Tag: heather dinich

Heather Dinich: Notre Dame will host Miami in College Football Playoff

A new generation of Catholics vs. Convicts?

Notre Dame and Miami are scheduled to face each other during the 2025 regular season, the first meeting between the schools since 2017.

But what if they meet each other sooner? Like in this year’s College Football Playoff?

Heather Dinich has unveiled her projections for the first year of the expanded playoff in a story available only to ESPN+ subscribers. She has the Irish as the seventh seed and hosting the Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium.

While it surely wouldn’t be as famous as the Catholics vs. Convicts game, both teams’ seasons would be on the line, so more definitely would be at stake here.

There have been several preseason projections for the playoff, but most of the ones we’ve seen so far have the Irish either going on the road or missing it altogether.

Whatever anyone thinks though, it’s ultimately up to the Irish themselves to make their case. The talent is there, but they have to win the games they’re supposed to in order to be considered. They can do it.

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Analyst, Clemson alum, responds to Dinich’s ‘most overrated’ team comment

Mac Lain rips analysts who ‘talk about a conference, about a team, that they don’t know anything about.’

Former Tiger and current ACC Network analyst Eric Mac Lain let everyone know his feelings about what ESPN analyst Heather Dinich said about Clemson football heading into the 2024 season.

On Tuesday’s installment of ESPN’s Get Up show, analyst Mike Greenberg asked analyst Heather Dinich who the most overrated team in the AP poll is, with Dinich naming the Tigers.

“Clemson,” Dinich said. “Why so much love for the Clemson Tigers? They had four conference losses last year, which is as many as they’ve had combined in the past six seasons.”

The popular thing to do has been to doubt and even bas Dabo Swinney and the Tigers. Mac Lain was juiced on  “Out of Bounds” with William Qualkinbush on The Roar WCCP FM on Tuesday afternoon, sharing what his disappointment with what she had to say.

“First of all, I’m just kind of sick of hearing people – and this isn’t just a one-person thing, this is an industry thing – I’m kind of sick of just hearing people talk about a conference, about a team, that they don’t know anything about,” Mac Lain said. “I’m so sick of it, and it’s ridiculous when you have, number one, a partner, a conference network… anytime I hear somebody that has no clue what they’re talking about, talking about a league, ex-league – or even worse, that clearly represents and has latched onto, and the only reason they exist is because of another league, talking about the ACC – I can’t stand it, and it just gets all kinds of clicks. …

“Just to look at the quote – and I didn’t watch it, I only saw it… What is, ‘Pretty good’ to you, Qualk? What does that mean? Is that top 50? Is pretty good top 20? What is pretty good? Because since I strapped the helmet on and played for the Tigers, Clemson has been top seven every single year in Power Five, outside of one where they lost arguably the best defensive coordinator the game has ever seen, and they were top I think 15 that year. So pretty good seems like quite the understatement. They’re one of the best. But ‘they’ve got to get a quarterback.’ Cade Klubnik was the No. 1 quarterback in his class, so I guess that’s not good enough… The deal with it all is, one, it’s such an unnecessary random shot. I don’t understand it.”

There will be agreement and disagreement with what Mac Lain had to say but it’s tough to argue against his points. Is No. 14 really that overrated for a program like Clemson with a defense like they have and the amount of talent they returned? I’m not saying they’re going to take that next step, but why not?

In college football’s vast history, we’ve seen quarterbacks improve in their second year as a starter. I know, I know. It sounds crazy how people have talked about Klubnik, but it happens!

A Broyles award-winning offensive coordinator taking the next step in year two with a new program? Nah, it could never happen. Do you see the point here? You can think Clemson is overrated, and that’s fine; just have actual rationale behind your statements. Speak with purpose.

“So the left hook out of nowhere, to me, is just crazy. But it’s something that, for whatever reason, certain people love to do, is take shots at this conference, take shots at Florida State, take shots at Clemson, things of that nature. And it’s remarkable to me, at the end of the day,” Mac Lain said.

