re: Josh Pate “ND would win the SEC this year.”

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Do you know what anecdotal means?

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You don't even know what the word means. Those four facts I listed are all data-based (i.e., the results that happened on the field). I didn't say, "the B1G is faster to me than the SEC", or "ND has better players and more NFL potential than any SEC team".

If what I said is "anecdotal" then what you said is also. Saying: "the SEC has won 4 of the last 7 national championships" is no less anecdotal than saying, "the SEC hasn't won a semifinal in the past 3 years and ND has". They're each data-based truths.

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Like I said you just want to exclude whatever doesn’t fit your bias.

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Yeah, the focus should be on the past 2-3 years when evaluating current college football programs, rather than 7 years ago when none of those players are around anymore and a large number of the head coaches and vast majority of the assistant coaches no longer are, either. That's not bias, that's common sense.

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Which extends to 2022 and one game in 2021, years you then claimed do not count simply because you didn’t like the facts from that data set so you made a hypocritical argument which is what I said.

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Let's (once again) try to rehash.

YOU started it off by saying ND was 4-4 in its last 8 SEC games (which, hilariously, you didn't even get right, since it's 5-3). I pointed out that only the most recent 5 were under Freeman (he's 4-1), the other three before were not. I pointed out that bringing up ND's results under Brian Kelly is stupid, because those games were nearly a decade ago, Brian Kelly's a mediocre head coach, and the ND program is much better now.

Freeman only played one of those 5 SEC games prior to 2024; either throw out that one game or don't, I don't care and it doesn't impact the argument. But you're also simultaneously trying to argue that ND's results under Brian Kelly matter. What? Brian Kelly's irrelevant, and Freeman's played four SEC games the past two seasons we can help use to evaluate (80% of his total).

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You keep shrinking the scope of every data set until all you’re left with are anecdotes and recency bias.

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I'm evaluating ND football in 2026. I don't give a shite about 2019/2020. It literally doesn't matter. I'm not arguing 2010-2023 ND football would cumulatively be considered a tier 1 SEC program. 2026 ND would be a tier 1 SEC program.

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The flip side of the argument would he if I used ND losing to ATM and basing an entire argument on that particular game which I’m sure you’d agree wouldn’t make any sense.

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Actually, you're wrong. I think that makes plenty of sense to include. That is a data point to consider. If you were presented with only the following data with NO other context:

In 2024, Program A won at Texas A&M by 10.
Later in the year, Program A beat UGA on a neutral field by 13.
In 2025, Program A lost at home to Texas A&M by 1.
Later in the year, Program A won at Arkansas by 43.

Not having any other context or knowing any other game results, pretty much anyone with common sense would agree, "that seems like that's probably a Tier 1 SEC program, and likely has a great shot at winning the SEC in 2026."

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I'm evaluating ND football in 2026. I don't give a shite about 2019/2020. It literally doesn't matter. I'm not arguing 2010-2023 ND football would cumulatively be considered a tier 1 SEC program. 2026 ND would be a tier 1 SEC program.

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It’s astonishing people can’t distinguish the two. 2019 LSU and 2025 LSU are two, vastly different teams/programs. Just like 2020 Notre Dame and 2026 Notre Dame are. 2026 Notre Dame would arguably have the best defense in the SEC (a case could certainly be made for OU). They’d have a top 3 QB and probably the best offensive line.

Would they win? I don’t know. They lost a lot of offensive production in Love and Price, but they’d be one of the betting favorites (along with Texas and Georgia).

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Mendoza is a better pro prospect, but they might actually improve at QB this year. Hell the entire team is going to be better outside of losing Ponds and Coogan

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How can you say this realistically? They graduated so many massive contributors and culture guys that were solid to good players, not to mention the 3 elite players you already mentioned. They and Miami were the oldest teams in CFB last year and the Indiana guys had 3+ years in Cig’s system.

I’m not saying Indiana is going to fall off and go 7-5, but there is no way they are better at 20/22 positions.

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ou should take a look at what Indiana is returning/upgraded via portal. If the QB from TCU works out, they could easily repeat

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Average age of Indiana’s starters / rotational contributors is going to be like 3 years less this year. That difference, taken for what it is, could just as easily attributed to the age gaps between certain nfl teams and college teams.

