Objective Comparison of the Schedules and Stats of ND, Alabama, UGA

IH8Orange

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Using the W/L records of opponents to measure difficulty of schedule is useless unless the opponents play within the same schedule difficulties exclusive of the games with the teams of interest.

For instance, Notre Dame's opponents had a combined 79-62 record as of the end of last week. However, Notre Dame played 3 opponents from the Big Ten conference (56.9% overall winning percentage, 30.9% winning percentage over FBS teams having a winning record, and 22.0% winning percentage over AP ranked teams) and 3 opponents from the ACC (52.1% overall winning percentage, 26.2% winning percentage over FBS teams having a winning record, but only an 8.0% winning record over AP ranked teams).

Bama and Georgia have played 8 opponents each from the SEC which has a 61.9% overall winning percentage, a 36.4% winning percentage over FBS teams having a winning record, and a nation-leading 23.6% winning percentage over AP ranked teams. The win/loss ratio of SEC opponents will fluctuate annually due to the dominant teams falling off the schedule some years. For instance, if both Florida and South Carolina had been on our schedule as they were in 2010, our opponent W/L ratio would look very good. If we won both of those games and then played Georgia in the SECCG, it would far outweigh Notre Dame's opponent record. Of course, if those teams were on the schedule, we might not be playing in the SECCG.

All winning teams aren't equal because the conferences in which they gain the majority of their wins are not equal. Just look at the difference between the Big Ten and ACC. They both have cumulative winning records over their opponents, and their records over FBS teams with winning records are similar. However, there's a huge difference in their records against ranked opponents (9 wins in 41 games for the Big 10 and 2 wins in 25 games for the ACC).

Every year, the schedule of SEC teams are criticized but almost every year the remainder of the college football world throws another behemoth which supposedly played a more difficult schedule against the best that the SEC has to offer and every year the SEC shows that has the best team in the nation, usually by methodically destroying the opponent. It's like a recurring theme with the same outcome every year but everyone outside the SEC just can't seem to face the fact that regardless of the "apparently" soft schedule played by SEC teams, it is rare that an SEC is truly challenged by an opponent from outside of the conference.

Send on the Irish. If their schedule was truly as difficult as they state, then they should be well prepared to face the SEC champion. If their resume is as accurate as Coach O'Leary's, then they'll be exposed in the same manner.
 

FriendlyIrish

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If you could view the best teams on the roster in isolation, your metric might work. However, your FCS and other non-conference games bring you down, just low enough, to where our SOS is better. Nevertheless, the tougher teams on your schedule are probably overall tougher than the toughest teams on our schedule.

I really don't think it is just other teams not willing to schedule the SEC. I think it is the SEC that is also unwilling to schedule very good, out of conference opponents. Seeing as how the SEC is 11-12 against the PAC 12 since 2000, it is understandable. And seeing how USC is 4-0 since 2000, it is also understandable.
 

IH8Orange

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I really don't think it is just other teams not willing to schedule the SEC. I think it is the SEC that is also unwilling to schedule very good, out of conference opponents. Seeing as how the SEC is 11-12 against the PAC 12 since 2000, it is understandable. And seeing how USC is 4-0 since 2000, it is also understandable.
The most important game that the Pac12 has played against the SEC didn't go their way. Most of those Pac12 games were not played against the top SEC teams at the time. When the Pac12 has faced the top SEC teams, it's typically not gone their way. See Oregon against LSU last year as an example.
 

FriendlyIrish

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The most important game that the Pac12 has played against the SEC didn't go their way. Most of those Pac12 games were not played against the top SEC teams at the time. When the Pac12 has faced the top SEC teams, it's typically not gone their way. See Oregon against LSU last year as an example.
Right. But that is only one year. I went back to 2000.

The justification is you don't need to schedule out of conference games because the in conference is so tough. Yet, if many teams outside the SEC are inferior, and they are all playing against inferior teams in their conference as well, NO ONE would schedule an out of conference game. Their justification would be the same as yours.

My point is I don't think its other teams that don't want to schedule you. I think many would like a shot, actually.
 

