The Great Schedule Debate
The Biscuit
Even Mark Schlabach, who tends to hate on ND as much or more than anyone else out there (except maybe Mark May), thinks that ND has a really tough schedule this year. (wooooo hooooo, see that link right there? i am fannn-freaking-cy!)
We see it every year. ND doesn’t go undefeated and the whiners/cryers/tOSU fans start with the schedule chatter: “ND doesn’t play anyone”, “ND’s schedule is weak”, “They play the service academies!”.
Blah blah freaking blah I say. ND is consistently rated as having one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The schedule always includes Michigan and USC, annual powers in CFB (as much as we hate to admit it), along with a host of solid/top tier programs. THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. Then there are 2-3 weaker games in there as well. But hey, we can’t run the gauntlet every week.
And yet, every year people claim it’s a cake schedule.
Take this year – the haters will all focus on Duke and the Military guys (Can’t we give the men in uniform a break? They are NOT necessarily easy games. Check out Army recently). But look what Schlabach says:
Two of the military academies and Duke are still on the schedule, but how many teams would want to play Georgia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, UCLA, Boston College and USC? The Fighting Irish play the Nittany Lions and Wolverines in back-to-back road games, and consecutive road contests at Purdue and UCLA won’t be easy, either.
Who wants that schedule? Nobody. Because it’s tough. On the other hand, who are in the Easiest 10? hmmmm…
How about Ohio State, Texas and Arkansas?
Somehow I am sure that will go over-looked come poll, and ND-bashing, time.
Oh yeah, and all you Michigan Fans/Big Ten tools, you’ll see that only MSU is on that Top 10 Most Difficult List. And that’s because they play their tough Big 10 games Away, and ND at ND. No, Michigan does not have a tough schedule. Nor does Penn State. Your conference has a TON of bottom feeders (read: Illinois, Northwestern), and you all schedule AAAAAA teams that might as well be pop warner. How about Michigan’s tough Appalachian State and Eastern Michigan games? Brutal! Or tOSU’s Youngstown State, Akron and Kent State matchups? Horrifying for them! They might as well play my niece’s Brownie’s Troop.
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2 Comments
Mark lists the 10 toughest schedules in his opinion, but neglects to mention that 5 of those teams play ND….
Personally, I just can’t wait for that Miami – Florida International clash of the titans
One of the problems with ND’s strength of schedule is when Notre Dame has a good team and wins most of their games, It makes their schedule seem weak. If ND is weak and loses most of their games the other teams now have a big win and the opponents Strength of Schedule jumps right up.
An additional problem is that the ND game is always “Theee” game for everybody on the opponent’s schedule, and if ND’s opponent loses to ND, their season is shattered, and they wind up on a downward slide. If they beat ND and can get by the next game they are headed for the BCS. Lots of things to talk about here, aside from the fact that this schedule was made in 2002. BUt nobody else will schedule these teams and survive.
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