Good suggestion and good charts.

Thanks!

It’s a shame that the national sports media doesn’t pay more attention to the academic side.

Also on the point of GSR, please consider this: http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2012/10/30/rank/

and

http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2012/08/23/davidson-college-ahead-of-the-irish-gsr-or-a-sick-rick-reilly-fantasy/

and

http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2012/06/05/academics-race-recruiting-jaylon-smith-99/

HLS has been all over Notre Dame’s academic preeminence this season. Thanks for reading!

Once we hit the number 1 ranking, Biscuit was on the ball immediately with the GSR comparisons: http://www.herloyalsons.com/blog/2012/11/19/what-it-means-to-be-1/

Precisely. The Irish belong in the same tier as the elite SEC teams this season. Membership in the SEC is not a requirement for that honor.

Per your suggestion, edited charts from worst to best performances in each stat. Much cleaner.

This is probably off-topic, but can you muster a similar breakdown of the academic side of the equation? The GSR rankings have snagged a few headlines – though not nearly enough – but even those numbers fail to address the fact that not all degrees are created equal. A lot of kids slide through the big football factories taking “rocks for jocks” (Matt Leinhart, anyone?), and many walk out with degrees that don’t mean much in the real world.

This aspect of things has a particularly sharp edge this year, with ND going against an SEC program for the crystal football, but it also is worth mentioning in the context of the Heisman Trophy. “The outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.” I have nothing against Mr. Manziel, but doesn’t that copy describe Mr. T’eo to a T?

I’m not a Domer, but I’m a fan of any program that emphasizes academics the way ND does.

BTW, here’s an interesting take on the whole SEC thing: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6936235/s-e-c-s-e-c-s-e-c
Having received both my undergrad and doctoral degrees at universities in the Upper South, I’d say this hits the mark.

However, the SEC love is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, especially with how much they beat up on each other. And any conference that feasts on FCS schools and points to those wins and inflated stats as proof of dominance is fooling itself.

What makes the Irish so good this year is not their “SEC defense” or their “SEC style” ball control. Its their undeniable ability to play their game, focus on their opponent each week without losing focus, and never quit on each other or their fundamentals…in short, playing “IRISH” football.