When ND's 2018 schedule was set up we were fated to close the year sandwiching perennial national powers FSU and USC (in LA) around a trip to Yankee Stadium to play a traditionally average Syracuse. That meant back to back weekends on the two opposite coasts. By contrast, Alabama was slated to close out by sandwiching home games against decent regional rivals around a home practice against Division I Football Championship Subdivision milktoast the Citadel. So, the Irish were getting the maximum number of national tv eyeballs three weeks in a row. but had to get up all three weeks in addition to traveling three time zones clear across the country. Whoever set this up did not give a tinker's damn about the chances of the Irish making the championship playoffs. On the other hand, this is all that Alabama cared about, because it shall get the national eyeballs in the playoffs.
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Won the NC.
Although, to be fair, he never coached...
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He was senile, of course.
...us Subway Alumni are overall very happy with ND coming to Yankee Stadium (I'd prefer the Meadowlands, where they used to play Navy in the Kickoff Classic, but still). ND doesn't need the money, we know this. It's for media attention and recruiting purposes. Not to mention, if we don't have that 13th conference championship game, playing and beating a #10 Syracuse team in NY at the end of the season will certainly help with the final playoff selections. What am I missing?
ND and NYC is great for the east coast alums.
Original Subalum descendants will make this a home game. ND tradition of owning NYC is continued.
Should be excellent.
I live in the tri-state area New York.... game should be at ND.... just dumb having it at Yankee stadium...
....will be at the game disagree with you.
Don't care about the majority...It is not beneficial to the team....
...let's not schedule any prime time games then, right? No traveling? Let's join the Big 10? ND is a barnstorming team. I agree I don't like this game *where it is in the schedule*, but the OP killed it for being a money grab, which is silly - ND doesn't need the $$. They're doing it for recruiting and spreading the brand.
If you want to help recruiting, play the game in Jerry World. Or Tampa. Or Atlanta.
ND recruits the east well as it is and it isn't a breeding ground for tons of great players like the southern states.
This is a gimmick game and one that may turn out to be a big mistake considering ND's only home loss in two years is to the national title runner up. And as long as we are talking branding and barnstorming, storming into Dallas or Miami in the playoffs might be a little better for branding.
Than the southern states....
http://www.maxpreps.com/m/article_amp.aspx?articleid=60810954-b4db-4536-8392-86260480f3c0
That said, I do like the idea of them playing down South (or Texas) as a neutral site game - but not against a Sothern opponent.
Arent we recruiting 18 year olds?
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Largest TV market in the country.
Tons of ND Alums within a 2 hour drive of NYC.
Tons of Subalums in NYC,
A home game that looks like a road game.
A short flight from South Bend.
A big stage for the players.
GO IRISH
You make good points... Playing at home has a decided advantage... Real possibility ND can run the table and be selected for the playoffs... rather have Syracuse in the Lions den...Go Irish stomp FSU...
I tip my cap to you wanting the Irish to have the best chance to win too :) if the field is in good shape (it was garbage when I saw them play in the pinstripe a few years ago), then I expect/hope ND will hear the crowd in their favor and stomp Syracuse like they should...
Yes...ND should handle Syracuse... want to see ND run for 250 yards against FSU....push them all over the field...
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To NY, then to LA to close the season is just stupid. If ND gets by Syracuse, they may end up being very lucky that this isn't a better USC team. (Or may be very unlucky that it isn't a worse USC team).
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country) is good for recruiting. Travel is tough, but being a national team helps us recruit nationally.
Not at the expense of a home game, especially Sr. Day
I also don't have a problem with the neutral site games. That is in ND's tradition. Playing 'Cuse in NY, then heading to LA for the season finale is really stupid. I agree with that all day long.
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I usually defend Jack but this one was indefensible.
Idiotic....
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with ND’s schedule. It was indefensible. The fact that ND does not have a chance for a conference championship also hurts. I am not a proponent of becoming a football member of the ACC or any other conference but it is what it is.
And it includes the plan to play in the SEC Championship game the week after Auburn, which was reasonably expected to be Georgia (preseason #3).
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Who cares about "traditional national powers?" Nebraska is a traditional national power. That doesn't make them any less of a cupcake this year., and it wouldn't have made Nebraska any more daunting to add to the schedule when schedules were made. 'Bama's 2018 schedule was finalized and announced September, 2017. That schedule closes with LSU, Mississippi State, Citadel, and Auburn. Citadel is a soup can. But LSU, MSU, and Auburn are all strong opponents. Particularly Auburn, which beat 'Bama last season. Under Malzhan, Auburn has finished the season in the top 25 four of the last five years, twice in the top 10 . . . including a #2 finish. You also have to factor in that if you are successful at 'Bama, that means playing in the SEC championship game one week after Auburn. Sure Auburn is at home this year, but that's just an alternating year thing. And it isn't like anyone thought Syracuse would be a ranked opponent when ND scheduled them.
I do agree with you about ND's schedule being out-of-whack with the cross-country travel angle. It is unnecessarily taxing, and it was foolish to schedule it that way. So don't get me wrong. I'm just taking issue with your characterization of 'Bama's November schedule.
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Auburn has been better than USC
We dont really care what USC once was now do we?
For that matter how goes has FSU been the last five years?