Why Notre Dame has lost 9 straight bowl games

[MikeWaters]

Partly the reason is that they are a hot commodity, and usually get a better bowl than they deserve. So they end up paired with better opponents.

I need Pelagius to confirm this.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Partly the reason is that they are a hot commodity, and usually get a better bowl than they deserve. So they end up paired with better opponents.

I need Pelagius to confirm this.

That was Lou Holtz's exact excuse on Gameday this afternoon.

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Partly the reason is that they are a hot commodity, and usually get a better bowl than they deserve. So they end up paired with better opponents.

I need Pelagius to confirm this.

You're right on the money. The betting public likes them too. When I saw the line set at -8, I about choked. Unfortunately, the maximum bet in Mesquite is $2000. Damn limits!

[il Padrino Ute]

So long as Notre Dame loses, be it by 1 or 50, I'm happy.

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Partly the reason is that they are a hot commodity, and usually get a better bowl than they deserve. So they end up paired with better opponents.

I need Pelagius to confirm this.

year  team       Massey  AP team       Massey   AP
2006  Notre Dame     14  12 LSU             8    5
2005  Notre Dame      7   5 Ohio State      3    4
2004  Notre Dame     34  NR Oregon St      16   NR
2002  Notre Dame     19  11 NC State       14   17
2000  Notre Dame     13  10 Oregon St       5    5
1998  Notre Dame     26  17 Georgia Tech   17   12
1997  Notre Dame     33  NR LSU            16   13
1995  Notre Dame      9   6 Florida St      3    8
1994  Notre Dame     22  NR Colorado        4    4

Your hypothesis seems consistent with the data. In 6 of the 9 years the last AP poll before the bowl game ranked Notre Dame's opponent higher than them. The year end Massey ranks the opponent higher every year (of course there is a bias since all the massey rankings are measured ex post). A couple of the games were pretty lopsided by ranking going into the game: (1994) NR Notre Dame vs #4 Colorado and 1997 NR Notre Dame vs #13 LSU.

P.S.

I just have to mention this. I am teaching an evening MBA course this quarter (M/W 8:00-10:00pm) at a University that is playing a football game next Monday and probably 80% of my class told me that there is no way that they would show up for class next Monday.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by pelagius

I just have to mention this. I am teaching an evening MBA course this quarter (M/W 8:00-10:00pm) at a University that is playing a football game next Monday and probably 80% of my class told me that there is no way that they would show up for class next Monday.

Sounds like a test worth 50% of the final grade in order for Monday.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by pelagius

year  team       Massey  AP team       Massey   AP
2006  Notre Dame     14  12 LSU             8    5
2005  Notre Dame      7   5 Ohio State      3    4
2004  Notre Dame     34  NR Oregon St      16   NR
2002  Notre Dame     19  11 NC State       14   17
2000  Notre Dame     13  10 Oregon St       5    5
1998  Notre Dame     26  17 Georgia Tech   17   12
1997  Notre Dame     33  NR LSU            16   13
1995  Notre Dame      9   6 Florida St      3    8
1994  Notre Dame     22  NR Colorado        4    4

Your hypothesis seems consistent with the data. In 6 of the 9 years the last AP poll before the bowl game ranked Notre Dame's opponent higher than them. The year end Massey ranks the opponent higher every year (of course there is a bias since all the massey rankings are measured ex post). A couple of the games were pretty lopsided by ranking going into the game: (1994) NR Notre Dame vs #4 Colorado and 1997 NR Notre Dame vs #13 LSU.

P.S.

I just have to mention this. I am teaching an evening MBA course this quarter (M/W 8:00-10:00pm) at a University that is playing a football game next Monday and probably 80% of my class told me that there is no way that they would show up for class next Monday.

Also interesting to note, that every single year, Notre Dame was overrated in the sense that their AP human poll vote ranking was higher than their computer ranking. I hate human vote polls.

[ute4ever]

Originally Posted by pelagius

I am teaching an evening MBA course this quarter (M/W 8:00-10:00pm) at a University that is playing a football game next Monday and probably 80% of my class told me that there is no way that they would show up for class next Monday.

During my freshman year at the U, the first day of the spring quarter was the day of the national championship game vs. Kentucky, in 1998, and I had an evening class that began the same time as the game.

I went to class, but with a Sony Watchman, and only 4 or 5 others were there. The professor took roll and said, "go home and watch the game."

It would be cool if you did the same.

[ute4ever]

Ha ha that rhymed

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

During my freshman year at the U, the first day of the spring quarter was the day of the national championship game vs. Kentucky, in 1998, and I had an evening class that began the same time as the game.

I went to class, but with a Sony Watchman, and only 4 or 5 others were there. The professor took roll and said, "go home and watch the game."

It would be cool if you did the same.

Seriously, Pelagius, you have to cancel class. It's the honorable thing to do.

Even as a perennial academic nerd, I would totally bail on class, if it were my school playing for the national title.

I had class during the Oklahoma/Texas game one year (this is a game where students get the previous Friday and following Monday off), and I took a walkman. The great thing about being female was that the prof never once suspected me.