“Quite frankly, if you look at the Clemson offense… I think you see improvement. I think you see a quarterback that is going into year two as a starter. We are so quick as a society to think, yep, this guy should come in and he should be an all-world competitor right away. It’s easy, right. That’s why everybody’s a five-star quarterback and comes in and does these things. No, man, there’s not a lot of those guys. There’s very few, and it’s extremely hard to do.”

“So for me, man, it’s just the randomness of it. But it worked,” Mac Lain added. “It got our attention, and we’re doing a radio show right now about it.”

Klubnik can make many look foolish in 2024.

Heather Dinich of ESPN likes Notre Dame’s chances to win the National Championship

Dinich believes a special season is headed Notre Dame’s way

For the most part, many of the teams inside the top-10 are legit [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] title contenders, which puts Notre Dame football into that group.

When asked which team she believes that is currently ranked outside the top-6 that has the best shot at winning a championship, ESPN’s [autotag]Heather Dinich[/autotag] quickly answered the Irish. They were ranked No. 7 by both the US LBM Coaches Poll presented by USA Today and the AP Poll.

She went back to the fact that Notre Dame does not need to worry about a loss during Conference Championship Week, but that wasn’t her biggest reason. Dinich thinks that it’s the Irish roster, as she noted is compiled with “11 projected 2025 NFL draft picks … this team is loaded.”

Dinich continued on to say that Notre Dame has the “pieces in place for a special season.” We all hope that she is correct, as this may be one of the most talented Irish rosters we have seen in our lifetimes.

Hopefully they put it all together this year and end the title drought.

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Heather Dinich: Conference realignment means nothing for Notre Dame

Don’t worry, Irish fans.

To put it mildly, college football is in chaos. The Pac-12 is about to become extinct or is seriously threatened at the very least.

Oregon and Washington will join USC and UCLA in the Big Ten in 2024. Colorado is rejoining the Big 12 in 2024, and we now know Arizona, Arizona State, Utah also are heading there as well.

What does this mean for Notre Dame?

If college football insiders are to be believed, absolutely nothing. As part of a series of questions published on ESPN’s website, Heather Dinich was asked to tackle the evergreen issue of the Irish’s independence and how it applies to the changing college football climate. If you’re worried about the Irish giving into public pressure and joining a conference permanently, Dinich says don’t be:

“Notre Dame athletic director [autotag]Jack Swarbrick[/autotag] has long repeated the same three factors that could contribute to the university’s position as an independent becoming ‘unsustainable.’

Those include: the loss of a committed broadcast partner; the loss of a fair route into the postseason; or such an adverse financial consequence that would force it to reconsider.

In spite of all of the drama swirling around Notre Dame, nothing has impacted those particular factors. Notre Dame still has a strong partnership with NBC as its broadcast partner that runs through the 2025 season. It recently announced a renewed commitment to Under Armour. It also remains a partial member of the ACC in football and has a contract with the league stating that if the Irish were to relinquish their independence, it would be for the ACC.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said recently at the league’s media days that he knows how much the Irish value their independence. Notre Dame still remains the most valuable property remaining on the Monopoly board – and it’s still not for sale.”

Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune expressed similar thoughts earlier in the day. So sleep easy, Irish fans. The program is not changing its affiliation or lack thereof anytime soon. Besides, conferences need the Irish more than the Irish need them.

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Sooners a CFP contender? One ESPN analyst isn’t so sure

The Oklahoma Sooners have a 10.7% chance to make the CFP per the ESPN Football Power Index, but one writer thinks that’s still too high.

We continue to hear more and more optimism coming from the Oklahoma Sooners.

Whether it was from Big 12 media days a couple weeks ago or Tuesday’s OU Football media day, the positive vibes are strong in Norman. But some nationally have been skeptical. There may be skepticism of the personnel or of Brent Venables. Both of which are reasonable.

