Oh, I bet you think its pretty good, huh? I mean its Notre Dame, they're the pinnacle of blue blood programs. They must have a track record for knocking teams off on the road all the time. Right?
Well.... The reality isn't anywhere near what you'd actually think. In fact, its pretty miserable. In the 20 games they have played against ranked teams away from South Bend since 2005 (non-bowls), they have only won 4 of those games. Of those wins, only 2 were not vacated, the most recent coming against Temple in 2015. Before then? UCLA in 2007.
What's interesting is to see how many teams have built their reputations from knocking off a highly ranked Notre Dame over the years. Lets hope by Sunday, Virginia Tech becomes the next cog in the 'thanks for the boost, ND' wheel.
2017
Nov 17 -- #7 Miami - 41-8 (Ranked #3)
Nov 25 -- #20 Stanford - 38-20 (Ranked #9)
2016
Nov 26 -- #12 USC - 45-27
2015
Oct 3 -- #12 Clemson - 24-22 (Ranked #6)
Oct 31 -- #21 Temple - 24-20 W (Ranked #9)
Nov 28 -- #13 Stanford - 38-36 (Ranked #4)
2014
Oct 18 -- #2 Florida St - 31-27 (Ranked #5)
Nov 8 -- #11 Arizona St - 55-31 (Ranked #8)
2013
Sept 7 -- #7 Michigan - 41-30 (Ranked #14) - Vacated
Nov 30 -- #8 Stanford - 27-20 (Ranked #25) - Vacated
2012
Sept 15 -- #10 Michigan - 20-3 W (Ranked #20) - Vacated
Oct 27 -- #8 Oklahoma - 30-13 W (Ranked #5) - Vacated
2011
Nov 26 -- #4 Stanford - 28-14 (Ranked #22)
2010
No Ranked Road Games
2009
Nov 14 -- #8 Pittsburgh - 27-22
2008
Oct 11 -- #22 UNC - 29-24
Nov 29 -- #5 USC - 38-3
2007
Sep 8 -- #15 Penn St - 31-10
Sep 29 -- #25 Purdue - 33-19
Oct 6 -- #25 UCLA - 20-6 W
2006
Nov 25 -- #3 USC - 44-24 (Ranked #6)
Comments
Notre Dame really hasn't done much of anything for 25 years. Plus they have only won 4 bowl games since 95 and should have never been on the same field with Alabama in 2013. They live completely off of their legacy.
Making the natty a few years ago isn't too shabby, but they got Saban'd so there's that.
They did definitely get Saban'd that year but they also had the hardest strength of schedule I've ever seen, period
It didn't help that Mantei Te'o's girlfriend didn't show up to support the team. It was like she was invisible.
They've also beaten solid Michigan and Stanford teams already this year. Not world beaters, but certainly good victories.
Just don't check our record against top 10 teams and we've got this baby!
It's a shame they're not #5. While ESPN would run that 1-31 all time vs top 5 stat all week, it'll only take a couple wins before they stop showing it every time we play a top 5 team. 4-33 all time vs top 5 doesn't have much wow factor.
We're actually a pretty respectable 8-20 against #6-10.
I've always wondered who outside of the obvious blue-bloods have a decent record against the Top 5. Doesn't the fact that they're in the Top 5 mean they're probably a better team?
This was thru the 2010 season, but here's some stats...
UVA = 1-20, UNC = 1-40, NCST = 1-27, WVU = 1-38, Miami = 18-42 (tops in NCAA), ND = 21-64, USC = 19-53, OhioSt = 9-45, Clem = 2-32.
Edit:
So, thru 2010, we were 1-14 vs #1-5. BUT, 7-1 vs #6-10.
I wrote an article several years ago about Frank and dug up some stats, but haven't updated (or needed to) since 2010.)
I wonder why ESPN does not put Clemson is 2-32 against the top 5 on the scroll every time they play in primetime? It's weird. Or WVU is 1-38 all time? They do it for every VT game and will do it on Saturday too.
