Notre Dame committed a crime this year

[CHorn427]

Notre Dame finessed the system this year harder than any system has ever been finessed. Here is their path to their current AP poll ranking. 

L to ranked TAMU: -16 to #24

*First team in 37 years to remain in the poll at 0-2. 

W vs Purdue: +2 to #22
W vs Arkansas: +1 to #21
W vs BSU: +5 to #16
W vs NCSU: +3 to #13
W vs #20 USC: +1 to #12
Bye: +0 to #12
W vs BC: +2 to #10

* After starting 0-2 then getting five wins over bad to mediocre teams and one 10 point win to a ranked but overrated USC, Notre Dame made it back from #24 to essentially back in the CFP field. This is insane. They were 1-2 vs ranked teams at this point, yet back in the CFP field. 

*Coasted the rest of the season (one spot up for added security)

W vs Navy: +1 to #9
W vs #22 Pitt: +0 to #9
W vs Syr: +0 to #9
W vs Stan: +0 to #9

If Notre Dame would have fallen completely out of the AP poll after starting 0-2 like everyone in the last 36 years, they wouldn’t have moved back up into CFP field by beating the joke of schedule they had after their first two games.

[jkates]

It's true. 

[horn_fan_14]

I went down a rabbit hole this morning regarding Notre Dame. First off, I'm not the biggest fan of FPI but I think it can be a useful metric. 

If you look at some of Notre Dame's wins, here how they rank in the FPI:
1. USC - 11
2. Pitt - 38
3. Arkansas - 41

Care to guess where Florida ranks?

36

That's right, terrible 4-8 Florida is actually a better team, according to FPI, than Notre Dame's second best win.
But let's look at some on field results between Pitt and Florida to see if that makes sense, here are 2 common opponents: Miami and FSU

Florida: 40 FSU: 21

Pitt: 34 FSU: 31

Florida: 7 Miami: 26

Pitt: 7 Miami: 38

I'm not saying that Florida beats Pitt but looking at FPI and on field results is very telling....

[GoHorns1]

ND must join a Power 4 conference (ACC since all others already have) for football or be left out the  CFP!  No more special rules for ND crap!

[CHorn427]

41 minutes ago, horn_fan_14 said:

I went down a rabbit hole this morning regarding Notre Dame. First off, I'm not the biggest fan of FPI but I think it can be a useful metric. 

If you look at some of Notre Dame's wins, here how they rank in the FPI:
1. USC - 11
2. Pitt - 38
3. Arkansas - 41

Care to guess where Florida ranks?

36

That's right, terrible 4-8 Florida is actually a better team, according to FPI, than Notre Dame's second best win.
But let's look at some on field results between Pitt and Florida to see if that makes sense, here are 2 common opponents: Miami and FSU

Florida: 40 FSU: 21

Pitt: 34 FSU: 31

Florida: 7 Miami: 26

Pitt: 7 Miami: 38

I'm not saying that Florida beats Pitt but looking at FPI and on field results is very telling....

Lincoln Riley has turned USC into a ferocious paper tiger. Made of premium Dunder Mifflin stuff.

USC is the Mizzou of the Big10. Stays ranked even though they can’t beat a serious team. Solely for the purpose of Big10 teams/Notre Dame saying they have an impressive win.

The Big10 and Notre Dame should hold a day of mourning and remembrance when USC finally parts ways with Riley.  

[.45s]

*First team in 37 years to remain in the poll at 0-2. "

 

They were also probably that team 37 years ago that remained in the poll at 0-2.  😆 

It is amazing how they are perennially ranked so high, even after losses.

[CHorn427]

47 minutes ago, .45s said:

*First team in 37 years to remain in the poll at 0-2. "

 

They were also probably that team 37 years ago that remained in the poll at 0-2.  😆 

It is amazing how they are perennially ranked so high, even after losses.

Would have been funny but it was Michigan 😂

[Clifton]

52 minutes ago, .45s said:

*First team in 37 years to remain in the poll at 0-2. "

 

They were also probably that team 37 years ago that remained in the poll at 0-2.  😆 

It is amazing how they are perennially ranked so high, even after losses.

Bingo. Notre Dame has gotten the benefit of the doubt my entire life. 

[NotGerryHamilton]

ND thinks way too highly of themselves. If the P4 conferences had any balls they completely block them out with scheduling until they joined a conference. If ND was in a conference they know they’d immediately become irrelevant