I'm still so hung up on this...

Juicy J said:

It's weird that I can't let this go...but who you lose to and HOW you lose to them should matter so much more than it does. There's this belief that "losses are losses" and "wins are wins" I don't really agree with that - especially when you're splitting hairs between teams for a playoff. I still can't get over Alabama getting blown out to begin and end their season being a lock for the playoff last year. I also can't believe teams like Texas (sorry Horka) who got RUN OFF THE FIELD by Georgia and honestly dominated by Florida were trying to make a case. Imo....Iowa had as good of a case as Texas. They consistently looked better against better teams (Indiana, Oregon, USC). As evidenced by their beatdown of Vanderbilt...I bet Iowa plays Georgia pretty close. Teams like Miami and Notre Dame were chastised for their two losses - but did they really look objectively worse than their opponents in either of their losses? Idk...I'm rambling at this point....let me know your thoughts.

For your sanity, put it in the rear view.

Hearing all the love about Love, just pisses me off even more that we didnt get to see him in the playoffs. Also makes me want to throat chop the dirty ass player from little brother Stanford

Ya the fact that we could have two RBs drafted in the first round from the same team (ND) for the first time in NFL draft history and that team not make a 12 team playoff is nauseating. Especially when ND was playing top 5 football at the end of the season. The combine re-opened that wound, for sure.

preach!

Smcnd said:

For your sanity, put it in the rear view.

You've been a Notre Dame fan for a long time. We're still talking about 1993... Putting it in the rear view?

So you’re over IU now 😏

Slevmania said:

Ya the fact that we could have two RBs drafted in the first round from the same team (ND) for the first time in NFL draft history and that team not make a 12 team playoff is nauseating. Especially when ND was playing top 5 football at the end of the season. The combine opened that wound, for sure.

With my whole soul I believe we could have beaten Indiana.

Juicy J said:

With my whole soul I believe we could have beaten Indiana.

I won’t deny that Indiana had a “team of destiny “ feel to them, but I sure would've loved our chances

I think the fundamental problem you are having is that you believe the selection was based entirely on merit. Merit in this case is very subjective so any person can make subjective arguments, no matter how flawed the logic. This is the tool that allowed them to rationalize the other part of the selection criteria, politics. Several factors that played into how Miami, Bama and OU got in. 1. The SEC/ESPN are extremely powerful and once the SEC finished the regular season with 5, 2-loss teams all 5 were getting in. At that point, the SEC championship was irrelevant for playoff participation. It mattered for seeding, but for participation who lost and how badly they lost was never going to determine participation. 2. The ACC was never going to get left out, zero chances of that happening. Once Duke won the ACC Miami was always in and nothing else really mattered except getting an ACC team in. I think the fundamental mistake is many fans don't factor in the political considerations. Yes record matters. Who you beat, who you lose to and how you win or lose those games matter but it's not everything. The committee is trying to find the 12 best teams and use those factors in determining the 12 that fit into the political confines they are operating in. This is why I argue, just win 11 games and you'll get in. If you play all ACC and MAC teams, it won't matter because not enough teams are going to finish with 11 or 12 wins to keep you out.

Slevmania said:

I won’t deny that Indiana had a “team of destiny “ feel to them, but I sure would've loved our chances

The difference between 2025 Indiana and 2024 Indiana was OL and QB. Miami whooped up on their OL too. Rourke was a very good QB but Mendoza took a good team and made them great. They don't beat Iowa, Oregon, Penn State, or OSU without Mendoza. They struggled as much as anybody against good defenses and rushing attacks.

Juicy J said:

It's weird that I can't let this go...but who you lose to and HOW you lose to them should matter so much more than it does. There's this belief that "losses are losses" and "wins are wins" I don't really agree with that - especially when you're splitting hairs between teams for a playoff. I still can't get over Alabama getting blown out to begin and end their season being a lock for the playoff last year. I also can't believe teams like Texas (sorry Horka) who got RUN OFF THE FIELD by Georgia and honestly dominated by Florida were trying to make a case. Imo....Iowa had as good of a case as Texas. They consistently looked better against better teams (Indiana, Oregon, USC). As evidenced by their beatdown of Vanderbilt...I bet Iowa plays Georgia pretty close. Teams like Miami and Notre Dame were chastised for their two losses - but did they really look objectively worse than their opponents in either of their losses? Idk...I'm rambling at this point....let me know your thoughts.

