Why the anomaly?
We are 1 - 4 in these games.
Notre Dame football is now 14 - 13 in the 27 games since an ACC officiating crew took back the game winning TD the Irish scored in the closing seconds of our road game against #1 Florida State back in 2014 -- with a controversial penalty call.
ARE WE UNDER AN ACC OFFICIATING CURSE?
11 of Notre Dame's 13 losses have been by ONE TD or less -- think about that!!!
Folks, I'm just looking for someone else to blame for our recent football famine -- please know, I'm well aware it's not the ACC officials' fault. We make just one more play in each of these 11 close losses and we're having conversations about the Playoffs.
Yet, I will admit I yearn for the days when Notre Dame took those MAC officiating crews with them on the road. SEE MAC OFFICIALS.
Tomorrow's a new day -- BEAT ARMY!
