| NEWS Notre Dame's 2019 schedule has seven of their opponents coming off of bye weeks.

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Why Notre Dame's 2019 schedule might be nation's most unfair

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247sports.com

On the outside looking in, Notre Dame's 2019 slate appears manageable, free of additional potential landmines outside of road trips to Georgia and Michigan.

Closer inspection however reveals something quite sinister that the schedule gods have placed in front of the Irish — the sheer number of luxurious open weeks for opponents.

You're not going to find Notre Dame's 12-game arrangement ranked among the nation's toughest, but there's not a single Power 5 team nationally that will be forced to battle nearly 60 percent of the schedule against teams with extra time to prepare.

And for the opponents who aren't playing the Irish with additional days to iron out possible kinks, soft games coming in will be beneficial to their cause. First pointed out be Vegas-based analyst Brad Powers, Notre Dame will — quite literally — get every team's best shot this season judging by their opponents' previous week's game or lack thereof:

Notre Dame 2019 schedule glance

• Louisville (opener)
• New Mexico (coming off bye)
• Georgia (Arkansas State)
• Virginia (Old Dominion)
• Bowling Green (coming off bye)
• USC (coming off bye)
• Michigan (at Penn State)
• Virginia Tech (coming off bye)
• Duke (coming off bye)
• Navy (coming off bye)
• Boston College (coming off bye)
• Stanford (California)

Outside of Michigan's trip to Penn State prior to playing the Irish, Notre Dame won't battle a single opponent that played a nationally-ranked team the previous week — and even that's debatable if the Nittany Lions struggle early in the post-Trace McSorley era.

Moreover, seven of the Irish's 12 opponents will be coming off a bye week, an alarming number that, to put it bluntly, doesn't seem fair. By comparison, Alabama plays three teams — Texas A&M, LSU and Mississippi State — that will be coming off open weeks next season while defending national champion Clemson battles two opponents with extra time to prepare (Florida State and South Carolina).

How advantageous are byes the following weekend? Notre Dame is 10-1 coming off its bye week during Brian Kelly's tenure, including last season's dominant victory over Navy. The Irish will have two open dates this season, one coming in Week 2 ahead of the home opener vs. New Mexico and another sandwiched between tilts vs. USC and Michigan.

That midseason open week before traveling to Ann Arbor will be critical for Kelly's team, who will know exactly what they have to do in terms of getting back to the College Football Playoff having already battled Georgia between the hedges.

Likely ranked somewhere inside the Top 10 to start the season, the Irish open spring practice on Friday with sizable expectations coming off an impressive campaign. They welcome back noteworthy quarterback Ian Book, several senior pass rushers and the play-making trio of Tony Jones Jr., Jafar Armstrong and Avery Davis.

 

[sk33tr]

yeah.....but look who some of the opponents are.

 

[252BAMA]

ALABAMA 2010 schedule glance

• San Jose State (opener)
• Penn State (Youngstown State)
• Duke (Wake Forest)
• Arkansas (Georgia)
• Florida (Kentucky)
• South Carolina (coming off bye)
• Mississippi (coming off bye)
• Tennessee (coming off bye)
• LSU (coming off bye)
• Mississippi State (coming off bye)
• Georgia State (coming off bye)
• Auburn (coming off bye)

 

[pop2]

ALABAMA 2010 schedule glance

• San Jose State (opener)
• Penn State (Youngstown State)
• Duke (Wake Forest)
• Arkansas (Georgia)
• Florida (Kentucky)
• South Carolina (coming off bye)
• Mississippi (coming off bye)
• Tennessee (coming off bye)
• LSU (coming off bye)
• Mississippi State (coming off bye)
• Georgia State (coming off bye)
• Auburn (coming off bye)

Yea....I remember the national uproar due to this.

 

[TerryP]

ALABAMA 2010 schedule glance

Yea....I remember the national uproar due to this.

That's what makes this story interesting.

Alabama was able to take the scheduling issue to the SEC administration. Who do you go to if you're Notre Dame?

 

[252BAMA]

That's what makes this story interesting.

Alabama was able to take the scheduling issue to the SEC administration. Who do you go to if you're Notre Dame?

ACC? They gave out four open dates to their members prior to the five ACC games with ND. Virginia scheduled Old Dominion. Va Tech, Duke, and BC took the week off. The fifth, Louisville in the opener, has months to prepare for ND.

 

[TerryP]

ACC?

The ACC part of their schedule doens't give them grounds to complain with only three ACC teams getting that bye week. It's the four other opponents they're stuck with and I don't see a recourse.

 

[252BAMA]

The ACC part of their schedule doens't give them grounds to complain with only three ACC teams getting that bye week. It's the four other opponents they're stuck with and I don't see a recourse.

