christophero said:

We are two wins from a one loss season and a shot at making a playoff run. This isn't 1990. That is a good season.

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We're ranked 8th in F+ a slight improvement from the last 10 years of 10-15th ranked ad naseum results on aggregate.

We're still way too far away from the tier 1 quality of teams and would need nothing short of a miracle in order to take 4 games vs the teams we'll likely be facing in the playoff that are gatekeeping a national title trophy.

And fans aren't stupid. They see the writing on the wall and are already preparing themselves psychologically for the inevitable playoff pantsing that will be coming live on national TV.

"Things are great at ND Football! We hosted a home game in the 12 team playoff!"

melstew said:

I think I like them. But still holding out hope for the allgolds someday.

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Didn't Tyrone use them once in a Spring Game and got blasted for it?

IrishMike409 said:

Agree. That was my point earlier: it's like the NIU loss never really mattered b

Credit to Freeman and the staff. He got the team to put their heads down and commit to the work.

Things turned out alright.

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mva5580 said:

It's wild to me that they still have a real chance at this point to not be penalized at all for losing at home to Northern Illinois. And yes I know that’s extremely unlikely considering the other games that are going to happen. It just looks weird to see them at 6 right now, but I know they (likely) will have to drop at the end.

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ND is being punished for the NIU loss although they’re not being crushed. The loss will likely prevent them from being ahead of 11-1 PSU and possibly 11-1 Indiana.

The saving grace for ND is that they’re soundly beating everyone except for A&M, Louisville, and NIU.

If ND drops another game, then the committee might drop the hammer and put them behind other 10-2 teams.

We are two wins from a one loss season and a shot at making a playoff run. This isn't 1990. That is a good season.

NDSMC78 said:

No, making the playoffs is not mediocre. The fact that you would say this shows how little you know about the game. But you have proved how little you know about a thousand times on this board. Just unbelievably stupid. Incredibly dumb.

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If ND made the playoffs as a tier 1 team, as a favorite to do damage in the playoffs, as a program with a good chance to win the playoff, or at least be competitive very deep into the playoff, it would be different.

But they're getting into the playoff because of their name recognition and over inflated W-L record due to the poor competition on their schedule and then getting completely ran over by legit national title relevant teams.

Instead of being humbled and coming to terms with this and acknowledging the issues, and fixing the product, they instead come up with endless excuses and self righteous indignation about the state of college football, and then they proceed to piss on their fans and call it rain. And apparently ND fans just love it. "More urine please!"

mva5580 said:

It's wild to me that they still have a real chance at this point to not be penalized at all for losing at home to Northern Illinois. And yes I know that’s extremely unlikely considering the other games that are going to happen. It just looks weird to see them at 6 right now, but I know they (likely) will have to drop at the end.

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The season has 12 games, not just 1

chaseball said:

ND is a blue blood/old money. They are historically one of the best 8 programs in the history of the sport and have all of the built in advantages that come with being a blue blood.

Merely making the playoff is mediocre.

With NDs sales/position in college football they should enjoy runs among the tier 1 at least a few times a decade but they've been completely out classed by tier 1 teams for going on 30 years now. And instead of fixing it, and investing in tier 1 results, they instead invest in PR to control the message and come up with endless excuses.

I dont know if im more frustrated with the mediocre results or their constant insulting of their fans intelligence.

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No, making the playoffs is not mediocre. The fact that you would say this shows how little you know about the game. But you have proved how little you know about a thousand times on this board. Just unbelievably stupid. Incredibly dumb.

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NDblitz said:

Exactly. By that logic There will be 10 medicore teams. 1 pretty good one, and 1 elite one at year's end.

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ND is a blue blood/old money. They are historically one of the best 8 programs in the history of the sport and have all of the built in advantages that come with being a blue blood. Their competition isn't the other 130 teams in college football -- but rather the other 7 blue bloods in their tier -- and they've been behind every single one of them (less Nebraska) for going on 30 years now.

Merely making the playoff IS mediocrity.

