Tag: Pac 12

No Stanford or USC for Notre Dame This Year?

Notre Dame has built big-time rivalries with USC and Stanford over the years. Now the Pac-12 says those games may be skipped in 2020 – read

Notre Dame and USC have developed the best inter-sectional rivalry in college football, 91 times since 1926 with the schools each having seven Heisman Trophy winners in that time, which with Ohio State is as many as any program in college football history.

Notre Dame and Stanford began playing annually in 1988 (aside from a hiatus in ’96 and ’96) and have developed a strong rivalry over the last few decades as well.

Now both might be off Notre Dame’s schedule in 2020 if what was discussed by the Pac-12 on Monday ends up playing out as the Pac-12 has had talks about it’s member schools only playing games against each other this college football season.

“It’s been discussed in our Pac-12 meetings, and it’s been discussed by the commissioners,” USC head coach Clay Helton said via video conference call on Monday.

“That is one of the many structures as we go through this situation and this crisis that is a possibility of an all-conference schedule,” Helton said. “That is one of the structures under discussion, depending on where we are at six to eight weeks from now. Those are viable discussions, and it has been brought up in our meetings.”

You can say a lot of things about USC but saying they’re afraid to schedule big-time opponents is not one of them.  Not only would that wipe away the annual Notre Dame game this year, it’d also mean the USC opener against Alabama to be played in Arlington, Texas would be waived off.

In order to find a solution for college football in 2020, Stanford head coach David Shaw says there is one rather important figure in the United States that will likely ultimately have to offer their opinion.

“I think the president of the United States is going to have a weigh-in, and I think every state governor is going to have a weigh-in”

“I think every president, provost, chancellor is going to have a weigh-in. There may be a scenario to where campuses are partially open, and if we can bring back athletes and bring back a section of the student body, that may not be exactly what Mr. Emmert is talking about, but that may be good for a certain university. They may feel they’re comfortable and ready to resume part of their normal activities and still field teams for fall sports, and not just football, then I think that’s going to be acceptable.”

This situation is about as fluid as fluid gets.  Helton mentioned that everyone will know a lot more in six weeks and he’s right – although that puts us at almost the end of June which means a decision will just about be due in terms of starting on time because pre-season team workouts would have to be taking place.

I’m all for safety and for coronavirus infecting as few people as we can possibly make it but can someone explain to me why it’d be OK for Washington to make a trip to play at Arizona (1526 miles) but Southern California wouldn’t be able to travel to Arlington to take on Alabama (1435 miles)?  Do we really think that would limit the spread of anything?

I credit the Pac-12 for trying to find a solution and for being open while doing so but this life-raft appears to have a couple of holes in it from a far.

If it’s what ultimately has to be done then that’s better than no sports or no football, I think we can all agree.

No Notre Dame and USC one fall though?

That’s like ordering a pizza without cheese.

Jack Swarbrick Confident Notre Dame Will Play Full Season

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Tuesday that he has confidence the Irish will play a full 2020 season.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told reporters in a Zoom news conference Tuesday that he has confidence the Irish will play a full 2020 season. College football is in a state of a limbo overall thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the event of a shortened schedule, it’s possible that Power Five commissioners could decide their teams only will play within their conferences. Because the Irish remain independent for football, this would cost them 10 of their 12 scheduled opponents.

Notre Dame’s 2020 schedule includes games against six ACC teams, one apiece from the Big Ten and SEC and its annual meetings with Pac-12 teams USC and Stanford. An 11th game, the annual contest against Navy which currently is scheduled to open the season in Dublin, Ireland, also could be in jeopardy if non-Power Five conferences also choose to play conference games only. Obviously, this arrangement would decimate the Irish of their competition, and who knows what would happen after that?

In his regular conversations with the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision commissioners, which come with being part of the College Football Playoff management committee, Swarbrick said he has pushed for a conference-only model “plus one”. This would maintain such traditional rivalries as Clemson-South Carolina and Cincinnati-Miami (Ohio). Regardless, he believes the committee’s collaboration and communication gives college football “a chance” to develop a policy to bring the sport back.

There are many hurdles to clear to have the season everyone wants, but Swarbrick doesn’t sound willing to allow his football program to be left out in the cold. In a worst-case scenario, Irish fans will circle back to this and point out an empty promise. However, even the most conference-loyal leaders have to admit that college football simply can’t exist without Notre Dame. It’s only fair to give the Irish just as much a chance to compete as everyone else.

College Football Recruiting: Five Takeaways From ESPN 300

Notre Dame landed six players on the updated ESPN 300 list for 2021. What schools are impressing and who is disappointing in ’21 recruiting?

ESPN released their “ESPN 300”, their ranking of the 300 best prospects nationally in the 2021 college football recruiting class.  Here’s what we’ll do:

Here we’ll give you where the six Notre Dame commitments that checked in rank and then we’ll share a handful of observations about national recruiting beyond that.

Deal?

Cool.

Where Notre Dame players ranked:

QB Tyler Buchner – 39
TE Cane Berrong – 51
OT Blake Fisher – 103
DT Gabriel Rubio – 163
WR Lorenzo Styles, Jr. – 243
DE David Abiara – 280

Safety Justin Walters and offensive guard Pat Coogan, both of Illinois didn’t make the ESPN 300 but are also commitments to Notre Dame’s 2021 class.