Just 3, but there are just 5 to begin with. That's 60 % and also 43% of the total seven. And don't treat lightly the other open date given to Virginia. The six open dates handed out by the SEC to Bama opponents in 2010 was nothing new. It had been going on ever since the SEC took over the scheduling in 1992. Each year three or four of them would take a bye and three or two of them would schedule cupcakes. Each year Bama would complain; nothing would be done ; and life would go on. In 2010, all six of them used the open date for a bye, and the SEC wound up with egg all over their face and were forced to implement the 'three maximum' rule.

 

[rick4bama]

Notre Dame 2019 schedule glance

• Louisville (opener)
• New Mexico (coming off bye)
• Georgia (Arkansas State)
• Virginia (Old Dominion)
• Bowling Green (coming off bye)
• USC (coming off bye)
• Michigan (at Penn State)
• Virginia Tech (coming off bye)
• Duke (coming off bye)
• Navy (coming off bye)
• Boston College (coming off bye)
• Stanford (California)

These teams need this bye week just to get ready!

 

[UAgrad93]

Piss on them!

 

[mando]

Most of those teams that have a bye week could have a bye month and it would not matter. USC is not the USC of old. Maybe VT or Boston College but neither should be an issue. The others just do not matter.

And its ND so I agree with UAgrad93....

 

[TerryP]

In 2010, all six of them used the open date for a bye, and the SEC wound up with egg all over their face and were forced to implement the 'three maximum' rule.

This year with two bye weeks it's not that much of a rule. (In the end it's still three with off weeks, technically with UGA having the same, but then against it's not.) While UGA has an off week before UT and UF, they have a total of five teams with off weeks before facing the Dawgs: UT and UF as mentioned, along with Auburn, Mizzou, and UofSC.

It's likely a rule that just won't work during 14 week regular seasons.

 

[252BAMA]

This year with two bye weeks it's not that much of a rule. (In the end it's still three with off weeks, technically with UGA having the same, but then against it's not.) While UGA has an off week before UT and UF, they have a total of five teams with off weeks before facing the Dawgs: UT and UF as mentioned, along with Auburn, Mizzou, and UofSC.

It's likely a rule that just won't work during 14 week regular seasons.

The rule is probably waived or increased to six. And I will never understand why they are called 14 week seasons when there are 15 weeks in the season. The CG game week is included in the regular season and is used for scheduling if there is no CG. As did the AAC and Big 12 in 2013 and 2014.

https://mk0fbschedulesg7lec3.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2013-aac-helmet-schedule.pdf

https://mk0fbschedulesg7lec3.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2014-aac-helmet-schedule.pdf

https://mk0fbschedulesg7lec3.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2013-big-12-helmet-schedule.pdf

https://mk0fbschedulesg7lec3.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2014-big-12-helmet-schedule.pdf

 

[TerryP]

@252BAMA Last season as example: 12 games in 13 weeks. A 13 week season. Then we had the post season. That was the story for 12 teams from the SEC alone.

What you're citing here that catches my eye is the year is 2014. You've included schedules for teams that are in the G5. And, with no championship game for that conference, it stands in a unique position.

When it comes to the P5's, it's different. It's just that simple, right?

The NCAA says when the season can start and it's a calendar date, so it moves. The SEC wants the SECCG where it is as well—the week following the last regular season game.

 

[252BAMA]

@252BAMA Last season as example: 12 games in 13 weeks. A 13 week season. Then we had the post season. That was the story for 12 teams from the SEC alone.

What you're citing here that catches my eye is the year is 2014. You've included schedules for teams that are in the G5. And, with no championship game for that conference, it stands in a unique position.

When it comes to the P5's, it's different. It's just that simple, right?

The NCAA says when the season can start and it's a calendar date, so it moves. The SEC wants the SECCG where it is as well—the week following the last regular season game.

Terry, It is not different. The season, whether it is 14 weeks or 15 weeks, is the same for all. Look at the Big 12 links for 2013 and 2014. They are P5. The championship week IS a part of the regular season and is left open for the CG. If a conference has no CG then the week is used for scheduling and they have 3 byes rather than two. Go back and look at 14 week seasons in the Big 12 when they had no championship game. They used the week for regular season scheduling and had two byes rather than one.

Even FCS is the same. They are restricted to 11 regular season games in 14 week seasons. They are allowed to schedule 12 games in 15 week seasons.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Alabama had to deal with this because they were superior to others on their schedule. SEC. That's what ND gets for playing a rousing list of ACC and service academy opponents. Big fish, little pond.

 

[TerryP]

The championship week IS a part of the regular season and is left open for the CG.

If that's truly the case, why do the NCAA bylaws refer to the non championship segment of a schedule and the championship segment as well? There's clearly a line drawn between the two or it wouldn't be written that way, right?

From the Big 12's site defining who participates in the CCG.