Obviously Miami wasn’t chastised. I find it funny that it “took” Hunter Youradick and the committee over 3 months to realize that Miami and ND played each other. And that Youradick asked the committee to go back and re watch the game. But what really gets me is that when the first rankings ( playoff) came out we were #10 and Miami was #18 and in the last 4 games all we did was beat teams by a score of 51.4-13 and that’s with backups , 3 rd teamers and walk ons in most of the second half and especially the 4 th quarter. Meanwhile Miami didn’t pull one starter and were throwing into the end zone with seconds left in their last 2 games. Yet that very rarely comes up.

@Juicy J - agree with @Smcnd - rear view mirror time. I think we come out on a mission this year. We make all of it right this year by winning it all. I will take the bulk of last year in exchange for that!

It had nothing to do with NDs CFP qualifications and everything to do with CFP committee corruption . Its that simple.

I like an 8-4 Alabama's chances.

The missed tackle on Hinish still runs through my mind.

dcwflyca said:

@Juicy J - agree with @Smcnd - rear view mirror time. I think we come out on a mission this year. We make all of it right this year by winning it all. I will take the bulk of last year in exchange for that!

Nope. Staying irrationally bitter.

Charlie T said:

The missed tackle on Hinish still runs through my mind.

Juicy J said:

It's weird that I can't let this go...but who you lose to and HOW you lose to them should matter so much more than it does. There's this belief that "losses are losses" and "wins are wins" I don't really agree with that - especially when you're splitting hairs between teams for a playoff. I still can't get over Alabama getting blown out to begin and end their season being a lock for the playoff last year. I also can't believe teams like Texas (sorry Horka) who got RUN OFF THE FIELD by Georgia and honestly dominated by Florida were trying to make a case. Imo....Iowa had as good of a case as Texas. They consistently looked better against better teams (Indiana, Oregon, USC). As evidenced by their beatdown of Vanderbilt...I bet Iowa plays Georgia pretty close. Teams like Miami and Notre Dame were chastised for their two losses - but did they really look objectively worse than their opponents in either of their losses? Idk...I'm rambling at this point....let me know your thoughts.

Look at it this way, your agonizing over it got your mind off the fanciful notion that the Pacers would have won Game 7 had Halliburton not gotten injured.

Juicy J said:

It's weird that I can't let this go...but who you lose to and HOW you lose to them should matter so much more than it does. There's this belief that "losses are losses" and "wins are wins" I don't really agree with that - especially when you're splitting hairs between teams for a playoff. I still can't get over Alabama getting blown out to begin and end their season being a lock for the playoff last year. I also can't believe teams like Texas (sorry Horka) who got RUN OFF THE FIELD by Georgia and honestly dominated by Florida were trying to make a case. Imo....Iowa had as good of a case as Texas. They consistently looked better against better teams (Indiana, Oregon, USC). As evidenced by their beatdown of Vanderbilt...I bet Iowa plays Georgia pretty close. Teams like Miami and Notre Dame were chastised for their two losses - but did they really look objectively worse than their opponents in either of their losses? Idk...I'm rambling at this point....let me know your thoughts.

If I learned anything in this life. People who follow Jesus Christ will be persecuted to the end of the world.

Charlie T said:

The missed tackle on Hinish still runs through my mind.

That and Buchner fumbling the snap on the extra point and Shuler not lighting up CJ Daniels the Miami wr who caught that one handed td

Surely stings no question about it, but if this team goes scorched earth this coming season and wins it all. It will be kind of forgotten ( not much) But let’s be honest here with our kicking game and as the opponent gets better and games get really close did we really have confidence in our kicking game? Our last fg made was oct 11 against NC state. And we tried 3 different ones. Our kicking game would have done us in

SilentBanjo said:

Look at it this way, your agonizing over it got your mind off the fanciful notion that the Pacers would have won Game 7 had Halliburton not gotten injured.

I'm not over that either. Never will Be. They seem to be living rent free in your head too.

Juicy J said:

I'm not over that either. Never will Be. They seem to be living rent free in your head too.

Not sure what you mean by your last sentence, but I'd gladly pay rent for its entertainment value.