Count ESPN college football writer Heather Dinich (ESPN+) in the skeptical camp at the moment. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Oklahoma a 10.7% chance to make the playoff, something Dinich disagrees with.

After a 6-7 season that included a 49-0 loss to rival Texas, expectations should be higher but not that high. Even the defense, which is Brent Venables’ forte, hit the worst marks by a defense under Venables in his career. – Dinich, ESPN

Dinich does think the committee will look favorably upon the Sooners if they can win the Oklahoma and Texas “state titles.”

Unofficial state titles in both Oklahoma and Texas. OU can win its home state by beating Tulsa and Oklahoma State on the road, and it can get the edge in Texas with wins over SMU, Texas and TCU. If OU is going to be taken seriously as a CFP contender, it doesn’t have to look far to build its case in the committee meeting room. – Dinich, ESPN

But ultimately, she feels they won’t like the weak schedule. That’s why the Texas and Oklahoma State games are so important. Even though Oklahoma State may not be on the same level as Texas, it’s a “move the needle” type of game in a hostile road environment.

Not playing Baylor, Kansas State, or Texas Tech will certainly hurt the Sooners in strength of schedule discussions.

This will be the first time since 2000 Oklahoma will not play a Power 5 opponent in a regular season nonconference game. The Sooners were originally scheduled to play Georgia, but the game was canceled because of OU’s eventual move to the SEC. The Sooners also face three of the four new conference members in Cincinnati, BYU and UCF, which replace Baylor, Kansas State and Texas Tech three of the six Big 12 teams that beat OU last year. – Dinich, ESPN

Oklahoma’s strength of schedule is a legitimate concern. It schedule looks a lot different if the Georgia Bulldogs were on the schedule still. But that’s a short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain for the Sooners.

Dinich isn’t speaking unreasonably when discussing the concerns she has about Oklahoma’s chances to make the playoffs. Though there’s optimism, there’s a lot that still needs to be proven on the football field before the Sooners can be taken seriously as a national title contender.

Making the playoff is a little bit of a stretch, but with that schedule can be obtainable. The problem is there’s little room for error for Oklahoma if it wants to play for something meaningful in the postseason.

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ESPNs Heather Dinich talks which conference has best chance for multiple CFP bids

Does Ohio State have to go undefeated to make the CFP or will the Big Ten get two teams in once again. ? #GoBucks

Since the College Football Playoff began back in 2014, there have been four times that a conference has received two bids. The SEC has done it twice. Once in 2017 and again in 2021 with both coming by way of Alabama and Georgia. The ACC did it once in 2020 with Clemson and part-time member Notre Dame. And of course, last season the Big Ten received two bids in favor of Michigan and Ohio State.

There’s always controversy when a committee is selecting the teams that will make the CFP. Maybe that will all end with the expansion to 12 teams beginning in 2024. I doubt it though.

Either way, ESPNs Heather Dinich is already thinking about how things will shake out at the end of this season and she believes the SEC has the best chance at 51% to have two teams invited. That won’t be a shocker for most college football fans who believe that ESPN has a bias toward the SEC.

Dinich goes on to say that the Big Ten has the next best chance at 25% of getting multiple bids. She lists the ACC, Pac-12, and Big 12 at less than a 1% chance to get two teams in the playoff.

Here’s the case she makes for the Big Ten to have a chance at two playoff contenders:

“The Big Ten did it last year, and Ohio State and Michigan have similar teams returning, with the most glaring exception being a new starting quarterback at Ohio State,” wrote Dinich. “The chances should be bumped marginally because Penn State has the talent and opportunity to join one of them in the debate. The Nittany Lions will have home-field advantage Nov. 11 against Michigan, where a win could create a three-way tie in the Big Ten East Division if Ohio State beats Penn State and Michigan beats Ohio State. Beyond winning the Big Ten, PSU’s ideal scenario would be to claim a win over eventual Big Ten champs in a three-way tie, or the committee’s highest-ranked Big Ten team.”

