In reply to: Phil Steele has 10-2 ND facing Miami in the Orange Bowl. posted by G.K.Chesterton
Our schedule is below average compared to ND standards.
We play 4 teams that had 9 or more losses in 2018 -
the most ever.
(UL 2-10, Navy 3-10, UNM 3-9, BGSU 3-9)
We play 6 teams that had losing records (add USC and Va Tech)
We play 9 teams that had 5 or more losses. (add BC UVa and Duke).
Our schedule is ranked 53rd in preseason mags.
10-2 is the absolute floor.
if we get routed by Georgia or anyone else the seat will be much hotter for our coach.
Regarding our schedule it is ranked the 53th most difficult by Steele but the bad teams on our schedule are unduly influencing the mean [pulling it down]. If you take the average of our five toughest teams according to Steele [Michigan 3, Georgia 4, Stanford 22, Virginia Tech 25, and USC 32], the average is 17.2. This might be a truer measure of a top and low level schedule. Unfortunately, our three hardest games (Michigan, George, and Stanford are also away.
Personally I think there is a reasonable chance that we can go ten and one and be in the play off conversation. I am, of course, biased but the offense should be particularly hard to stop and the defense while inexperienced here and there, it does have notable players scattered across all facets of it. Our young linebackers could surprise due to their speed.
I thought they were imploding and half the team was transferring.
He could be all wet of course. Let's hope so.
And then Kelly loses to Stanford on the road (again!) to end up 10-2 and drop out of said conversation?
beat down. I guess people expect them to bounce back this year with Costello coming back.