The SEC is not the "Unbelievable Conference" that they are marketed as. Every year the top 1 or 2 teams are really good, there's another 2 that are good, and the rest of the conference sucks. The bottom end is bad. They get great marketing from ESPN and they schedule perfectly, and have a deal with the Sun Belt conference to play their crap programs. I'm not ragging on them - I think it's genius. ND just needs to do the same.
Take this year - Alabama, Georgia - really good, LSU, Florida - good, the next best team is Kentucky - really? and then what? Auburn, Texas AM, and then it drops off like a rock -Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, , Arkansas, Mississippi, Mississippi State. Any other year looks the same. Since it's split into east/west - each side has 2 good teams, and 5 not very good teams.
They still might be the best conference - but they are not light years ahead of the Big 10, and Big 12. I think those 3 are closer than ESPN would have you believe.
They schedule great - they open up with crap to warm up, then they go on a 2 or 3 games in conference and either a bye week or a Sun Belt team. So in reality, they play 9 games - and after every 3 they get a bye or a Sun Belt team to take a break.
ND really needs to look at the SEC and schedule the same. Make a deal with Conference USA to open up with them every year - and then the rest of the year play 2 games, and then a bye or a crap team the rest of the year. That keeps your kids fresh, helps injuries heel, gives back-ups a chance to play, and you look great beating the Citadel 50 - 7 (I guess).