NCAA Football - 2013-2014 Edition

[TigerFan]

Is that bigger than Michigan/Ohio State?  I have no idea, I don't really follow college ball these days...but I seem to remember that always being a huge annual event.

Michigan vs Ohio is a much bigger game and rivalry for a few reasons one of which is the pure hatred between the two states/teams.  With it being the last game of the season (previously didn't have the conference championship game) there was a lot riding on the game as far as bowl games and occasionally a national championship birth.

The Michigan vs ND rivalry is just different.  There isn't nearly as much of the hatred involved. 

[mitlen]

Michigan vs Ohio is a much bigger game and rivalry for a few reasons one of which is the pure hatred between the two states/teams.  With it being the last game of the season (previously didn't have the conference championship game) there was a lot riding on the game as far as bowl games and occasionally a national championship birth.

The Michigan vs ND rivalry is just different.  There isn't nearly as much of the hatred involved. 

When I was a young man, I remember Michigan ST and ND being an item as well.    That '66 game was a classic.   Then, to make it even more meaningful, the Steelers drafted George Webster (the Colts took Bubba Smith the same year).

[DPMOmaha]

In the pantheon of storied rivalries, it's a ways down the list.  They've met, what, 40ish times in 120 years?  It's a matchup that's been played in recent history between two historically relevant programs.  Let's not make it out to be more than it really is.  If you're Notre Dame, there's really no incentive to play this game.  If they have to play 5 ACC games, Stanford and USC, why should they keep Michigan, too.  No other team in the country willingly puts themselves through that. 

[mitlen]

In the pantheon of storied rivalries, it's a ways down the list.  They've met, what, 40ish times in 120 years?  It's a matchup that's been played in recent history between two historically relevant programs.  Let's not make it out to be more than it really is.  If you're Notre Dame, there's really no incentive to play this game.  If they have to play 5 ACC games, Stanford and USC, why should they keep Michigan, too.  No other team in the country willingly puts themselves through that. 

I always liked Pitt and ND (have a hard time gettin' my mind around Pitt in the ACC).

[HalfSmokes]

In the pantheon of storied rivalries, it's a ways down the list.  They've met, what, 40ish times in 120 years?  It's a matchup that's been played in recent history between two historically relevant programs.  Let's not make it out to be more than it really is.  If you're Notre Dame, there's really no incentive to play this game.  If they have to play 5 ACC games, Stanford and USC, why should they keep Michigan, too.  No other team in the country willingly puts themselves through that. 

I'm pleasantly surprised that ND Navy wasn't the causality

[TigerFan]

In the pantheon of storied rivalries, it's a ways down the list.  They've met, what, 40ish times in 120 years?  It's a matchup that's been played in recent history between two historically relevant programs.  Let's not make it out to be more than it really is.  If you're Notre Dame, there's really no incentive to play this game.  If they have to play 5 ACC games, Stanford and USC, why should they keep Michigan, too.  No other team in the country willingly puts themselves through that.

Do they have to play Stanford and USC, serious question?  And what else do they play?  Army, Navy, Citadel, Coast Guard??

[mitlen]

I'm pleasantly surprised that ND Navy wasn't the causality

ND/Navy was a classic "in the day"   ....  Belino, Staubach, etc.

[HalfSmokes]

Do they have to play Stanford and USC, serious question?

They have more alumni out there than in Ann Arbor and they want to stay relevant on the west coast

[mitlen]

They have more alumni out there than in Ann Arbor and they want to stay relevant on the west coast

"Subway alumni"   

[PANatsFan]

UMD 45-3 over ODU. I guess that's to be expected.

ODU will play big boy football soon

[mitlen]

ODU will play big boy football soon

They're shootin' for the ACC.    IMHO

[1995hoo]

I'm pleasantly surprised that ND Navy wasn't the causality

Notre Dame will always play Navy for historical reasons dating to World War II. The Navy used Notre Dame as a training facility and the money they spent kept the school afloat financially. Notre Dame considers that football game as being sort of a repayment on a debt of honor.