Because since then (2010) Clemson is presumably much better off against top 5. 2 just from their national championship playoff.
I mean, hell, just in the last 3 playoffs they're 3-2 against the top 5.
And their other games against the top 5 since then include a win over #3 Louisville in 2016, a loss to #1 FSU in 2014, a win over #5 UGA and a loss to #5 FSU in 2013, a loss to #4 FSU in 2012, and a win over #5 VT in 2011. So since that point it appears they are 6-5 overall against the top 5, improving their overall total to a much more respectable 8-37.
This breakdown tracks the previous 20 years (for the included teams) against ranked, top 10, top 5 & #1.
In our "peer group" (teams ranked more often than not), we don't fare well in that top 5 category.
Welp....someone's got to win...right?
This is a fantastic observation. Can't wait to see if we can notch a big time ranked win in front of tons of blue chip recruits.
This deserves all the legs lol
Lmfao
Give this man his plaid!
Something's got to give.
And we've gone plaid
We've never lost to the Irish!!!
Oh man thanks for reminding me about last year's Miami vs. ND game. There were some good fan fights during that game. Going to go watch them now.
You sent me down the rabbit hole, and did not dissappoint. Leg for you, Warthog!
I was rooting for the ground.
They deserve each other
ND is a bunch of Sucker Bunching Bast__ds , somebody from left field should clear that one out.. I been there ...
Hang on a sec Lou..
via GIPHY
Miss me some good old Dr. Lou segments.
so really it's a battle of who's going to be less un-clutch
Holy shit...I forgot Temple was ranked lol
More importantly, they were the higher-ranked team in 7 of those 20 games, with a 2-5 record in those 7.
Also, most of our ineptitude against the top 10 is against the top 5. I mean, every team probably has a losing record against the top 10, but what's really hurting us is our 1-31 record against the top 5. All-time against teams between #6 and #10, we are 8-20, and that includes the bulk of our history when we were terrible. Looking at just during the bowl streak, it looks like we are 6-7 vs. #6-#10-ranked opponents.
Also, all-time, we are 4-6 at home against teams between #6 and #10, including a 3-1 record during the bowl streak. And by the way, in those 4 home games during the streak, we were unranked for 3 of them and #11 for the other.
Suddenly I'm feeling a lot better about this game. Irrationally so, even.
Confused about the "4-6 at home, including 3-1 at home" part
Ugh, fixed.
Thanks for dropping knowledge, my man.
I basically have the same level of apprehension as last week.
Oh damn it I hadn't planned on drinking tonight. But here we are.
I was about to reply "Drink!" on your comment above, but figured you got the stat from my comment. Guess not.
I just hadn't scrolled all the way through all the comments before commenting. So ultimately I wasted my time going here and adding up the wins and losses in my head before scrolling down and seeing that I basically just posted an abbreviated version of your comment.
When you play legit top 5 teams- in any location, you see the direct result of 25-30th ranked recruiting classes that have had superior coaching and development to other recruiting peers/ Top 25 ish schools, but lack the depth and explosiveness to beat a true top 5 team. VT loses those games- as a trend- In February, not the fall. Take Clemson in the ACC CG in Orlando. VT was well prepared, played tough, hung in there, But Clemson's offense was too explosive for our offense to match or get a lead on at the end. You won't win many games against great teams giving up 42 points and being down 35-17 at one point. You aren't winning many of those games period. I know there are flaws in the "recruiting rankings" but one thing is always true. The more highly ranked guys you have on your team, the better. That is where VT falls short against top 5 teams.
then whats Miami's problem?
Coaching.... from Coker to Richt.. you notice Richt can actually coach and has them ranked now and had them in their first ACC CG
... which they lost by 5 TDs.
yeah I know I was just joshing, it takes a combo of both though to your point. you cant just have all 5 stars. there are plenty of programs that stay at the top in recruiting rankings but the on the field product doesn't match it and vise versa there are teams that aren't great at recruiting but compete at the top of the rankings. For VT you are 100% correct though IMO, right now its not the coaching that is the issue that keeps us from getting over the hump. (albeit there have been some questionable calls in some of our loses) but the games wouldn't have been as close and those calls maybe wouldn't have mattered if we had done better in recruiting a few positions.
