ACC Dead Weight Is Pulling Down Notre Dame’s Strength of Schedule
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Replies to: ACC Dead Weight Is Pulling Down Notre Dame’s Strength of Schedule
And it's all dead weight. One team per year on average being competitive is not adequate.
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Another solid piece, Frankie. One nit...
You opine...."Should Notre Dame be looking for the same or a similar scheduling model with a conference that actually elevates its resume?"
Fair enough, but in practical terms there is only one viable alternative to the ACC - the B12. It would be a non-starter for both the B10 and SEC. The B12 offers several quality potential opponents and we should definitely kick the tires.
Still, in our anger over the events of the last week, we should avoid a knee-jerk response that could make things worse. ACC football is definitely hurting, but these things are often cyclical. Should we turn away from the ACC, it is just possible that one or more of things happen:
James Franklin makes VT a tough out
FSU makes the magic hire and returns to relevance
Dabo reverts to the Dabo of old and returns Clemson to prominence
Miami stays tough under Cristobal
SMU continues their ascent. They certainly have the dollars to throw at their football program.
Stanford - flush with unlimited dollars and Andrew Luck's passion - becomes relevant again
Jeff Brohm works his magic and makes Louisville strong
Virginia and NC State are occasionally quality opponents
Duke rides their conference title game to a program resurgence
I think BC, Syracuse, Wake Forest and UNC under Belichik are lost causes
Sure, none of these things could happen, and I want to punish the ACC as much as any other Irish diehard, but it could be a case of cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Fair, but still think the ACC is more likely to fall apart than rebound
Clemson and Florida State already want out. Outside of those two, there's almost no chance of a real elite program in the conference other than Miami.
VT could be fine under Franklin, but even under Beamer, they peaked with one of the greatest college football players of all-time and then never was really more than solid
North Carolina will always be a basketball school
Louisville could be a good, top 15ish maybe program but likely never much more than that
SMU has money but that place will be a factory that every now and then has a great season but can't sustain culture long enough to be consistent
UVA, GT, NC State - all capable of an occasional good, maybe great season, but all destined to be stepping stones for whatever coach got those seasons for them.
Consent Management