With NDs revenue/position in college football they should enjoy runs among the tier 1 at least a few times a decade but they've been completely out classed by tier 1 teams for going on 30 years now. And instead of fixing it, and investing in a tier 1 product to match theirs fans enthusiasm, they instead invest in heavy handed PR to control the message while letting the product wither away into endless mediocrity.

I dont know if im more frustrated with the lackluster product/results or their constant insulting of their fans intelligence.

mva5580 said:

It's wild to me that they still have a real chance at this point to not be penalized at all for losing at home to Northern Illinois. And yes I know that’s extremely unlikely considering the other games that are going to happen. It just looks weird to see them at 6 right now, but I know they (likely) will have to drop at the end.

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Agree. That was my point earlier: it's like the NIU loss never really mattered b

Credit to Freeman and the staff. He got the team to put their heads down and commit to the work.

Things turned out alright.

BleedingBlueNGold said:

Focusing the conversation on just getting a home playoff game and not winning all the playoff games plus championship is an indication of how low the entire fan base has their sights set. Like collectively we as a whole don't truly believe ND can win the playoffs, therefore a home playoff game is the best that ND can do in a lot of the fans mind's. There's really no talk of winning that home playoff game if you notice. Getting a home playoff game is considered a successful season at ND. And in reality that is the case. ND has failed more on the big stage in recent memory than have succeeded. So it literally makes sense. But there is really no logical correlation to voicing this and being a lesser fan. It's reality.

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Are you chase just posting under another handle? Listen: you can't win the championship unless you make the playoffs. And if you make the playoffs, wouldn't you prefer to play at home as opposed to on the road? It's really not that difficult to understand.

chaseball said:

They should change this sign to "Notre Dame Fighting Irish 12-team Playoff Seasons" and "Play Like A 12-team Playoff Team Today"

So they can cash in on these "playoff seasons" while winning 10+ games vs the garden variety schlep in the ACC & G5.

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How about if we change your name from chaseball to bamafan chase? That's who you really pull for.

You are beyond a doubt the most ignorant poster who has ever posted on this board. And that is saying something. You are beyond help. You don't listen to anyone else. Your mind, or what passes for a mind, is intractable and incapable of making any sense. See those bricks on the hoto your attached? Those bricks are like trying to talk some sense into you.

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echowaker said:

I guess you don't care for folks having opinions. That's kind of the purpose of being here no ? Young players win jobs all the time everywhere. Isn't the idea to find the best 5 who function as a unit cohesively ? ND is in an envious position with an abundance of talent in their O Line room. The battles should be fierce.

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No, not at all. Maybe he will start. I was just saying, that's true, Lambert is another top prospect, maybe he'll get the call. And then we're just running out of slots. LSU should try to NIL away a couple of our reserves, because they'd probably start right away there. I think they need interior OL.

Out of curiosity I googled the Army OL, because I read in passing it's bigger than usual.

It is. A few 6+ feet 300+ lb players. I don't know them at all, but in theory this makes this option team that much more effective...in the pass game especially?

Still, I can't see Army beating ND. I love the Cadets and am cautious as a fan, but it's just a different class of athlete. ND at the least should offensively power them in the run game...and give enough pocket protection for even RL to hit receivers deeper.

chaseball said:

Isn't the goal to win an NC?

ND has been ranked 5th-7th before ... (in fact they've been ranked three times in the top 4 under BK in the FBS postseason)

the goal shouldn't be to "host a playoff game" but to win the playoff.

Just kind of getting tired of the "hosting" rhetoric that seems to be going around ND nation right now.

I can see it now

"2024 was successful bro, we hosted a playoff game"

you get nothing for hosting a playoff game or winning the first 3 rounds in the playoff.

you think the top dogs in the BIG10 and SEC are hyping up "the chance to host a playoff game" ? no .. they got their minds dead set on bringing home a national title victory to their fans.

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I think you're being unreasonably pedantic...so I'll fight fire with fire!



It's more accurate and stricter to say: ND aspires to host an opening playoff to enhance the odds of an aspirational NC!

There I fixed it for you.



And yeah, playing at home is statistically helpful. I believe ND hosting plays a significant factor vs strong teams. I think playing teams like Ole Miss is very different at South Bend vs their home.

