Replies to: Interesting Post on ND-USC
USC has made themselves just another Big 10 team... instead of perpetual kings of the left coast.
Schlepping cross country to play middling midwest teams is not going to enhance the Trojan profile... especially when they struggle to win.
So YES... USC does not need the Irish.
And it appears that intersectional rivalries are passe... so maybe ND does not need USC anymore also.
"People go to USC because it is easier to spell than UCLA." - Lou Holtz
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I’d offer UCLA the spot on ND’s football schedule and a perpetual home and home on the basketball
schedule, if USC backs out of the rivalry.
Same LA market, next best thing, imho.
While this is a good suggestion, I don’t think UCLA wants to play us either.
The two LA schools want to shut us out of that recruiting market. No more playing in front of the hometown LA fans every other year.
I think UCLA is happy with the cash grab and mediocrity.
More cash to grab, no?
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I think they’d prefer to buy a victory against a local pushover.
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I don't disagree with their rationale, however, USC is headed for a Nebraskaesque future and losing
ND will only exacerbate it, in my opinion. The BIG10 does NOT have enough quality teams to fill a schedule with BIG MARKET matchups.... to be honest you will have only 1-2 big games a year (OSU, Oregon, Penn St, Michigan) and the rest are now mid. Nebraska has lost all of its rivalry's and playing the likes of Iowa or Northwestern each week is of no national interest. Even this year, Nebraska gets all excited about their team (5-1) because they haven't played anyone... then they lose to Minnesota. They can have their best record in a decade and still have no national respect.
USC is headed to the same fate. West Coast teams, of all sports, are afterthoughts because of the time difference and unless there is a coaching change, this #1 recruiting class will have the same fate as Caleb Williams teams... under performing. Can you watch this USC team fold Saturday and think it will chance to beat OSU in the future (unless there is a dramatic change from the top-down)? USC will not support a program that can't win a BIG10 championship or even make an expanded playoff for long. Again, USC will be the west coast Nebraska and ND would enjoy piling on them for the rest of the decade, but we might start feeling sorry for them, as well!
Yes, it will be much harder to dominate.
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Laughable how this B10 gomer claims it is ND who won't sign an extension. No credibility.
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Their opinion would carry more weight if they didn't just get their butts kicked.
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Isn't the bigger question: why do schools even need conferences any more? Nix the middle man.
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This is an easy fix for the Power 5. 6 regional divisions, 11 teams each.
Northwest, Southwest, North, South, Northeast, Southeast. Each region champion gets an automatic playoff bid. The next best 5 get at-large bids. 16-team playoff.
No more ridiculous Stanford A.C.C. games, nor U.S.C. Big 10 games.
Separate from the N.C.A.A. Run as a sole "league."
I think this is where it ends up, or something like it. Anyone who sees ND's haul from 2024 CFP and
wants to be in a conference, plays for a team that is never going to compete for it all and just wants the easy money. It's basically baseball revenue sharing.
This is inevitable.
With the conferences getting so big, it has become difficult to establish the (for example) the 3 or 4 best teams in a conference re: playoff determination.
Indiana, for example, played only 2 real viable playoff "contenders," Ohio State and Michigan in 2024. In 2025 they only play Oregon and Penn State, and let's not pretend that Illinois is a viable playoff possibility. Granted you never really know when a team is going to pop up and become a viable playoff contender, but Indiana will likely get into the playoffs having played only one playoff contender plus likely OSU in the BIG Champ game. Considering Indiana's shameful OOC schedule (in '25 Kennesaw State, Old Dominion, and Indiana State) they have worked their way to #2 because of a really soft schedule (49 in Sagarin, 30 in ESPN and 43 re: remaining schedule). Yet unless they do a face plant, they are in. I'm just using Indiana as an example. Ohio State (SOS Sagarin 20, ESPN 33), for that matter, will likely be the #1 seed based on playing only Texas and Michigan and will likely be the #1 seed.
I am of the opinion that an NFL type set up is coming (as you have suggested) as many teams will argue they were more "deserving" the playoffs than the ones who get in with "pretty" records.
This structure would be great.
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The article is pure crap. Opinion not facts.
The fact is usc is scared to play ND when we are good. That’s why they want a year to year single game contract.
A late season loss in LA would hurt their playoff chances.
They don’t want a cold weather game because they are soft.
Pure arrogance to suggest we need them much more than they need us.
Let’s see the ratings on the usc versus UCLA game.
EVERY major school will only want to play ND in the first three weeks of the season going forward...
No one will want to take a break from their B1G or SEC schedule going forward to play ND, as long as ND remains competitive...
ACC doesn't have quite their juice...hence part of the reason for the Clemson deal.
Notice, however, that Miami next year does not have a date assigned yet. Bet Miami is pushing for an end of August early date...given that September is already booked out for the Irish.
Possibly true. So why give usc a favored spot?
I have enjoyed the home and home series with the likes of Texas, TAMU, tOSU and UGA. I would much rather continue that concept than give usc a preferred spot.
I would not give them a favored spot. Series should stay scheduled substantially as it is in my view
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Big Ten Information and News. Not biased at all.
The truth is - college football needs this rivalry the most.