re: Notre Dame has come full circle.

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They stay out of conference , schedule cream puffs and service academies then want to jump into the natty conversation at the last minute .

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And their schedule next year may be even weaker than this year.

USC and Miami are the only 2 teams on ND's schedule next year that finished this season ranked.


Wisconsin
Rice
Michigan State
Purdue
North Carolina
Navy
Miami
Boston College
SMU
Stanford
Syracuse
USC

4 of the bottom 6 ACC teams from this year.

3 of the bottom 4 B1G teams

Rice that went 2-6 in the AAC

SMU, Navy, Miami, and USC are the only teams on their schedule next year that didn't finish 2025 in the bottom 1/3 of their conference.

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It ended up being a rematch against LSU, who ND beat in the regular season, and LSU beat their asses in white helmets and gold jerseys.

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And the damned worst weather I have ever been to a football game in (well, besides the 1988 Miami game in the downpour).

It was cold, wet, and there was sleet at one point. It was almost impossible to stay warm/dry.

Have an upvote

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I remember this. Did LSU decide not to play in a bowl game or were there were no bowls available for them to attend? ND also possibly cost LSU the 1969 National Championship. That '69 defense was ferocious

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According to Wiki, three bowls showed interest (Gator, Bluebonnet, and Peach). I remember the Peach invite, but not the others, but I have no reason to doubt it. The Peach turndown was somewhat understandable since we participated in the inaugural game the year before. So there was opportunity.

No one outside of LSU cared about this protest. It was an own goal. To the extent they punished anyone, it would have been a bowl game community that had nothing to do with this.

There is no way we would have gotten a national championship. First, we played an incredibly weak schedule. Only 3 teams had a winning record:

o We beat 8-2 AU by 1pt and then got beaten badly in their bowl game against Houston;

o We lost to 7-3 OM, but they went on to beat Ark in their bowl.

o We beat 6-4 AL by 5 pts and they went on to lost pretty badly to Colorado.

Everybody else had losing records and we didn't dominate anyone with a pulse.

We were ranked 8th in the AP after the last regular season game. In the Final AP, Penn State was #2 and undefeated and USC was #3 unbeaten and tied once. There is no way we would have jumped these teams to number 1.

LSU fans like to create a mythology that has no basis in fact--like Arnsparger recommending Archer so he could hire Spurrier or that T-Bob was the hero of the TN game fiasco. We should honor this team for what it actually accomplished and not make up bullshite.

The story ran years ago in a now defunct LSU publication called "Purple and Gold Magazine." The story goes, back then, teams would accept bowl invitations before the season ended, and LSU coveted a Cotton Bowl invitation, and wanted it confirmed before a big game. The Cotton Bowl Committee told LSU and coach Charles McClendon they had to wait and defeat a certain team, and only then would that invitation be forthcoming. LSU did win that game, and when it was concluded, Cotton Bowl representative Field Scovell told LSU quarterback Mike Hillman on the field of Tiger Stadium, "Congratulations, you're going to the Cotton Bowl." Hillman was elated, and knew Scovell from work he did in Texas the previous summer. When the players gathered in the locker room, Scovell extended LSU the invitation. Players cheered. McClendon, still miffed LSU had to wait for an invitation, made the public comment (paraphrasing), "Mr. Scovell, we are going to have to think about that invitation." Scovell was furious and had been embarrassed by McClendon. The players also knew McClendon made a huge error with that statement to a powerful man like Scovell. The Cotton Bowl Committee immediately went shopping for another team. Notre Dame became available for the first time ever, and the Irish got the invite. LSU officials were now angry and allowed Notre Dame to be the scapegoat. This story is absolutely true, and little-known. Even media have bought the lie. Hillman was angry about what happened for many years after his exit from LSU.

The story ran years ago in a now defunct LSU publication called "Purple and Gold Magazine." The story goes, back then, teams would accept bowl invitations before the season ended, and LSU coveted a Cotton Bowl invitation, and wanted it confirmed before a big game. The Cotton Bowl Committee told LSU and coach Charles McClendon they had to wait and defeat a certain team, and only then would that invitation would be forthcoming. LSU did win that game, and when it was concluded, Cotton Bowl representative Field Scovell told LSU quarterback Mike Hillman on the field of Tiger Stadium, "Congratulations, you're going to the Cotton Bowl." Hillman was elated, and knew Scovell from work he did in Texas the previous summer. When the players gathered in the locker room, Scovell extended LSU the invitation. Players cheered. McClendon, still miffed LSU had to wait for an invitation, made the public comment (paraphrasing), "Mr. Scovell, we are going to have to think about that invitation." Scovell was furious and had been embarrassed by McClendon. The players also knew McClendon made a huge error with that statement to a powerful man like Scovell. The Cotton Bowl Committee immediately went shopping for another team. Notre Dame became available for the first time ever, and the Irish got the invite. LSU officials were now angry and allowed Notre Dame to be the scapegoat. This story is absolutely true, and little-known. Even media have bought the lie. Hillman was angry about what happened for many years after his exit from LSU.

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I doubt you'll ever see a Three Loss LSU team in the 12 team playoff.

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You sure about that? We saw a 2 loss LSU in a BCS championship game.

The committee chose the 5 best champions and the 7 best at-large teams. Frick ND.

I also like the h2h being a deciding factor and the fact that a CCG loss didn't frick over an otherwise deserving team.

One way this playoff could get better is if Sumrall's Tulane team can knock out the Lane-less Rebels in Oxford.

Good, bowl games are the DEI of crappy college football teams. 75% of them should be cancelled .

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They didn’t play a close game to inferior competition like Bama did vs Auburn.

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Stanford? The week before, Syracuse. The "ND doesn't play inferior competition" myth strikes again.

the playoffs arent most deserving. its suppose to be the best teams. People keep cracking ND for SOS... please look at all non SEC teams SOR. thats not a point. they play half an ACC schedule. please tell me how the body of work proves why oregon is the 5th team. ND has the same "Quality" win that Oregon has which is USC. bama beat vandy (best win besides uga) Tenn (pretty not good, they arent ranked and dont have a win over bowl team) and Mizz (pretty avegere team that did nothing or note all year mid of the pack sec team) and of course UGA. (which now after the SECCG they have been outscored 49 to 31) bama isnt a top ten team. they have been blown out twice, they cant run the ball and when they play a team who makes 15 move his feet they lose (unless they get bailed out) and you should be penalized for losing your Conference Championship, bc one thats the precedence (auburn 17 uga 23, byu 25, Vir 25, North Texas 25, SMU 24, Ok state 23, Orgeon 23, ETC) no matter what ESPN told you and 2 losing games should hurt you.