NDSMC78 said:

Making the playoffs is mediocrity? Got it.

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Exactly. By that logic There will be 10 medicore teams. 1 pretty good one, and 1 elite one at year's end.

NDSMC78 said:

Making the playoffs is mediocrity? Got it.

Click to expand...

Focusing the conversation on just getting a home playoff game and not winning all the playoff games plus championship is an indication of how low the entire fan base has their sights set. Like collectively we as a whole don't truly believe ND can win the playoffs, therefore a home playoff game is the best that ND can do in a lot of the fans mind's. There's really no talk of winning that home playoff game if you notice. Getting a home playoff game is considered a successful season at ND. And in reality that is the case. ND has failed more on the big stage in recent memory than have succeeded. So it literally makes sense. But there is really no logical correlation to voicing this and being a lesser fan. It's reality.

NDSMC78 said:

Making the playoffs is mediocrity? Got it.

Click to expand...

They should change this sign to "Notre Dame Fighting Irish 12-team Playoff Seasons" and "Play Like A 12-team Playoff Team Today"

So they can cash in on these "playoff seasons" while winning 10+ games vs the garden variety schlep in the ACC & G5.

It's wild to me that they still have a real chance at this point to not be penalized at all for losing at home to Northern Illinois. And yes I know that’s extremely unlikely considering the other games that are going to happen. It just looks weird to see them at 6 right now, but I know they (likely) will have to drop at the end.

BleedingBlueNGold said:

I really like this take. We have collectively as a fan base accepted mediocrity.

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........And? I mean what's the alternative? We're fans. What control do we REALLY have over how good the team is. You either stop watching, or you accept it. I really don't think the people in decision making positions need the fans to tell them whether or not the team is good. It's a weird way to even look at it anyway as the overwhelming majority of fans of ANY sports team "accept" what they are, regardless of the results on the playing field because to most people, that's all it is. It's just a hobby to take up free time and the results are what they are. And the hardcore fans aren't happy either way; either the team is losing and they're upset or the team is winning and they're upset because they're not winning by enough.

I've certainly accepted "mediocrity" with football at Notre Dame, and why? Because that's what they've been for a loooooong time now. Mediocre with some legitimately good seasons sprinkled in here and there. But a real chance to win the championship? That's not what Notre Dame has consistently been for a very long time now and if someone wanted to be really critical of Notre Dame football you can go even further back and say they've won 4 National Championships in the last 74 years, 3 of those 4 in or before 1977. They're not a modern powerhouse program. They're just not. But hey, they're a "name". So yippee and all.

Anyone on this board that was alive the last time they won a championship is AT LEAST 36 years old. But the expectation is to win championships? In what reality? Even if you're a consistently good team, it's REALLY hard to win a championship. In any sport. And Notre Dame is not a "consistently good team" in this new era of college football where there's a ton of parity and they're not the only team on national television every week.

I'm not saying they can't win a championship. They can. But the days of them living up to the expectations that a # of you here put on them....I don't know man. I just don't know what reality you're seeing. Because those days are long gone. They're not just another name to you because you love Notre Dame, and whatever. That's fine. But what the hell do 18 year olds coming out of high school right now care about the "tradition" and name of Notre Dame when they have to go to their grandfather for it, and even he is getting to the point where it's getting hard to remember.

echowaker said:

One game against a team that was playing pretty much all backups just isn't a large enough sample size for me. I think Lambert is a better overall athlete. Again, it's a great problem to have,quality across the board.

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Oregon states DL were all starters

Get Nasty said:

I would add Jagusah to that mix, if healthy, lock to start, just not sure what spot. He is an absolute unicorn physically at the position. Could be the biggest, strongest, and most athletic olinemen on the team

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Not sure he is more athletic than Lambert or Black but debatable

Get Nasty said:

We'll only get the 6 seed if penn state loses.

IMO, 5 seed will be big ten championship loser, 6 seed penn state, 7 notre dame

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We have a decent chance to jump penn state at the end. Definite no. But possible

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