NationalTitles18

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Right. But that is only one year. I went back to 2000.

The justification is you don't need to schedule out of conference games because the in conference is so tough. Yet, if many teams outside the SEC are inferior, and they are all playing against inferior teams in their conference as well, NO ONE would schedule an out of conference game. Their justification would be the same as yours.

My point is I don't think its other teams that don't want to schedule you. I think many would like a shot, actually.
Alabama is about as different a team in 2012 compared to 2000 as it can get. If your argument wasn't about a single upcoming game and instead was about dominance over a period of time it might be relevant in some way. As it stands, not so much...not at all really.

But it's OK. Keep talking. Just be sure not to disappear when the crow is done cooking.
 

Florida Tom

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I really like Coach Kelly, he is a lot like CNS on the sidelines & interviews.

Other than that the only good thing I can say about ND is well at least you are not 10rc or API.

BB is right there are still enough of us around that remember the 60's & 70's so talk on, you will have your day to show what kind of team you have.
 

trenda

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If you could view the best teams on the roster in isolation, your metric might work. However, your FCS and other non-conference games bring you down, just low enough, to where our SOS is better. Nevertheless, the tougher teams on your schedule are probably overall tougher than the toughest teams on our schedule.

I really don't think it is just other teams not willing to schedule the SEC. I think it is the SEC that is also unwilling to schedule very good, out of conference opponents. Seeing as how the SEC is 11-12 against the PAC 12 since 2000, it is understandable. And seeing how USC is 4-0 since 2000, it is also understandable.
A lot of it has to do with money, willingness to play home and home, etc. However, I do believe the SEC gets a lot of stereotyping from fans of other conferences as well.

Oregon played Arkansas State, Fresno State and Tennessee Tech for their OOC this year. USC played Hawaii, Syracuse and Notre Dame. Florida State played Murray State, Savannah State and Florida. Kansas State played Missouri State, Miami and North Texas. Ohio State played Miaimi(OH), UCF, Cal and UAB. Dropping the FCS game that replaces a 9th conference game (I don't agree with playing FCS schools, BTW), Bama played Michigan, Western KY and FL Atlantic. LSU played North Texas, Washington and Idaho.

Is there really much difference in these schedules??? It's all subjective; but I don't see much difference.
 

Bamabuzzard

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If you could view the best teams on the roster in isolation, your metric might work. However, your FCS and other non-conference games bring you down, just low enough, to where our SOS is better. Nevertheless, the tougher teams on your schedule are probably overall tougher than the toughest teams on our schedule.

I really don't think it is just other teams not willing to schedule the SEC. I think it is the SEC that is also unwilling to schedule very good, out of conference opponents. Seeing as how the SEC is 11-12 against the PAC 12 since 2000, it is understandable. And seeing how USC is 4-0 since 2000, it is also understandable.
Unfortunately we do not have complete control over our schedule yet y'all do and schedule Purdue and Wake Forest? Yet you are here basically calling the SEC "scared" to schedule tougher OOC games. WOW!

The Irish is certainly back......their fans at least. No doubt one of the most arrogant fanbases of all time. :rolleyes:
 

CrimsonProf

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Alabama's OOC schedule since 2000:

2000 and 2001: Home and home with UCLA. On paper a quality opponenet.
2002 and 2003. Home and home with Oklahoma. At Hawaii. 2003 also featured an improving South Florida squad.
2004: Southern Miss. Nothing to write home about.
2005: Southern Miss. Again, nothing special.
2006: Duke. Weak sauce.
2007: Neutral site with FSU.
2008: Neutral site with Clemson.
2009: Neutral site with Virginia Tech.
2010 and 2011: Home and home with Penn State.
2012: Neutral site with Michigan.

That's almost twelve years with a serious OOC game. Combine that with an eight game SEC schedule and I think any school is entitled to a couple of cupcakes.
 

selmaborntidefan

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I really don't think it is just other teams not willing to schedule the SEC. I think it is the SEC that is also unwilling to schedule very good, out of conference opponents.

Really?

Hmmm. Keep in mind that Florida plays Florida State every single year, South Carolina plays Clemson, and Georgia plays Ga Tech.


