Others receiving votes

A the bottom of each top 25 poll (AP, USA Today Coaches, etc.) there are a list of teams who are not good enough to make the top 25 list but receive votes, meaning if the list went to top 30 or so they would be on it.  These teams are usually those who are good, but don’t have the gas to be in contention for a BCS berth.  These teams are often in a rebuilding or reloading year, plagued with injuries, or have had a favorable schedule and some luck (overachievers).  These also may be teams who are underachieving.  Granted, appearing in the others receiving votes list may be a sign of a team on the rise.  Most of the over 100 Division 1A football programs would be happy to be in the “others receiving votes” category, but those in the upper echelon are not.  The Irish have the upper echelon pedigree put not the play or maybe even players of a ranked team. 

Notre Dame has lived much of the 2011 season in the others receiving votes realm, being on the outside looking in.  I think that Notre Dame belongs there, and I also believe they put themselves there.   The Irish are a team that, whether we like it or not, are in a rebuilding year, underachieved at times, and have had their fair share of injuries.  The good news is if the Irish win their bowl game, they may finish in the year-end top 25 polls.  It will also put them in a position to be in next year’s preseason top 25’s.  Finishing at 8-4 with losses to USC, Michigan and Stanford, the Irish did not step up with the big boys (partial credit for beating Michigan State).  These are games that the Irish need to win if they want to be considered a top team.  Looking to 2012, Notre Dame’s schedule offers several opportunities to run with the nation’s best (games against Michigan State, Michigan, Stanford, Oklahoma, and USC) on some big stages including a game in Chicago at Soldier Field against the Miami Hurricanes and the season opener against Navy in Dublin, Ireland. 

Most experts are projecting the Irish to get an invitation to the Champs Spots Bowl in Orlando Florida to play the 8-4 Florida State Seminoles who, with a win over in state rival Florida last weekend, moved from others receiving votes into the Top 25.  I do believe that if the Irish win their bowl game, no matter which bowl it is or who they play, they would end up getting out of “others receiving votes” into the final top 25.  If you were curious, other teams currently in the polls’ others receiving votes arena include Texas, BYU, Georgia Tech., Missouri, and Virginia.

Stanford sums it up.

Saturday’s game against Stanford was possibly closer than the score showed, but the Irish were definitely beaten by a better team.  Notre Dame gave itself plenty of reasons (excuses) to lose; miscues, penalties and poor execution.   Special teams were unreliable to non-existent.   Players looked confused, coaches seemed frustrated, play appeared inconsistent and fans were disappointed.

Offensively, Notre Dame could have photo copied a summary of the season and laid it out against the Cardinals.  With 92 yards receiving and a touchdown, Michael Floyd (who broke Golden Tate’s single season reception record with his 94^th catch) can only do so much and needed to have the ball thrown to him (with accuracy) more often.  Tommy Rees was not the leader the team needed and with an interception and a lost fumble, has not developed and grown as hoped.  The offensive line was porous, allowing defenders into the backfield (when they weren’t jumping off sides).   

Maybe the loss of Jonas Gray was a bigger issue than initially thought; Notre Dame amassed a total of 57 yards on the ground (121 were initially gained but 64 were lost in the run game) with an average of 1.8 yards a carry.   Stanford’s defense was very good with five sacks (costing 44 yards), eight tackles for a loss (costing 53 yards) and two interceptions (with a total of 42 return yards).   The offense could not get any kind of rhythm going, losing the time of possession battle and only converting 5 of 15 third down conversion opportunities.

Despite giving up 28 points, the Irish defense actually looked decent, all things considered.  Notre Dame has not been known for their pass coverage this season and with receivers at 6’4” and 6”8” working with a quarterback of Luck’s caliber, it is going to make for a long day.  Add Stanford’s running game that finished with 196 yards rushing (led by Taylor’s 120 yards)the Irish defense was kept guessing and on its toes all night.  With Notre Dame having to stay honest against the rush, it’s no surprise that Luck had four touchdown passes (to three different receivers) along with his 233 yards.