[DPMOmaha]

Do they have to play Stanford and USC, serious question?  And what else do they play?  Army, Navy, Citadel, Coast Guard??

Pretty sure they said they wanted to preserve those two in favor of Michigan.  Not sure what other game's they're keeping.

[TigerFan]

Pretty sure they said they wanted to preserve those two in favor of Michigan.  Not sure what other game's they're keeping.

I'm pretty sure they are keeping Purdue and Michigan State as well. 

Its just disappointing to see the #1 and #2 schools in terms of win discontinue a rivalry that, while newer in relation to others, is a great early season matchup between localish teams.

[HalfSmokes]

I don't think nd wants to be thought of as 'local'  -  their alumni and fan bases are national and they seem to be emphasizing that

[TigerFan]

I don't think nd wants to be thought of as 'local'  -  their alumni and fan bases are national and they seem to be emphasizing that

You don't think there are a ton of alumni in and around Chicago, Indianapolis, etc?  If they don't want to play local games then why play Michigan, MSU, Purdue, etc?

They are clearly a national team.  Their appeal is coast to coast.

[HalfSmokes]

I think they place less emphasis on local games,  I doubt going forward,  they'd want to keep two against Michigan teams

[DPMOmaha]

You don't think there are a ton of alumni in and around Chicago, Indianapolis, etc?  If they don't want to play local games then why play Michigan, MSU, Purdue, etc?

They are clearly a national team.  Their appeal is coast to coast.

They do want to play some, that's why they kept MSU and Purdue.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm pretty sure they are keeping Purdue and Michigan State as well. 

Its just disappointing to see the #1 and #2 schools in terms of win discontinue a rivalry that, while newer in relation to others, is a great early season matchup between localish teams.

Notre Dame is #4, behind Yale and Texas. #3 in the BCS.

[Smithian]

I'm coming to grips that Bobby Petrino will probably be a Longhorn, Mizzou Tiger, or USC Trojan this time next season. Someone is going to get desperate and hire him under pretense he somehow figured out his whole life in a season at Western Kentucky.

He'll give them the greatest 4 or 5 seasons of their program history and then it'll end ugly. But those few years he's there? They'll be glorious.

[HalfSmokes]

I'm coming to grips that Bobby Petrino will probably be a Longhorn, Mizzou Tiger, or USC Trojan this time next season. ...

He'll give them the greatest 4 or 5 seasons of their program history

I seriously doubt his 4 or 5 seasons wold be the greatest in Texas or USC history

[Smithian]

I seriously doubt his 4 or 5 seasons wold be the greatest in Texas or USC history

For Texas it wouldn't be that hard. That program is historically underachieving other than a spurt in the late 1960's. 2005 was a super human effort from Vince Young to overcome Mack Brown. You're telling me Bobby Petrino could get Arkansas into the Sugar Bowl in his third season and then into the top 5 in his fourth season but can't win a National Championship at Texas? I love the Hogs but we aren't playing with the same advantages at Texas. Not even in the same stratosphere. He also won the Orange Bowl at Louisville after bringing them into the BCS from C-USA.

USC would be tougher due to the Matt Leinart years and other top times in Texas history, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Petrino came to Arkansas for four years and took a disgusting cesspool of a program that was dealing with infighting, talent streaming out of state, lack of attendance, etc and turned it around over night. Fantastic coach, even for his faults.

[hit4cycle]

[spidernat]

The Akron coach should be fired.

[mitlen]

Haven't watched college football extensively since the '70s.    Somehow, my TV is on the A&M/Alabama game.    I loved Texas A & M as a kid.   Bear Bryant, John David Crow, the band, etc.    Also liked Oklahoma A & M (google it  ...   LOL).    Whenever either A & M beat Oklahoma or Ohio State beat Michigan, I was a happy kid.   Unfortunately, Bud Wilkinson was coaching Oklahoma and they didn't lose often.