OT: Notre Dame-Bama

[Beninator]

Obviously ND wasn't the #1 team in the country, but they were 12-0 and deserved to be in the championship game. If Ohio St was eligible they no doubt would have been playing ND instead of Alabama. Helps to not lose a game.

ND had a soft schedule especially compated to the SEC schools. Oregon, Texas A&M, and I'll even throw in Stanford were more deserving to play in the championship game. ND IMO was like an experienced mid-major team. They had the talent to get by the schedule they had, but once it came to playing an elite team.. Well.. we saw the results.

Lets get the playoffs in place!

[Chico]

ND had a soft schedule especially compated to the SEC schools. Oregon, Texas A&M, and I'll even throw in Stanford were more deserving to play in the championship game. ND IMO was like an experienced mid-major team. They had the talent to get by the schedule they had, but once it came to playing an elite team.. Well.. we saw the results.

Lets get the playoffs in place!

I didn't think they were that good either, but being a BCS team and going undefeated helps. Not the first time a team shouldn't have played in this game.

[SFP]

I didn't think they were that good either, but being a BCS team and going undefeated helps. Not the first time a team shouldn't have played in this game.

I agree and let's hope they expand the playoffs to 8 teams rather sooner then later.

The SEC will be really top heavy again next year with the potential of 5-6 teams in the top 10. The B1G will have 1 -2 teams there, Pac 12 will have 2 with ND taking a spot there's not to much room for anyone else.

[BUFanatic]

ND had a soft schedule especially compated to the SEC schools. Oregon, Texas A&M, and I'll even throw in Stanford were more deserving to play in the championship game. ND IMO was like an experienced mid-major team. They had the talent to get by the schedule they had, but once it came to playing an elite team.. Well.. we saw the results.

Lets get the playoffs in place!

I'm sick of that. You know every sports writer had ND as one of the toughest schedules in the country, and as they knocked teams down they became irrelevant. I'll give you the Aggies, maybe even a sub-par Stanford (their schedule was no better than Notre Dame's if you want to go there) and Oregon, don't get me started. You think that this game would have been any closer if Oregon had played? The PAC 12 is one of the worst conferences in College Football for SOS. You've got Cal, USC, Stanford, and MAYBE UCLA on the off year as powers. Oregon's style is like that of Michael Vick. Anyone can figure it out and when you do the team won't be able to play well anymore. Again, barring A&M, what "elite" team did Oregon and Stanford play? You want to go head to head on teams they played in common? Okay.

Oregon:
Common Opponents with ND:
USC and Stanford
ND-USC: W: 22-13
ORE-USC: W: 62-51 (Wasn't USC supposed to be an Elite Team at the start of this year? Where's the Oregon D against elite teams?)
ND-Stanford: W: 20-13 (OT)
ORE-Stanford: L: 14-17 (OT)
I don't care what you say about the final call of the Stanford-ND game, the game would have gone on whether thy scored or not. What did not change was that Oregon was handed its first loss of the season by the first potent defense that they played. They were held to FOURTEEN POINTS.

Stanford:
Common Opponents with ND (Including ND):
USC and Notre Dame
ND-USC: W: 22-13
Stanford-USC: W: 21-14
These two were really close and showed why the head to head with ND was so close and low scoring. Both teams are very similar. USC scored the first rushing touchdown of the year on Notre Dame's defense (showed how ND would slide to the National Championship joke defense they had).

ND-Stanford: 20-13 (OT)
Sure there may have been a blown call (I still hold that it was the RIGHT call) but even with that call, Notre Dame gets the ball back and no one knows what would have happened. This game gives legitimacy to the claim that Stanford was equal to Notre Dame and equally deserved a shot at the championship (Despite a bad night against Washington).

I'm not arguing Texas A&M for obvious reasons, I'm a fan myself (Still bleed Green and Gold) and was before Manziel as I can't STAND the Longhorns and I always looked forward to some Thanksgiving Night football.

One last word on the ND Schedule. They played 4 Ranked Opponents (10 MSU, 18 Michigan, 17 Stanford, and 8 Oklahoma). They went 4-0 in those games. Stanford played 5 going 6-1, more evidence of their closeness to ND (2 USC, overrated as we saw by the time they played un-ranked ND, 7 Notre Dame, 11 Oregon State, 2 Oregon, and 17 and 16 UCLA in back to back weeks). Oregon went 5-1, playing 2 bottom feeders in the top 25 (22 Arizona, 23 Washington, 17 USC on their way out, 13 Stanford, 15 Oregon State, and 5 Kansas State, overrated).

