How to get me interested in Houston: play Notre Dame

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Jike Spingleton

Jike Spingleton

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Certainly not a likely scenario, but it could happen.

It hinges on Northern Illinois losing the MAC Championship Game to Bowling Green. That drops them out of the BCS, freeing another spot for a "Power 5" conference.

If Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma, the Cowboys go to the Fiesta Bowl. If Baylor beats Texas and finishes 11-1, the Bears (currently 9th) would be the highest-ranked eligible team in the BCS standings (of Alabama, Auburn, Missouri and South Carolina ahead of them, only two can go to a BCS game).

The Orange Bowl would get first pick, and would be all over Alabama. They'd also likely take Clemson to fill Florida State's ACC spot in the game.

The Sugar Bowl will have the SEC champion (Auburn or Missouri), and would no longer be stuck choosing between Central Florida and Northern Illinois. Instead, the teams sitting on the table would be 11-1 Baylor (presumably ranked somewhere around 7th) and 10-2 Oregon (currently ranked 12th). A potential rematch of the dramatic Auburn-Oregon BCS Championship Game a few years ago would be intriguing, and Nike University does have more of a national brand, but the on-field measurements of record and ranking, as well as geographical proximity, favor Baylor.

So Baylor goes to the Sugar Bowl, and the Big 12 suddenly is not able to fill its obligation to the Texas Bowl. Here come the Irish.

Most projections have Notre Dame playing in the Pinstripe Bowl, another of the Big 12's open slots. But the Irish have been vocal about wanting to play somewhere warm if possible (Notre Dame Observer), and the matchup (Rutgers or Houston) wouldn't move the needle. Plus, that game gets tied to the ACC next year anyway, thus becoming part of Notre Dame's future bowl lineup.

A chance to play somewhere warm against a "Power 5" opponent would seem to be at the top of the Irish's wish list. That narrows things to the Independence Bowl and Texas Bowl. Shreveport at noon on New Year's Eve against an ACC team that they will (sort of) share a conference with next year, or Houston in prime time on a Friday night against the Big Ten. No contest.

I'll be rooting hard for Bowling Green, and hoping for the dominoes to fall.
 

Seems to be a long shot, but I would love to see this happen. Notre Dame is about the only opponent that would seriously get me interested in traveling to a bowl game in Houston.
 


As long as I don't have to repeat that scenario, I certainly like it!
 

Iceland12 said:
As long as I don't have to repeat that scenario, I certainly like it!
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It's actually pretty simple, I just don't like throwing things like this out there without any context:

Bowling Green over Northern Illinois
Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
Baylor over Texas

If those three things happen, it becomes possible.
 



I would actually prefer Houston vs ND over the Gator Bowl vs Georgia. Another thing to consider is what if the Big 12 cant fill the slot and ND goes somewhere else. Then who do we get? the Pac 12 looks to have extra teams and so does the ACC. So you could be looking at someone like BC, Oregon State, Washington State....
 

Grant said:
I would actually prefer Houston vs ND over the Gator Bowl vs Georgia. Another thing to consider is what if the Big 12 cant fill the slot and ND goes somewhere else. Then who do we get? the Pac 12 looks to have extra teams and so does the ACC. So you could be looking at someone like BC, Oregon State, Washington State....
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Just a thought, but you may be way over-thinking this.
 

Grant said:
Another thing to consider is what if the Big 12 cant fill the slot and ND goes somewhere else. Then who do we get? the Pac 12 looks to have extra teams and so does the ACC. So you could be looking at someone like BC, Oregon State, Washington State....
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Yes, there could be other options if the Big 12 cannot fill the Texas Bowl, and I would be happy with any of them. The Pinstripe Bowl would be ideal for any of the northern ACC teams (one or two out of Boston College/Syracuse/Pitt), so the extra Pac-12 schools would probably be more likely to land in Houston if Notre Dame decided to go elsewhere. But I think Houston would be Notre Dame's top choice if it became available.
 



Notre Dame is just gross. I would rather not play them and have to interact with their entitled fans. If it happens, I hope we open a can of whoop ass on them. I'd personally love to see a Pac12 matchup (maybe some Beaver action??).
 

so long story short if the big 12 gets 2 BCS bids then we could get ND, i was under the impression that if the big 12 only gets one team in the BCS then we get K-state and if they get 2 teams in then we get Texas Tech

i hate Notre Dame more then i hate Wisconsin, i would hope we would crush them, and if we win it will give Jashon Cornell a much better reason to say home then to be a golden domer
 

So we need these games to fall our way so we do not play barfalicious Texas Tech

I don't like them Notre Dame but I would rather have a shot at playing them than barfalicious Texas Tech. Their fans don't want to play us again and we don't want to play them.
So we have to have BGSU upset Northern Illinois in Mac title game.
Okie State beat Oklahoma,
Baylor to win,
and MSU to hold serve against Ohio State and play them close or win.
Then We need FSU to hold serve against Duke.
The bottom two are likely to happen but I don't think Oklahoma State is going to beat Oklahoma even in a down year
and Bowling Green is going to be up against it playing Northern Illinois.
Crappy Texas bowl and Texas Tech here we come again, yep barfalicious matchup that neither side is going to be excited about.
I don't know who Teague has got but he needs to find someone to play politics and at least try for the BWW bowl, although unlikely
to happen we are stuck with Texas bowl if nothing changes this weekend.
 

pharmacygopher said:
Same....which would make beating them all that much better! Plus, then we can tell all the CDH kids we can compete with and beat ND :D
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Beating those overrated softies would be the cherry on top of a fantastic year in the rebuilding of the program.
 