2008
Florida vs Miami
Tennessee vs UCLA
Georgia vs Arizona State
Alabama vs Clemson
Arkansas vs Texas
Mississippi State vs Ga Tech
Auburn vs West Virginia

2009
LSU vs Washington
Georgia vs Oklahoma State
Georgia vs Arizona State
Tennessee vs UCLA
Alabama vs Va Tech
Mississippi State vs Houston
Auburn vs West Virginia
Arkansas vs Texas A/M

2010
Auburn vs Clemson
Alabama vs Penn State
Arkansas vs Texas A/M
Ole Miss vs Fresno State
Tennessee vs Oregon
LSU vs North Carolina
Georgia vs Colorado (see note below)

2011
Georgia vs Boise State
Arkansas vs Texas A/M
Alabama vs Penn State
Auburn vs Clemson
LSU vs Oregon
Ole Miss vs BYU



Now - I'm sure you'll come back at me with the typical, "But Colorado and (fill in the blank) weren't any good that year." But you know well that those games are USUALLY scheduled 5-7 years out if not longer. I'm sure the UGA-Colorado game was scheduled back when the Buffs were pretty good a decade ago.

So do you now care to revise your nonsensical statement?





Seeing as how the SEC is 11-12 against the PAC 12 since 2000, it is understandable.
So the SEC is now afraid of the Pac 12? Is that why Oregon, allegedly the greatest offensive juggernaut ever seen and capable of putting 60 points on Alabama, went 0-2 in consecutive games against the SEC eight months apart?

Making that comparison is flawed on many fronts. In MOST of those cases, you have the TOP of the Pac 12 beating up on the BOTTOM of the SEC (Oregon drilling 3-9 and 2-10 Mississippi State in 2002 and 2003 are hardly fair case comparisons).


And seeing how USC is 4-0 since 2000, it is also understandable.

Of course, I can counter with:

1) They haven't played an SEC team since 2006. So you're going off SIX YEARS AGO!!!
2) Their 2005 win has been vacated, meaning it's actually 11-11.
3) The SEC is 8-5 in the games since 2006 (hey, if you can pick an arbitrary date that doesn't tell the whole story, so can I).
4) Why would the SEC be scared to play teams OTHER than USC if it's USC that's 4-0?
5) SIX of the ELEVEN victories have been by TWO teams, four of them top tier versus bottom tier.
 

uofaJO1987

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Oct 25, 2011
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Playing Navy or Pitt is a WHOLE lot tougher then playing Western Carolina, Western Kentucky, or Florida Atlantic. IF ND EVER played a team like that the media would CRUCIFY them....Those games ARE scrimmages. And if the the mighty LSU can struggle against "mighty" Towson State (12-10 victory) and Florida can struggle against that "juggernaut" Louisiana Lafayette (27-20) ND can "struggle" against ANY team on their schedule.

These are kids not professionals so ANYTHING is possible.
Western Kentucky would destroy Navy and the media never crucifies ND. Saying they have always been media darlings would be an understatement. LSU won 12-10 against Auburn on the road early in the season.
 

Johnwants#15

1st Team
Nov 30, 2005
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All these Notre Dame fans here telling us how good they are and how they belong...
Brings to mind one question, Are you trying to convince us,, or are you trying to convince yourselves?????


Sure seems like the second.

No answer?
As I thought....

Keep running that pie hole, there is a reckoning coming.
 

cbi1972

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If you could view the best teams on the roster in isolation, your metric might work. However, your FCS and other non-conference games bring you down, just low enough, to where our SOS is better. Nevertheless, the tougher teams on your schedule are probably overall tougher than the toughest teams on our schedule.
Nobody cares whose calculated number is better. They care who will whip who on the field, and there is but one way to find out.
 