Remember those top 20 recruiting years Mike London had? I think there is video analysis on how our 3 star recruits decimated some of their 5 star recruits.....Because...Coaching.
Good recruiting classes is a necessary condition, not a sufficient one.
So, uh... Welcome back!? I missed the memo.
I was a math major, so I can say with a great deal of confidence that while there are at least 3 wins and at least 1 loss contained within 4-6 record, that statement doesn't say what you intended.
edit: too late. I'm already drinking.
Fixed.
It was far more entertaining the other way. Now it's just boring. I may have to take my leg back.
Come now, fellow "was a math major"... you shouldn't go around throwing out qualitative statements about confidence when a quantitative statement would do this much more justice.
I didn't want to show off. Besides when the confidence interval is 10**-1000000000 it's simply too small to discern from 0.
This is a quality post.
Kelly has recruited very well there, played for a Natty, and struggled when he thought he could only show up in the offensive team room and just fire his DC every year. I think he re-evaluated after 2016 and now they look damn good. This is a 9-10 win team minimum, IMO. If he wins 10, he will be in a major bowl- which without a conference-is all ND fans can expect. Play on or near new years day and be in the MNC mix every 5 years. Kelly has done that. Now, for Saturday, I don't think Lane will intimidate them at all. The list of teams that have won in Lane recently - Duke, ECU, BC, GT, UNC, etc. is not exactly a list of CFB powerhouses. You can win in Lane- even at night- if our offense struggles to make first downs and/or our defense breaks when it bends at times. IIWII. VT is a couple of top 15 recruiting classes away from simply showing up to Lane and beating ranked teams at night simply because its a lively crowd. We are not there yet- depth wise. ND is undefeated and ranked in the top 10. With our roster, Lane stadium alone is not going to turn some huge tide in this game. It's going to take a superb game plan, and zero turnovers for VT to win, IMO.
I find it funny you are basically saying 'ignore everything before 2016 because Brian Kelly adjusted', and then say we suck at home and the reasoning is a list of teams that last won in Lane before Justin Fuente was hired... in 2016....
I never said ignore anything regarding Kelly. and GT won in Lane since Fuente was coach... a team that missed a bowl game at that.
Notre Dame looked pretty intimidated at Miami last year...
They had just reached about the same pinnacle of hype last year this time too. People are starting to put them in their playoff picks again. Time to sit them down back in reality.
Lane Stadium has not been terribly intimidating as of late.
All the more reason to show up Saturday night and change that!!!
I think we did ok last year vs. Clemson. Team just wasn't quite ready. I think Lane is ready to step back up.
I know what you mean. I don't think it's Lane itself, though. If we had the exact same crowds/environments, but with W's in those big games, we'd still be regarded as one of the scarier places to play. On-field performance just needs to match.
People saying that Lane hasn't been intimidating recently don't understand that the fans can only do so much. Lane HAS been loud/intimidating but it doesn't matter if the home team sucks. It's not a matter of losing our home field advantage, it's a matter of putting out a team that can use that advantage and win.
And we haven't had that kind of team in a few years
and here is the genesis of my hatred for ND. That shoulda been MV and the Hokies in that game. Having to listen to the Beano Cook Notre Dame Fanboy Parade non-stop for several years after that never helped either.
Beano was a damn legend but his Notre Dame schtick was obnoxious as shit.
I was bored so I looked at Notre Dames entire history of away ranked games. I know this has zero relevance on the current team but I was curious. Before 2006 Notre Dame played 112 ranked away games and went 56-52-4, when they were the higher ranked team they went 24-11-2.
So what you're saying is that NDs best win is over #21 Temple .... You might want to check the hatin' threads, but I believe that Willie Taggarts best win is over #21 Temple.