[Van Hagar]

I’ll go ahead and say I think Ohio St. wins out from here, they sure look like the best team through the first two rounds. Hopefully, my picking them will be all that’s needed for them to fall flat on their face. Out of who is left, I’m actually pulling for Notre Dame, really like Marcus Freeman and think he’s done an excellent job there.

[jetpilot]

I’ll go ahead and say I think Ohio St. wins out from here, they sure look like the best team through the first two rounds. Hopefully, my picking them will be all that’s needed for them to fall flat on their face. Out of who is left, I’m actually pulling for Notre Dame, really like Marcus Freeman and think he’s done an excellent job there.

Pulling for Notre Dame as well, and wouldn't trade Freeman for any coach in the country.

[rookie57]

Pulling now for ND., but OS is gonna be hard to beat

[Cactus Jack]

Fun Fact-- the four teams with first round byes were outscored 45-3 in the first quarter of their quarterfinal games. We'll ignore that two of those results were from heavy underdogs, that the first quarter score is heavily influenced by who receives the opening kick, and that yesterday's game was 0-0 after one.


Going forward I think Texas and Ohio State should be a really good game. Texas will need to figure out a way to generate rushing yards and/or prevent sacks if they want to win, as they've had issues with both at times. I do think that they can score with Ohio State though, or at least they won't lose their poise if they get down early and have to spread the ball around.

Texas has some big bodies up front, don't give up tons of big gains and can create a lot of havoc plays. The biggest difference in Texas and other big high school football states (Florida, California, etc.) is the line play. Not that Texas doesn't have fast kids too, they're just massive in the trenches and across the board-- you see the result of funding for their stadiums, but a lot of money goes into weight training, player nutrition, and the like.

That bulk bullied around a Michigan team that beat Ohio State and analysts seem to think Texas will try to replicate their game plan. If they keep the OSU backfield in check (whether by stuffing the run, keeping them behind the chains, or not getting walled off on the perimeter, then they put the game on Will Howard-- that doesn't make them a lock, but you like their chances much better. Two years ago, the Ohio State-Georgia game got flipped when a big hit took out Marvin Harrison Jr.-- it's a violent game and Texas is much more capable of putting someone on the shelf than Oregon.



Think Penn State probably handles Notre Dame, but it's a good match-up. I keep going on about elite teams running by Notre Dame, but Penn State isn't really geared like that. Allar did make some nice throws in the Boise State game, but I doubt they're going to come in planning to sling it all over the yard.


Thought Notre Dame was lucky to come out of the Georgia game the way they did-- in order, four sequences really come to mind:
1. Escaping a roughing the kicker call on the first of two back-to-back flags early;
2. Georgia losing some momentum when a player in street clothes came onto the sideline and contacted a ref, taking the ball from the 14 to the 29 (Arian Smith got behind the secondary for a 66-yard gain);
3. Punching out a fumble that exploded out of Etienne's hand when Georgia was picking up steam;
4. Dillon Bell getting well behind their secondary but dropping a 60 yard bomb that hit him right in the hands;

Teams create their own luck, but if nothing else, the Penn State game will be a battle of field position and counting on a one play strike for TD after a fumble, kickoff return TD, and three field goals to win again would make them some lucky Irish lads. Penn State's defense isn't Georgia's, but their quarterback wasn't competing with Brock Vandagriff for the #2 spot months ago. He won't be getting confused when calling protections and shifts at the line of scrimmage either.

[jetpilot]

Nothing lucky about Notre Dame beating Georgia. And I'm an SEC guy all the way.

[Cactus Jack]

Nothing lucky about Notre Dame beating Georgia. And I'm an SEC guy all the way.

Notre Dame is a much better team than the 2012-2013 team that got smoked by Alabama. They made their own luck against Georgia, but they were dealt a nice hand playing against their back-up QB. They won and are going to move on, but I don't think a national championship team loses to NIU at any point in the season and if they are counting on points off turnovers, receivers with speeds getting behind the secondary but dropping passes, or special teams TDs, they aren't winning a national championship.

To me, they're a team with a national championship level defense but nothing else.

[jetpilot]

Nothing lucky about Notre Dame beating Georgia. And I'm an SEC guy all the way.

Notre Dame is a much better team than the 2012-2013 team that got smoked by Alabama. They made their own luck against Georgia, but they were dealt a nice hand playing against their back-up QB. They won and are going to move on, but I don't think a national championship team loses to NIU at any point in the season and if they are counting on points off turnovers, receivers with speeds getting behind the secondary but dropping passes, or special teams TDs, they aren't winning a national championship.

To me, they're a team with a national championship level defense but nothing else.

I agree with most of that. Notre Dame has been exposed many times over the years and scoffed at for not playing a conference schedule and rightfully so.

But defense wins championships and they have a capable offense and a great coach as well. I had my doubts about Freeman but he is the best coach in college football now for my money. And NIU loss many months ago means nothing now.

[Cactus Jack]

I agree with most of that. Notre Dame has been exposed many times over the years and scoffed at for not playing a conference schedule and rightfully so.

But defense wins championships and they have a capable offense and a great coach as well. I had my doubts about Freeman but he is the best coach in college football now for my money. And NIU loss many months ago means nothing now.

I could have phrased that one much better. I think Notre Dame has a National Championship level defense. Their special teams is probably good enough to win-- kicking issues seem past them now that he's healthy. I don't think that they are that close to a National Championship level offense though.


I think Freeman is a good coach, but I want to see how he does for awhile longer before saying that he's right there with Kirby Smart.

He took over a nice situation with Brian Kelly leaving and being named the interim before their bowl game. He's almost to the point where any Kelly recruits or touches on the program are going to be phased out. More than anything, the thing that makes me hesitate to call him "great" is that he puts up good records but has a tendency to take some early (home) upsets to teams that he just shouldn't lose to:

2022 - home loss to Marshall in Week 2;
2022 - home loss to eventual 3-9 Stanford in Week 7;
2024 - home loss to NIU in Week 2... NIU ends the year 8-5 overall, and 4-4 in the MAC;