Next:  Oh my, Ohio State…

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Big Ten Bowl Impact: Iowa vs USC

We look back on the Pinstripe Bowl between Iowa and USC and see how it impacted both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

With the 2019 college footballs season complete, we look back on how the Big Ten did in bowl games.

As we go through all the bowls, in no particular order, we will focus on two main things:

1. How did the bowl performance end the 2019 season? Was it a fitting end or a poor performance, etc.
2. What impact, if any, will it have on the 2020 season.

Now that we’ve gone through all four Big Ten losses (not including the CFP), let’s move on to the wins.

2019 Holiday Bowl: Iowa vs USC

The matchup

No one quite knew what to expect from this matchup, because no on quite knew what to expect from USC at all this year. Kedon Slovis was a revelation in Pac 12 play, looking like the next in a long line of great USC quarterbacks. USC had a middling season (relatively), but there’s clearly massive potential.

Iowa, meanwhile, can’t ever shake its Ferentz-ball stereotype. The Hawkeyes are viewed as a slow, run-first team that relies on huge linemen to cover for a lack of speed at skill positions. Sure, players like Josey Jewell or or Kevin King come through, but they’re seen as individual anomalies, not fundamental parts of the program. It also doesn’t help that in Iowa’s last real high-profile bowl game, the Hawkeyes were embarrassed by Stanford in the Rose Bowl. The fact that that bowl loss was sandwiched between two other embarrassing bowl losses to SEC schools just exacerbated the issue.

What went right

Well, Iowa shed just about every Iowa stereotype in this game. Not only did the Hawkeyes not get blown out against a fast and athletic team, but they dominated the game entirely. The Iowa offense was unstoppable in the first half, scoring touchdowns on all four drives. The defense was stout, and there’s no shame in giving up some good plays and drives to an offense as talented as USC’s. It’s almost impossible to guard Amon-Ra St. Brown, but Iowa did a pretty solid job of completely shutting down the USC run game. With the Trojan offense entirely one-dimensional, Iowa got plenty of stops–even if the Slovis to St. Brown connection was there all game.

What went wrong

The Hawkeyes did go three-and-out three times in the second half, but they were clearly controlling the game by then. The worst thing that Iowa did–and this is a huge sin for a Ferentz-coached team–was that the Hawkeyes weren’t prepared for a USC onside kick early in the game. You have to be ready for those, though it didn’t hurt much in this one.

Next… 2019 wrap-up and 2020 impact

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Notre Dame Football: Matchup with Pac-12 Opponent Announced

The two programs have not met since playing four games between 1959 and 1967.  Notre Dame won all four of those contests by a combined score of 138-27.  Two games were played in each teams respective stadium.

Notre Dame plays both USC and Stanford annually, making a trip to California each year for Thanksgiving weekend while one of those come to South Bend early each fall.

Now for the fifth time in school history, Notre Dame is set to play another Pac-12/California based program in the Cal Bears.

There had been rumors of this game since a Cal recruiting flyer promoted the game some time ago.  I sincerely apologize but am having troubles finding the original links to that but I do believe it was One Foot Down who had an extended post on that idea some time ago.

The two programs have not met since playing four games between 1959 and 1967.  Notre Dame won all four of those contests by a combined score of 138-27.  Two games were played in each teams respective stadium.

The 2022 season sets up to be epic for Notre Dame as they start the season in Columbus, meeting the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe for the first time since a 45-26 defeat in late September of 1995.  2022 will also feature an early November home contest with Clemson.

10 of Notre Dame’s 12 games for 2022 have now been scheduled.

Big Ten Bowl Impact: Wisconsin vs Oregon

We look back on the Rose Bowl Game between Wisconsin and Oregon and see how it impacted both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

After a short hiatus (mostly because I had an absurdly busy week), we’re back to finish looking back on how the Big Ten did in bowl games.

1. How did the bowl performance end the 2019 season? Was it a fitting end or a poor performance, etc.
2. What impact, if any, will it have on the 2020 season.

2020 Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs Oregon

The matchup

Coming in, fans expected a great game, which is exactly what they got. Oregon had an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert, while Wisconsin came in with its usual power setup. Talented defense, fast receivers, and most importantly an elite running back behind an elite offensive line has defined Wisconsin football this decade, and the 2019 team was no different. The Badgers and the Ducks were two highly talented teams, and winning the Rose Bowl would have been a boost for each program.

What went right

Wisconsin dominated this game. The Badgers had more first downs, rushing yards, passing yards (and total yards, obviously), dominated the time of possession, return yards, sacks, and tackles for loss. Wisconsin returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The Badgers even went a whopping 4-5 on fourth downs. This was as solid a Wisconsin team as ever, playing as solid a game as it ever has. If you looked at just the box score, you would expect an easy Wisconsin victory… aside from one thing.

