Originally Posted by
downsouth
Not a huge USC guy(more just dont like Kiffin) but while I think they will beat ND not surprised if they dont. SOmething is just not right with that team. As loaded as they are they just dont seem to click in recent years.
As far as ND versus the others. Lets not get ahead of ourselves. Good for them becoming relevant again but they have had some pretty close calls too many times versus teams they should have beat pretty easily. You can only rely on "miracles" so many times(Purdue, Pittsburgh, Stanford). And people pounding there chest about toughest schedule, come on. At one point it probably did look pretty tough but in hind sight, maybe not so much. I will give them credit that they do not stuff there schedule with a few patsies each year like some schools do and it is not there fault that Okla and USC have shat the bed to this point in season. But you cannot compare toughness of schedule to the SEC schools that to play 2-4 top 10/15 teams to make it to the championship game where another top 5 team awaits.
Purdue is 3-6 and 0-5 in the Big Ten, yes, the Big ten
Mich state is 5-5 and sub .500 in what is probably the weakest conference in the nation.
Michigan has lost to every decent team they have played, and you mustered 13 points against them despite 5 ints .
Stanford is ok with a very marginal offense and it took controversy and luck of the irish to pull that one off.
Miami, ok team, weak conference. BYU, come on, really.
Your signature win over Oklahoma was great, looked sharp, but do you really put Oklahoma win as sign off for toughest schedule in nation. Look at South Carolina, LSU and honestly tell me you think ND gets out of that with anything less than two losses.
Alabama-Outathletes them and is as well coached as any team in the nation. Dont think game would be very close.
Oregon-Entirely too much firepower on offense and improved defense should be able to substantially slow ND offense preventing them from competing in a shootout. ND defense pretty good but ORegon looks like there in a video game.
LSU- Gotta go with Tigers, again, better athletes, better defense and offense/special teams should be able to muster enough to pull out a win. I think this one would be closer than people think though. If you really want to you can sub in FLorida or South Carolina into this same category as I think teams are fairly similar.
FLorida State- You never know, FSU completely capable of a flake out but also capable of coming out and hanging 30 plus on anyone. Dont really know teams overall strength as they play what is considered a lousy conference and dont have anything that resembles a real signature win (Clemson maybe?) But who knows, they have great athletes and will get a chance to prove legitimacy here in a few weeks at home versus Gators.
Georgia- Jekyll and Hyde team as well. Georgia team that has played the past few weeks. Game wouldnt be close, Better QB, better athletes on defensive side of the ball, faster, better backs. However, Georgia very capable of deciding not to show up(see South carolina game in Columbia, or even Kentucky where there caught looking ahead to Florida) . Cant see ND being favored over them on neutral field though.