The top two finishers in the regular season standings will compete for the Conference title in the Big 12 Football Championship, which is scheduled in 2019 for Saturday, December 7. The championship game will be played in Arlington, Texas' AT&T Stadium through 2021. ​

​

You see, that doesn't fit. They are clearly separating two seasons with their "championship segment" listed as the first week of December. The thing is there seems to be three running definitions in the rule books: the playing season, the championship and non-championship segments of said playing season.

I know there can't be game played (other than post-season) after the second weekend in December. I know there are restrictions on when the first game can be played (first Thursday proceeding Labor Day.) One of the rules in place with practices is based on the first game date (practice can begin 29 days before that date. In total, that does give 15 weekends but it's also all dependent on when classes start. (Currently, UA's registrar site for the academic calendar is down.)

But, I'm still left with thinking there's a difference between that last weekend of the year (SECCG) and the last weekend of what I call the regular season (Auburn, in Bama's case.)

To further define that I believe we have to look at what would happen if Bama was 4-8 following their game with Auburn. Their season doesn't have a championship segment so all football related activity has to end after that contest.

One thing for sure...the rule book is murky and not the easiest thing to maneuver through to find exactly how it's defined.

I did run across this link while googling for a definition. Here the author refers to going to a 13 week regular season.

Wisch: Does College Football Need A 13-Game Regular Season?

College football seems to just keep getting bigger.

chicago.cbslocal.com

 

[252BAMA]

If that's truly the case, why do the NCAA bylaws refer to the non championship segment of a schedule and the championship segment as well? There's clearly a line drawn between the two or it wouldn't be written that way, right?

From the Big 12's site defining who participates in the CCG.

The top two finishers in the regular season standings will compete for the Conference title in the Big 12 Football Championship, which is scheduled in 2019 for Saturday, December 7. The championship game will be played in Arlington, Texas' AT&T Stadium through 2021. ​

​

You see, that doesn't fit. They are clearly separating two seasons with their "championship segment" listed as the first week of December. The thing is there seems to be three running definitions in the rule books: the playing season, the championship and non-championship segments of said playing season.

I know there can't be game played (other than post-season) after the second weekend in December. I know there are restrictions on when the first game can be played (first Thursday proceeding Labor Day.) One of the rules in place with practices is based on the first game date (practice can begin 29 days before that date. In total, that does give 15 weekends but it's also all dependent on when classes start. (Currently, UA's registrar site for the academic calendar is down.)

But, I'm still left with thinking there's a difference between that last weekend of the year (SECCG) and the last weekend of what I call the regular season (Auburn, in Bama's case.)

To further define that I believe we have to look at what would happen if Bama was 4-8 following their game with Auburn. Their season doesn't have a championship segment so all football related activity has to end after that contest.

One thing for sure...the rule book is murky and not the easiest thing to maneuver through to find exactly how it's defined.

I did run across this link while googling for a definition. Here the author refers to going to a 13 week regular season.

Wisch: Does College Football Need A 13-Game Regular Season?

College football seems to just keep getting bigger.

chicago.cbslocal.com

"But, I'm still left with thinking there's a difference between that last weekend of the year (SECCG) and the last weekend of what I call the regular season (Auburn, in Bama's case.)"

The last game played in South Carolina's 2018 regular season was Akron (and not Clemson). On the last weekend of what the NCAA said was the last weekend of the regular season. On the same day UGA and Bama played in the SECCG. There is no difference in the NCAA length of the regular season. The difference is what each conference chooses to do with that length of season. Or in this case what South Carolina chose to do with the last weekend they could play any part of their schedule. The SEC chooses to leave the last weekend open to all 14 teams so that the eligible teams will be available to play in their CG. South Carolina chose to use that weekend to play Akron. Just like any other date left open in which to take a bye or play an OOC game.


"I did run across this link while googling for a definition. Here the author refers to going to a 13 week regular season."

That link refers to a 13 game season. Not a 13 week season.

 

[TerryP]

The last game played in South Carolina's 2018 regular season was Akron (and not Clemson).

Or in this case what South Carolina chose to do with the last weekend they could play any part of their schedule.

I'm not sure that's a good example here. That last game gave them a 12 game season due to the cancellations both teams had due to weather. I'm not sure what "hoops" Tanner had to jump through but I did have two beat reporters I work with tell me "Tanner is jumping through hoops" to get another game scheduled with hopes they can make a bowl game.

I took it to mean it wasn't as easy as Ray just picking up the phone.

That link refers to a 13 game season. Not a 13 week season.

Okay. Misread that.

It still leaves me with this. There were fourteen teams whose regular seasons ended in November. Well, 13 since we're talking about the unusual case with UofSC. Why didn't they try to schedule a "nobody?" Could it be a regular season that's defined by playing 12 games? The only exception to this is Hawaii where teams can play 13 due to travel cost (and Hawaii is covered in the NCAA by laws.)

It's an interesting conversation/subject...good thread.

 

[alabama mike]

Hopefully nd loses every game!