What went wrong

The loss gets more blame than just the fumbles, but they were a big deal. Wisconsin lost three fumbles over the course of the game, two in the second half. Both also turned into instant touchdowns for Oregon. One–on the opening drive of the second half–was returned for a touchdown. Another second-half fumble was immediately followed by a Ducks touchdown, on the very next play. It’s very hard to overcome something like that, especially when you play the game control type of football that Wisconsin does. We also won’t go too into the badd offensive pass interference call at the end, because Wisconsin should have had the game in hand long before that.

Next… 2019 wrap-up and 2020 impact

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Big Ten Bowl Impact: Illinois vs California

We look back on the Redbox Bowl game between Illinois and California and see how it impacted both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

With the 2019 college football season officially in the books, it’s time to look back on how the Big Ten did in bowl games.

As we go through all the bowls, in no particular order, we will focus on two main things:

1. How did the bowl performance end the 2019 season? Was it a fitting end or a poor performance, etc.
2. What impact, if any, will it have on the 2020 season.

2019 Redbox Bowl: Illinois vs California

The matchup

Like Indiana and Michigan, Illinois came into this game as an underdog. The Illini had a great season to get to six wins, and their reward was a talented but inconsistent Cal team. Cal was a very good team with Chase Garbers at the helm, but the Golden Bears struggled without him. Garbers was back for this game, which was good news for the Bears.

What went right

The first quarter was a solid one for Illinois. After an opening drive ended in a field goal, the Illini responded to a Cal touchdown with a 15-play touchdown drive of their own. Cal’s advantages in this game were obvious from the outset, but Illinois managed to mask it in the first quarter with a good offensive game plan that was well-executed.

What went wrong

Basically everything else after that. Garbers and the offense weren’t unstoppable, but Illinois couldn’t really get stops. The offense wasn’t explosive, but it did a great job of extending drives and keeping the Illinois defense on the field.

Illinois played well enough throughout the game to possibly keep it close, but the talent disparity was too much to overcome at the level that the Illini did play. It wasn’t a particularly exciting or compelling game, but it was definitely better than last season’s Redbox Bowl disaster.

Next… 2019 wrap-up and 2020 impact

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Twitter prepares for Alamo Bowl

If Texas can win, it will be a second straight year with a huge bowl win. Here is how Longhorn Twitter is preparing for the Alamo Bowl:

Texas will take the field for the final time in the 2019 season as they face the Utah Utes in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The Longhorns finished the regular season with a 7-5 record, while Utah made it all the way to the Pac 12 championship game, but lost to Oregon, making them 11-2.

Tonight’s game will be a big one for both teams as a win would give them momentum going into the 2020 season. If Texas can win, it will be a second straight year with a huge bowl win to end the season.

Here is how Longhorn Twitter is preparing for the Alamo Bowl:

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

USC Dumped on by Iowa in Holiday Bowl

The part I think is as noteworthy as anything is that over the last two years where USC has especially hit the skids, their conference has for the most part been trash.

 

You hate to see it and I hate to say I told you so.

Actually, neither of those statements are true.

Watching USC lose in grand fashion on national television will never get old and I’ll never get tired of being right about things, the rare times I actually am.

Earlier this month I told all Notre Dame fans to get excited because Christmas came three weeks early in the form of USC retaining Clay Helton as their head football coach.

Since then they’ve recruited the 83rd ranked 2020 class per Rivals that consists of just one four or five-star player and now you can add getting sent to the moon by Iowa in the Holiday Bowl to that list.

Iowa dashed to a 28-17 halftime lead before the Trojans cut it to just a four point game early in the second half, but then the flood gates opened and Troy was swarmed by Hawkeyes instead of a wooden horse.

Iowa would score the final 21 points of the night, ending with a 49-24 victory over USC as the Trojans wrap up the season 8-5 and Iowa reaches the 10-win mark for the first time in four seasons.

USC will return a bunch of talent next year and because they’re USC, they’ll be in consideration for a top-20 spot in the pre-season rankings in all likelihood but here are some fast stats that should keep you from buying into this USC thing:

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USC’s recruiting class is a disaster, and the college football world is losing it

USC currently has a worse recruiting class than Bowling Green, Troy, and UL Lafayette. Fans are stunned.

USC has perennially been a college football powerhouse, and one of the big reasons for that is its location. It can recruit from Southern California, and Southern California? It’s got a lot of really good high school football players! Like, so many good high school football players!

USC is a Power 5 school with a rich tradition, great infrastructure, a great location, and everything else a school could possibly want when it comes to recruiting.

Which makes it all the more stunning that, as of 11:30 ET on Early Signing Day, USC has the 76th best recruiting class in the country, per 24/7 Sports. They needed to land three-star DT Tuli Tuipulotu to move up to 76th, too — before that, they were slotted in at the 85th spot … just below Georgia State.

To put it bluntly, USC is a mess. The school didn’t end up firing head coach Clay Helton this offseason, but there were rumors throughout the year that they were going to. With an unsettled AD — the school brought in outsider Mike Bohn this year — it’s unsurprising that many recruits were scared off by a team that seems so in flux. Why commit to a team where you’re pretty sure the coach won’t be there in a year?

Anyway, it’s a mess, and CFB fans and writers enjoyed it.

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