My point: While Notre Dame may not have been ready for the National Championship (They were at LEAST a year ahead of schedule), they were the best of those who could have gone. If you would substitute Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, any non SEC team, the game could have ended like this. If Alabama played LSU or Georgia, then and only then would there be little to no possibility of a blowout either way.

Oh, also, and I AM saving this article for next year to show to people like you who would say ND has an easy schedule. Have a look at what they say about 12 Notre Dame's schedule. Apparently Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Oklahoma, and Stanford are going to make MIRACULOUS turnarounds this year from their terrible seasons this year and they're suddenly "Daunting" opponents again. Give me a break. They were all good this year (barring USC) and they'll all be good again next year.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...ly-2013-top-25

[Braves2011]

This wouldn't even be a discussion if it weren't a loss to a weak pitt. ND was very lucky to escape that game, especially being a home game. I would even be willing to bet that Louisville would take ND down if they were to play. ND would also be a .500 if they were in the SEC.

[Beninator]

This wouldn't even be a discussion if it weren't a loss to a weak pitt. ND was very lucky to escape that game, especially being a home game. I would even be willing to bet that Louisville would take ND down if they were to play. ND would also be a .500 if they were in the SEC.

+1 --although I believe ND would be less than a .500 team in the SEC. Keep in mind that Pitt was embarrassed by Ole Miss 38-17 in the Compass Bowl. That Ole Miss team was 3-5 in the SEC and 7-6 overall.

[SFP]

Also besides the questionable last play in the Stanford game there were 3 other very questionable calls in that game in ND's favor. Also the eye test says a lot. I'm not a ND hater at all just a realist. They were good, well coached and had a few really good ball payers but overall they did not look like a #1 or #2 team in the nation. I'm not saying Stanford or Oregon were that team this year. Alabama from the get go, did look like the #1 team in the country besides that loss to A&M where Johnny Football played like a champ. ND's schedule was OK but if you look back at it, besides Stanford and Oklahoma they did not play a team in the top 20 unless you add Michigan to the mix. I do think though that Oregon would have given Alabama a better game. Remember Stanford plays Oregon every year and knows how to play them.

What's wrong with just saying ND was a pretty good team this year that played above its ability and caught a few breaks. It was obvious that they were way above their heads in the title game.

[BUFanatic]

What's wrong with just saying ND was a pretty good team this year that played above its ability and caught a few breaks. It was obvious that they were way above their heads in the title game.

Nothing, and I'm happy with the product on the field this year and that they even made the championship game. Now that almost a week has passed I'm a bit more cooled down, but it's tough when your team gets pasted on such a large stage.

[Chico]

This wouldn't even be a discussion if it weren't a loss to a weak pitt. ND was very lucky to escape that game, especially being a home game. I would even be willing to bet that Louisville would take ND down if they were to play. ND would also be a .500 if they were in the SEC.

Both easy to say because they didn't play Louisvile and they're not in the SEC. Give it up. They were undefeated, lucky or not.

[Chico]

Also besides the questionable last play in the Stanford game there were 3 other very questionable calls in that game in ND's favor. Also the eye test says a lot. I'm not a ND hater at all just a realist. They were good, well coached and had a few really good ball payers but overall they did not look like a #1 or #2 team in the nation. I'm not saying Stanford or Oregon were that team this year. Alabama from the get go, did look like the #1 team in the country besides that loss to A&M where Johnny Football played like a champ. ND's schedule was OK but if you look back at it, besides Stanford and Oklahoma they did not play a team in the top 20 unless you add Michigan to the mix. I do think though that Oregon would have given Alabama a better game. Remember Stanford plays Oregon every year and knows how to play them.

What's wrong with just saying ND was a pretty good team this year that played above its ability and caught a few breaks. It was obvious that they were way above their heads in the title game.

Obvious they wern't as good as Alabama, but playing above your ability is what it takes. Good example is the NCAA basketball tournament every year.

[SFP]

Obvious they wern't as good as Alabama, but playing above your ability is what it takes. Good example is the NCAA basketball tournament every year.

I agree and give them credit there. Coaching was great all season to have the chance they had!