They’ve got a coward’s schedule so not saying they’re gonna fall off and go 6-6, but to say that they’ll have a better team (or even a team of substantially similar quality) is frankly stupid.

Notwithstanding their RB situation, ND is awfully talented on paper

Whether that holds up against an arguably tougher schedule, we just won't know but they would probably be the 3rd-4th best roster in the SEC in my opinion

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Program A lost to Northern Illinois

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And went 2-0 against the SEC, beat the SEC Champ and made the national championship game (beating 3 top 10 teams in a row to get there) that same season?

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So you have no idea what anecdotal means and you didn’t even understand what the ATM comment meant either. You just again proved you have no argument other than “I like thing because I like it”

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No I completely understood, you imbecile. A&M is a data point. It is not an “anecdote”. It is not a “feeling” or “hypothetical” or “hunch” or “from my viewing”.

We have 4 ND-SEC data points from the past two years and 5 total from Freeman. I’m considering ALL of them (not “which ones I like”). He’s 4-1 total. If you want to throw away his 2022 win, perfect! Couldn’t agree more, throw it away! Makes you look even more stupid for going back to 2019/2020 then.

Looking at ALL of ND’s results against the SEC in the past 2 years, with most of the same coaching staff and many/most of the same players to make an argument = I’m being anecdotal about 2026 ONLY.

But looking at ND’s results from a decade ago with none of the same players and coaches = Madking NOT being anecdotal about 2026 ONLY.

Absolutely insane.

None of this matters. All that matters is making the playoffs and then winning games in the playoffs.

Look at UGA last year. They had an outstanding year and won the SEC, yet not one UGA fan would say they had a good year. Why? Because they got bounced by Ole Miss in the only game that actually mattered.

Who cares if ND or anyone is any good or would win imaginary games. We have a playoff now and games will be played and we will all see the results. No one forced the SEC to bring OU or Texas. No one forced them into 9 conference games. They choose to add teams and play another game because they wanted the money that came with it. Fine, but stop the whining and count your money (and losses).

All that matters is a league that was on fire winning Natty after Natty can’t even get to the title game. And instead of a little introspection and fixing the problem, they whine and reach for excuses. Just stop. Win the games in December and January that count.

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None of this matters. All that matters is making the playoffs and then winning games in the playoffs.

Look at UGA last year. They had an outstanding year and won the SEC, yet not one UGA fan would say they had a good year. Why? Because they got bounced by Ole Miss in the only game that actually mattered.

Who cares if ND or anyone is any good or would win imaginary games. We have a playoff now and games will be played and we will all see the results. No one forced the SEC to bring OU or Texas. No one forced them into 9 conference games. They choose to add teams and play another game because they wanted the money that came with it. Fine, but stop the whining and count your money (and losses).

All that matters is a league that was on fire winning Natty after Natty can’t even get to the title game. And instead of a little introspection and fixing the problem, they whine and reach for excuses. Just stop. Win the games in December and January that count.

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The problem is teams with a huge difference in SOS making the playoff is they are just not as worn down. Kiffin brought this up in his presser about end of year fatigue and injuries in this conference.

Notre Dame's starters could rest like 30% of the season in aggregate and they won't have to open their playbook up against 2/3rds of their opponents. It's a big advantage going into the playoffs.

SEC teams have a gauntlet then have to win several more games in a row for a title, not just 1.

So what? The SEC could kick out Texas, OU, Bama, and Tennessee which would make it easier but they’d also lose the money that comes with those teams and TV co tracts. That’s my point - the SEC whines but they put themselves in this position.

And it’s just a myth that they have tougher games. Sure, I expect Kiffen to say that because these guys know a lot of them will end up 9-3 so they are already starting to try and manipulate the committee- as they should.

We already know what every team will be saying in late November. You guys will argue your 9-3 teams should get in and others will be saying their 10-2 teams should get in. I’ve seen every argument over my 56 years on this earth.

The problem the SEC now has this year is that no one believes them because they have been losing a lot of playoff games so the argument about how tough their schedule is goes out the window. Of course, then you bring up the this fantasy that your boys are so tired by December. It’s laughable and no one is buying it.