The committee has clearly shown favor to the SEC over the years. It would be much better to win outright than to leave your fate in the hands of a fickle group of people who all have agendas and biases, even if they say they don’t. Or — maybe more importantly — don’t mean to. It’s human nature.

Ohio State does not have an easy path to the CFP this season, but with all the talent in Columbus, the Buckeyes should be part of the conversation all the way to the end.

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Nick Saban weighs in on ongoing QB battle between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson

Nick Saban updates the ongoing Alabama QB competition between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson!

The Alabama football team is in the middle of its second week of spring practice and positional competition is taking place throughout the team. The quarterback competition between Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson has certainly taken center stage in Tuscaloosa.

On Wednesday, Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban joined Heather Dinich for an interview on ESPN. With the ongoing quarterback battle, coach Saban was quickly asked about the competition.

“Well, both of the guys are working hard. The most important thing is that they can stay focused on what they need to do to improve their ability to play winning football at the position.

Which, is an important position because they distribute the ball to someone every play. So, it’s an important position. They’re both guys that have talent and we just have to try to help them develop and focus on the things they need to do to play winning football.”

While coach Saban is likely to allow this battle to play out until kickoff against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 2, he will most definitely be looking for both Milroe and Simpson to show continuous improvement in the coming months.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

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ESPN analysts chime in after Clemson’s loss to South Carolina

A number of ESPN analysts chimed in with various comments after eighth-ranked Clemson’s 31-30 rivalry loss to South Carolina on Saturday at Death Valley. Along with the Tigers being outplayed on special teams, ESPN’s Trevor Matich pointed to South …

A number of ESPN analysts chimed in with various comments after eighth-ranked Clemson’s 31-30 rivalry loss to South Carolina on Saturday at Death Valley.

Along with the Tigers being outplayed on special teams, ESPN’s Trevor Matich pointed to South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler outdueling Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei as a big difference in the outcome of the game.

Uiagalelei completed only 8 of his 29 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown with one interception, while Rattler went 25 of 39 passing for 360 yards a two touchdowns with two picks.

“You talk about ‘Beamer Ball’ – the special teams of South Carolina were a major contributing factor here,” Matich said on ESPN’s Championship Drive show of Shane Beamer’s team pulling off the upset. “But they won the quarterback duel. Spencer Rattler was phenomenal. Against Tennessee the week before, he was unstoppable. A lot of people thought that was just a one-off. But against a better Clemson defense, Rattler continued to hit receivers that were covered, dropping dimes under pressure. He was by far the better quarterback in this game. Threw for over 300 yards, whereas DJ Uiagalelei didn’t reach a hundred yards, and so that was the big difference.”

Rattler – a week after passing for 438 yards and six touchdowns in South Carolina’s upset home win over then-No. 5 Tennessee – had more yards against Clemson by himself than the Tigers posted in total offense as a team (336).

Meanwhile, opposite of Rattler, Uiagalelei had his most ineffective performance of the season as a passer as he set season-lows for completions and completion percentage (27.6). His interception marked his sixth time in seven games committing at least one turnover.

“Inconsistent all season long,” ESPN’s Jesse Palmer said of Uiagalelei on the network’s College Football Final show.

Matich spoke about Clemson at the quarterback position, saying the Tigers need to address it.

Dabo Swinney addressed his team’s quarterback situation again on Sunday, with the head coach stating that Uiagalelei will remain the starter for Saturday’s ACC Championship Game vs. North Carolina.

“Clemson now needs to sit back and say OK, the quarterback position is a place that we need to address,” Matich said. “We thought we had it fixed at the beginning of the year, but in the biggest games at the end of the year, we still didn’t break through when our opponents did.”

