They don't have a tie in. So unless I'm mistaken they have to jump up a few spots to get an at large bid.
Oregon will not be in the PAC-10 Championship, unless they win next week and Stanford loses. Stanford wins, it's a UCLA - Stanford PAC-10 Championship game.
I'm aware, I just like Oregon's odds at least as good as Stanford's. It's no sure thing for Stanford, as they need to beat a #15 team (that just beat USC) on the road. Then again, Oregon's matchup ain't easy either.
Also, Notre Dame had an unreasonable amount of attention in the Willingham/Weiss years on ESPN/SI that amounted to a lot of cock-polishing for no discernible reason and it was insufferable. I thought at one point that Brady Quinn ejaculated cures for cancer. My tv-less lifestyle has given me some immunity, so I dunno if it continues, but after this year, I'm sure it will resume.
Never mind Gamecocks is smarter than me. The Big East does have an automatic bid. ESPN is projecting the Sugar Bowl.
Yes. And this? That national fanbase is because of a bunch of bandwagon fans and obnoxious losers who root for Notre Dame cause they went to a Catholic HS and were programmed into thinking ND was God's team. For every fan like my friend (whose Dad played there for 2 years but left cause he was behind Montana on the depth chart), there is my former roommate who couldn't tell you more than 5 players on the ND team and is quick to downplay his fanship when they are sucking, but my god he insists on having every game on now and writing statuses about them. And thats to say nothing for the alumni base. As Al McGuire once said, "A Notre Dame alumni will pick his nose just to show you his class ring"
As far as fan bases go they are no worse than a lot of other big name schools. I'm usually happy to see both the Oklahoma schools do well. However the second I cross the border to visit my folks I feel an irrational hatred to OU because of their fan base. And that was the number two school I was considering going to. SEC fans, USC fans, Michigan fans, fuck pretty much every team that has a history of winning has a fairly insufferable segment of its fan base. Yet I don't see the same levels of glee when USC is having a shit year. It seems like everyone in the countries two favorite teams are their team and whoever is playing The Irish. Maybe it is because I was raised on Irish football. Or because my family has a lot of Irish alumni including two players. But whatever the reason I love this team. And it's just a little baffling that after damn near two decades of sucking ass you would think that that would be enough for everones Fuck Notre Dame to be a little warn out. However the only eligible undefeated team in the country is still being decried as overrated and undeserving of their spot. It would be impossible to be as good a team as Alabama was supposed to be simply because I think it would be hard to play football and walk on water at the same time, yet people are still hype on them they few fans they have in the area seem perfectly happy to still talk them up with no real need to defend their one loss. (Weiss having two "good" seasons where their only problem was losing to every quality football team they saw doesn't count as not sucking ass.) This long rambling nonsense does come with one caveat however. Their students and alumni do suck quite a bit more than their counterparts at other schools I've been around.
Another problem that I have with Notre Dame is the fact that they won't join a conference. The NCAA should make you play every sport in the same conference so long as it is offered. If ND wants to be truly independent, then let them figure out how to schedule all their sports instead of the Big East.
If your school could keep 50% of the revenue from every game they play and still have a garaunteed bid to the BCS with 10 wins they would too.
Guess the ACC's 50 mil buyout doesn't mean a whole lot. Clemson and FSU to the Big 12 is on the horizon. NC State and Va Tech to the SEC. ACC might be done before 2015.
Most people just don't believe in Notre Dame. It's not without merit. They deserve to and will get to play in the national championship if they win next week, so who cares how much the media likes them? To be fair, they had what appeared to be a very tough schedule and it's not their fault most of those teams were weaker than expected this season. I just don't see them beating Alabama, or Oregon in the unlikely chance that happens. Yes, the SEC suck off is getting old, but until someone beats them why wouldn't you assume they're better? And in the games I've seen this year they definitely do look like the better team (albeit not as good as last year).
Is there a reason you don't see Notre Dame beating Oregon? Alabama I could understand but why Oregon?
It would be a lot easier to see it happening, but my main reason is Oregon's offense, who is quite a bit better than anyone Notre Dame has played. When the Irish have played tough opponents they've survived on their defense. Oregon would put up points. It's not hard to imagine them scoring over 30. I'm just not sure if Notre Dame could keep up. The fact is they would have lost a lot of those games if their defense wasn't totally shutting teams down. Do you really think they could do that to Oregon? I know, I know Stanford just held them in check, but that was an exception, and the least they have scored outside that game is 42. It just feels like a bad match up.
I can get that. Their offense does put up video game numbers. But out side of Stanford is there any team that they play that has a solid defense. Hell is there a decent team in the Pac 12 that even trys to shut teams down. With that same exception of Stanford the whole confrence seems seems much like Oregon. Explosive offences and defenses that almost seem to be trying to drag out the other teams drives. Oregons second tougbest game was against USC and while the Trojans did a few nice things on defense especially as far as pressuring the QB goes, but that was the biggest shoot out I have ever seen. Stanford is the only team I have seen go out and spend the entire game in Oregons face. And all the sudden that explosive offense just went away. I will concede if Oregon got up by more than two possesions Notre Dame would be pretty far up shit creek though. Although this entire reply is probably moot because I don't see a whole lot of possibility of them playing each other this year.
I honestly don't think Notre Dame could beat Alabama, Oregon, Georgia or Florida. Yes, Notre Dame is undefeated. Yes, they seem to have a good defense. Here's the thing: 8 of their 11 games were at home. They barely beat 6 - 5 BYU, 5 - 6 Purdue, and needed 3 OTs to beat 3 - 8 Pittsburgh. Now, if there was only one close game like that, that's one thing. However, look at their schedule: There are no really impressive wins on there, and a lot of games that the #1 team should have made absolute blowouts.
How are wins over Stanford and Oklahoma (by 17) not impressive? Stanford is #8 in the BCS, and Oklahoma is #13. If the definition of impressive is "Must be by three touchdowns or against Georgia/LSU/Florida," this seems more than a little artificial/restrictive.
Here's the thing: If you're #1, you should be able to beat Stanford and Oklahoma... But you also should not need 3 OTs to beat an awful, hideous, terrible team. Now, maybe they were extra hyped up for Stanford and Oklahoma, but that type of mentality isn't going to beat 'Bama, Oregon, et al. I'm just pointing out games that should have been cake walks that were far closer than they needed to be. I promise you that the Tide, Ducks, Bulldogs and Gators would have absolutely throttled those 3 teams I pointed out.
By your standards, Alabama hasn't had any impressive wins, since they "should" be able to beat Michigan, Ole MSU, and LSU. Also, if Georgia can wallop any terrible team every time, they should have beat Tennessee and Kentucky by more than a touchdown. Why did Florida only beat Bowling Green by 13? Vanderbilt by 14? Mizzou by 7? Louisiana Lafeyette by a touchdown? These all should have been cake walks. If you get this nit picky and arbitrary about your standards, there are going to be a lot of holes. Wins over teams in the top 10 or 15 are impressive.