FriendlyIrish

3rd Team
Nov 22, 2012
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Alabama's OOC schedule since 2000:

2000 and 2001: Home and home with UCLA. On paper a quality opponenet.
2002 and 2003. Home and home with Oklahoma. At Hawaii. 2003 also featured an improving South Florida squad.
2004: Southern Miss. Nothing to write home about.
2005: Southern Miss. Again, nothing special.
2006: Duke. Weak sauce.
2007: Neutral site with FSU.
2008: Neutral site with Clemson.
2009: Neutral site with Virginia Tech.
2010 and 2011: Home and home with Penn State.
2012: Neutral site with Michigan.

That's almost twelve years with a serious OOC game. Combine that with an eight game SEC schedule and I think any school is entitled to a couple of cupcakes.
This is fair. Some of those years were competitive, some were not. I tried actually making an objective, historical comparison with the Big 12...that got me nowhere. I will say that in comparison, at least with the Big 12, the OOC comparison doesn't render an honest conclusion one way or the other.

I got hammered for picking an arbitrary year of "2000." Again, fair enough. Let's look at 2012. This year, the SEC has 14 OOC games against opponents from major conferences. Miss. St and A&M didn't play any OOC BCS opponents. Vandy and Missouri were the only teams to play more than one OOC BCS team. Four of the 14 OOC games to BCS opponents are the result of big, in state rivalries (FSU v. UF, Kentucky v. Louisville, Georgia v. GT, South Carolina v. Clemson). And most of the top teams in the SEC and their OOC games are either home, or on neutral sites. Florida has not even played an OOC game outside of Florida since 1991 (Syracuse)

Now this is really going to upset you guys, and I know he doesn't speak for the conference in general. But in the words of Steve Spurrier, "If we keep playing the top teams from other conferences, our record isn't going to be near as good ... It's whether you want to be happy or want to play a whole bunch of tough teams." Once the SEC goes to a 9-conference schedule (like CNS wants to), it will be tougher to schedule really good OOC opponents.

Listen. I'm not here to try and tear apart SEC OOC. I didn't even want to venture to that discussion. It all comes down to the SEC is the toughest conference to play in, thus there may not be a reason to schedule really tough OOC opponents consistently (at least for the top 7 in SEC this year). I think that my ultimate takeaway is that for everyone who says that ND should be in a conference and it is unfair that we aren't, look at our schedule. Look at where we travel (Dublin, Ireland, Oklahoma, SoCal, Boston, etc.). We play tough teams from the top of every conferences in regular season (except you, of course).
 
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NationalTitles18

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This is fair. Some of those years were competitive, some were not. I tried actually making an objective, historical comparison with the Big 12...that got me nowhere. I will say that in comparison, at least with the Big 12, the OOC comparison doesn't render an honest conclusion one way or the other.

I got hammered for picking an arbitrary year of "2000." Again, fair enough. Let's look at 2012. This year, the SEC has 14 OOC games against opponents from major conferences. Miss. St and A&M didn't play any OOC BCS opponents. Vandy and Missouri were the only teams to play more than one OOC BCS team. Four of the 14 OOC games to BCS opponents are the result of big, in state rivalries (FSU v. UF, Kentucky v. Louisville, Georgia v. GT, South Carolina v. Clemson). And most of the top teams in the SEC and their OOC games are either home, or on neutral sites. Florida has not even played an OOC game outside of Florida since 1991 (Syracuse)

Now this is really going to upset you guys, and I know he doesn't speak for the conference in general. But in the words of Steve Spurrier, "If we keep playing the top teams from other conferences, our record isn't going to be near as good ... It's whether you want to be happy or want to play a whole bunch of tough teams." Once the SEC goes to a 9-conference schedule (like CNS wants to), it will be tougher to schedule really good OOC opponents.

Listen. I'm not here to try and tear apart SEC OOC. I didn't even want to venture to that discussion. It all comes down to the SEC is the toughest conference to play in, thus there may not be a reason to schedule really tough OOC opponents consistently (at least for the top 7 in SEC this year). I think that my ultimate takeaway is that for everyone who says that ND should be in a conference and it is unfair that we aren't, look at our schedule. Look at where we travel (Dublin, Ireland, Oklahoma, SoCal, Boston, etc.). We play tough teams from the top of every conferences in regular season (except you, of course).
Box. Of. Rocks.
 

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