Turnovers were once again an issue with Clemson committing three more in Saturday’s game, giving the Tigers 15 in their last five games.

Two of those turnovers came on special teams, one on Antonio Williams’ punt return fumble in the waning moments of the fourth quarter that gave the ball back to the Gamecocks and allowed them to run out the clock.

The other special teams turnover occurred in the first half, when trickeration on a kickoff return – which saw Will Shipley hand the ball off to Phil Mafah in a scrum huddle — ended with Mafah fumbling the ball back to South Carolina.

South Carolina capitalized on that giveaway when Rattler scored on a 4-yard run, which cut the Gamecocks’ deficit to two points midway through the second quarter.

“Turnovers would be a problem for Clemson in this game,” ESPN’s Joey Galloway said on College Football Final. “To go trick play in this kind of game, you’re up 16-7, I don’t know about the call. Didn’t work out.”

In addition to snapping Clemson’s series and home winning streaks at seven and 40 games, respectively, the Gamecocks also put an end to any hopes the Tigers had of making the College Football Playoff.

“Yes, they’re done,” Heather Dinich, who covers the playoff for ESPN, said on Championship Drive.

“Had Clemson finished as a one-loss conference champ and you have a TCU loss or a USC loss, that ACC Champion is still in the conversation. Not anymore. You’re guaranteed to either have a two-loss champ or three-loss, (if) North Carolina wins this thing. And I mean, that is not gonna happen. And because Ohio State and Alabama are sitting there on the edge, they’re certainly getting the nod over Clemson.”

Saturday’s ACC Championship Game between Clemson (10-2, 8-0 ACC) and North Carolina (9-3, 6-2) is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff on ABC.

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Heather Dinich announces top six college football teams after Week 13

Heather Dinich announces top six college football teams after Week 13.

No. 11 Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) defeated Vanderbilt (5-7, 2-6 SEC), 56-0, Saturday in Week 13 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tennessee’s regular season has concluded.

Tennessee’s 2022 regular-season schedule featured home games against Ball State (W, 59-10), Akron (W, 63-6), Florida (W, 38-33), Alabama (W, 52-49), UT Martin (W, 65-24), Kentucky (W, 44-6) and Missouri (W, 66-24).

The Vols’ 2022 schedule featured road contests at Pittsburgh (W, 34-27 OT) in the second edition of the Johnny Majors Classic, LSU (W, 40-13), Georgia (L, 27-13), South Carolina (L, 63-38) and Vanderbilt (W, 56-0).

2022 Tennessee Vols’ football schedule: Vols Wire’s downloadable schedule wallpaper

Following Week 13 games, Heather Dinich announced her top six college football teams on ESPN Sunday. Dinich’s top six teams are listed below.

Dinich on how the CFP committee would differentiate between Clemson and Southern Cal

ESPN analyst Heather Dinich, who covers the College Football Playoff committee, gave her thoughts on the CFP rankings on Tuesday night’s SportsCenter before the rankings show. Dinich was asked how the committee would differentiate between a one-loss …

ESPN analyst Heather Dinich, who covers the College Football Playoff committee, gave her thoughts on the CFP rankings on Tuesday night’s SportsCenter before the rankings show.

Dinich was asked how the committee would differentiate between a one-loss Clemson and a one-loss Southern California.

“Well, on paper, they are actually pretty similar in terms of resume,” Dinich said. “I will be very curious to see tonight where South Carolina and North Carolina are ranked because it is possible (Clemson) ends the season with two wins against two ranked opponents. But USC also has that opportunity if they beat Notre Dame and then win in the Pac-12 conference championship game.”

How Southern Cal plays against the Irish Saturday night could be the deciding factor.

“But Notre Dame is a huge separating factor between these two teams,” Dinich said. “Remember, Notre Dame didn’t just beat Clemson. They beat them soundly, 35-14, in South Bend and the selection committee absolutely compares common opponents.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

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