I really appreciate the effort some GHers put into their posts. This is pretty fun and seems to have a logical progression. How ironic. JK and BK hooking up for the first time since their first HC gigs in DII...

Can we get Beth & Joey to call the game?
 

I would definitely make the trip to Houston for that. I am already tentatively planning on going this year. I may be discouraged if the opponent is Texas Tech again. I really wish to never have to play them again.
 

If we play ND, isn't there a rivalry trophy they've held for about 70 years? It would be a great story for the game and I'd be very happy if we won it back and then never played them again.
 


Notre Dame is pursuing the Hawaii Bowl for a potential game against Boise State, but "the chances are slim because of the numerous pieces that would have to be moved in order to make the matchup happen."

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/24150027/notre-dame-expresses-interest-in-sheraton-hawaii-bowl

The Poinsettia Bowl has already told Notre Dame that they will be honoring their back-up agreement with the MAC, so the Irish can't face Boise State in San Diego.

One thing's for certain: Notre Dame is desperate to avoid the Pinstripe Bowl. If Bowling Green beats Northern Illinois tonight, I think my scenario will suddenly pick up traction.

Go Falcons.
 

Jike Spingleton said:
Notre Dame is pursuing the Hawaii Bowl for a potential game against Boise State, but "the chances are slim because of the numerous pieces that would have to be moved in order to make the matchup happen."

http://www.[B]hawaiinewsnow[/B].com...me-expresses-interest-in-sheraton-hawaii-bowl

The Poinsettia Bowl has already told Notre Dame that they will be honoring their back-up agreement with the MAC, so the Irish can't face Boise State in San Diego.

One thing's for certain: Notre Dame is desperate to avoid the Pinstripe Bowl. If Bowling Green beats Northern Illinois tonight, I think my scenario will suddenly pick up traction.

Go Falcons.
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I don't care what Hawaii new snow says... but I would love a match up with ND
 

Jike Spingleton said:
It's actually pretty simple, I just don't like throwing things like this out there without any context:

Bowling Green over Northern Illinois
Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
Baylor over Texas

If those three things happen, it becomes possible.
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NIU is only favored by 3 against Bowling Green. It's certainly possible that that domino could fall. The other two could also happen.

I'm intrigued, Jike.
 

positively4thstreet said:
NIU is only favored by 3 against Bowling Green. It's certainly possible that that domino could fall. The other two could also happen.

I'm intrigued, Jike.
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Me too. It honestly seems like the best scenario out there that has us avoid a rematch with Texas Tech, which is last on my list. I'd much rather play ND. I'd be more shocked if BWW or Gator took us over Michigan and Nebraska than if Jike's scenario plays out. Go BGSU!
 



GopherFan88 said:
ND just accepted a bid to Pinstripes in NY
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that is really too bad because Bowling green is up 18 at half on NIU, it was working out perfectly, now ND settles for a 6-6 rutgers or houston team that they can pull out an easy W, they were clearly afraid to play us, well hopefully it sends a message to the Cretin kids that they play mediocre teams in mediocre bowls
 

well Boston College is a nice team that we could play with a heisman contender
 

Peculiar timing - why not wait 24 hours and see what happens in tomorrow's games? Unless the Pinstripe told them they were ready to offer the spot to Syracuse unless Notre Dame committed.

Too bad, because Bowling Green is taking it to NIU right now. Hopefully things continue down this path so we can at least avoid seeing Texas Tech again.
 

Speaking strictly on location....I've never been to Houston. +'s and -'s please about this city. Thanks in advance!
 


Jike -

Questions on your scenarios....

NIU losing....yay!
I understand Baylor needing to win.
What if Oklahoma beats OSU.....can they move up in the polls to be a BCS at-large??
 

Pinstripe Bowl, Notre Dame make it official:

http://pinstripebowl.com/news/article/2013120764473256/news/


pharmacygopher said:
What if Oklahoma beats OSU.....can they move up in the polls to be a BCS at-large??
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It gets a little more murky for the Big 12. They'd have 10-2 Oklahoma and 10-2 Oklahoma State vying with 10-2 Oregon for the Sugar Bowl. I think the Big 12 would still be in decent shape, in part due to geography, but also because of the long term affiliation they have with the Sugar Bowl beginning next season.

Just to be safe, still rooting for Okie State so we don't get our bowl rematch.
 

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