Notre Dame Football: Ranking Potential Bowl Game Opponents

Finally the biggest draw in the Big XII comes up on our breakdown. Is Texas back?

In one of the worst kept secrets in college football at this point, we sit and wait to act surprised when on Sunday we will all officially find out that No. 15 Notre Dame will be headed to play a Big XII opponent in the 2019 Camping World Bowl.

That means a trip to Orlando but who the Irish play in the game is still very much up in the air for multiple different reasons.

For one – Oklahoma and Baylor both right now sit at six and seven in the College Football Playoff rankings respectively, with both still being very much alive for a potential New Year’s Six Bowl game berth if they are to fall in Saturday’s conference championship.

🚨 FINAL BOWL PROJECTIONS OF THE SEASON 🚨 pic.twitter.com/MSoZHAtzrE

— Camping World Bowl (@CWBowl) December 4, 2019

That’s important because it would change the Alamo automatically getting whoever loses and instead, give the bowl the chance to pick which of the 5-4 Big XII teams it would like, as Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Texas all finished in a tie for third place after all going 5-4 in conference play.

It got me wondering though – who should Notre Dame fans be rooting for to play?

I get that some Irish fans will have a family or friend that is connected to one of the schools that will make that their obvious choice, but for everyone who doesn’t, what are you rooting for to happen?

A quick look at the potential match-ups, one at a time.

Kansas State

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The Cowboys-Patriots game is set to be the most-watched regular season game of the year

If it seems like there are the same teams in primetime games, that’s probably because it’s true. Certain teams just draw more viewers whether it’s because of market size, star power, or a national following. That’s why we get the Giants on Sunday Night Football even though they haven’t been a good football team for a few years now. It’s why the Packers and Steelers are often scheduled at marquee teams. This Sunday there are two late games. There’s the Titans-Jaguars AFC South shown and there’s the Cowboys traveling to Foxborough to take on the Patriots. Take on guess on which game will be more watched.

As long as the Cowboys-Patriots matchup remains close, it should generate some amazing ratings. The Cowboys are one of — if not the — most popular football team in the country. They have fans outside of Dallas who have probably never even stepped foot in Texas. They are “America’s Team.”

The Patriots are the team of the current century — not just the team of the decade. They have one of the greatest coaches of all time. They have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. They are the evil empire that opposing fans hate — and are jealous of — because of how much they win.

Both teams are from major markets. Both have a national following. They generate great viewership numbers when they don’t play each other.

Q: How many of the ten most-watched NFL regular season games of this century featured either the Cowboys or the Patriots?

A: All ten

— Michael Mulvihill (@mulvihill79) November 20, 2019

So Fox should be excited. The NFL should be excited. Ratings will be through the roof. Now if they could only figure out a way to have these two teams meet in the Super Bowl.

Saints get a new franchise quarterback in four-round 2020 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints improved by picking QB Jalen Hurts, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and LB Chazz Surratt in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft is months away, but it’s never too soon to speculate about who the New Orleans Saints could end up picking. Especially with the college football season hurtling towards bowl game season. We aren’t going for accuracy here; think of this exercise as a preview for this weekend’s games

We used The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine to accurately simulate a selections before and after each of the Saints’ picks.

Round 1, Pick 30: QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Watch him next vs. TCU Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX

Right now, Hurts is seen as a fringe first-round quarterback prospect, but his stock should rise once the pre-draft process kicks off in the spring just like it has for other quarterbacks. And expect Saints coach Sean Payton to be intrigued by Hurts’ abilities. Payton has been a fan of similar prospects like Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck, all of whom featured rare arm strength along with the ability to make plays with their legs.

Hurts has made huge strides under Sooners coach Lincoln Riley after transferring from Alabama, leading Oklahoma in both passing yards (3,039) and rushing yards (983) while scoring a combined 43 touchdowns in 10 games (28 as a passer, 15 as a runner). He’s protected the ball well by throwing just five interceptions and fumbling six times.

With Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysom Hill each due to receive new contracts after this season, the Saints are probably going to need a new face at quarterback. It’s tough to see Bridgewater remaining in New Orleans after going undefeated in his five-game stint as the starter and with so many quarterback-needy teams around the league. Whether Hurts, who will be a 21-year-old rookie, sits behind Brees for a year or competes with Hill to start, he’s the ideal prospect to bring under Payton’s tutelage.

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