Now that we know all the underclassmen that have left for the NFL, such as Reggie Bush, Lendale White, and Vince Young, who wins the National Championship next season? The consensus seems to be that Ohio State is the front runner, but I'm keeping my eye on not only them, but West Virginia, Notre Dame, and now, don't laugh here, Arizona State. Now, I'm biased cause I go there, but our team has two QB's with over 2,000 yards and 22 TD's each, while Matt Leinart had 27 TD's all season long this year. Our defense is getting some much needed improvements with recruits and transfers, and we lost to 4 top 10 teams last season, take those out, and we finish 11-1. We're definitely a dark horse, but keep an eye out, we've got a chance.

What do ya'll think...

I'd keep a close eye on LSU. They're returning most of their team from last year, and they seemed to make huge strides in the period between the SEC Conference Championship and the Peach Bowl, where they absolutely drilled Miami. I still have doubts about Notre Dame's defense, and losing that TE will hurt than most people think. Ohio St. took some big hits, too. Especially on the defensive side. I'm not sold on either of those teams. It really does seem to be a wide open race this year. There is no USC in the mix (surefire number one team) like there has been the last couple of years.

I'd keep an eye on that Oregon/Oklahoma game early in the season, too. The winner of that one might find themselves sitting pretty when the final BCS standings are released.

Ohio State

I dunno Termi. It's hard to replace your entire Linebacker core and most of your secondary and be okay. Losing Santonio Holmes will hurt, too, because teams will be able to double Ted Ginn. We'll see, but I think they'll struggle.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

#2 recruiting class
Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Darius Walker, Charlie Weis is all you need.

So you'll be beating teams 41-40 all year, then?

Irish or the Buckeyes

Hopefully Longhorns will be good enough to repeat as big 12 champs.

2006 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Date Opponent Game Time Network
Sept. 2 @ Georgia Tech tba tba
Sept. 9 Penn State tba NBC
Sept. 16 Michigan tba NBC
Sept. 23 @ Michigan State tba tba
Sept. 30 Purdue tba NBC
Oct. 7 Stanford tba NBC
Oct. 21 UCLA tba NBC
Oct. 28 @ Navy (site tba) tba tba
Nov. 4 North Carolina tba NBC
Nov. 11 @ Air Force tba tba
Nov. 25 @ USC tba tba


That schedule is just screaming at you "NATIONAL CHAMPIONS."

Um, not quite...

Sept. 2 @ Georgia Tech tba tba L
Sept. 9 Penn State tba NBC L
Sept. 16 Michigan tba NBC L
Sept. 23 @ Michigan State tba tba W
Sept. 30 Purdue tba NBC W
Oct. 7 Stanford tba NBC W
Oct. 21 UCLA tba NBC W
Oct. 28 @ Navy (site tba) tba tba W
Nov. 4 North Carolina tba NBC W
Nov. 11 @ Air Force tba tba W
Nov. 25 @ USC tba tba L

I see them going 7-4. I'm sorry, but that defense is still terrible. A bunch of Freshmen are not going to fix that right away. They'll score points, yes. But when they have to play a team with a good defense and decent enough offense, they'll lose. I see a Ty Willingham-esque backlash in Wise's future. I think he'll get it rolling again next year, but this one will be tough.

Bwahahahahaha. They're gonna lose to Penn State losing just about everyone of their players? At home? And Michigan who has been and still isn't any good, at home, and we've beaten them the past two years? Georgia Tech. Ummm, yeah right. USC just lost their three main stars. And we lost to them by 3 points on the infamous "Bush Push."

I really don't see them losing any of these games. Their defense isn't as terrible as you make it out to be. If the only ND game you watched this year was the Fiesta Bowl, then I can see why you might think they'd lose those first three games.

Tons of College Football experts have ND at #1, 2, or 3 in their rankings right now. Weis is one of the best coaches in college football. They're not coming out the first week and losing to fucking Georgia Tech.

The only games I see them having trouble in this upcoming year are Michigan and USC just because of how much of a rivalry they have. Also UCLA scares me with their offense. The other games are cupcakes, pushovers.

"fucking" Georgia Tech? You are selling them incredibly short. Chan Gailey has a habit of getting his players sky high for huge games and ground level low for regular games. They always field one of the best defenses in the country, and they're returning one of the best WR in the country in Calvin Johnson. And that game is at Georgia Tech, which is always a tough place to play. I agree, it'd be a huge upset, but I think it's exactly the kind of team that will give Notre Dame fits.

Penn State did lose thirteen starters, but whom they retained is arguably even more important: two All Americans in LB Paul Posluszny and LT Levi Brown. Not to mention they'll still have all of those explosive wideouts that came in last year. Penn State is not going to drop off that hard, if at all.

Michigan is returning most of it's team from last year. I agree that they are wildly inconsistent and always play down to their opponent, but sooner or later they are going to play up to their insane level of talent. We'll see, but Michigan does have the talent to go to the national championship.

As for USC, you should know by now that they don't drop off. They just don't. When other teams rebuild, they reload. They still have most of their O line and WR core, two fantastic QB prospects, and a bunch of five star RB recruits coming in. Their offense will not taper off. It just won't. The defense does have two holes to fill at the safety positions, but if Pete Caroll can work a roseter like nobody's business. And it's in SC. Trust me, that game will not be easy for Notre Dame.

As for ND, I watched six of their games last year. I know them pretty well. And yes, their defense is THAT bad. Don't tell me you're gonna give up 31 points to STANFORD and your defense isn't that bad.

And those "tons of College Football experts" you speak of... they have their collective head so far up ND's ass that they can't see the light of day. Are you really gonna sit there and say ND was a top five team for most of the year last season? Please.

Georgia Tech went an incredible 7-5 this year losing to the likes of NC State, Virginia, and being embarrased by Utah in their Bowl Game.

Michigan also went 7-5 I believe. It doesn't matter how many starters you return if their not that good and haven't beaten ND in two years.

Penn State will drop off. You don't lose 13 of your starters, including you QB and not take a hit. If they get better it will be when they have time to blend together during the season, not two games in at Notre Dame.

USC will probably still be good. But ND took them to the brink and lost on the "Bush Push." It was Bush and Leinart that won that game and no one else.

The Stanford game was somewhat of a fluke. It was the last game in their stadium, and they were fighting for a bowl position. They played above their heads.

Charlie Weis is NOTTTTT Ty Willingham. I had to watch that "coach" for three years before everyone finally caught onto him. Weis is a far better coach and recruiter than Ty. Weis made Brady Quinn into one of the best QB's in college football after Ty couldn't do anything with him for two years.

I see ND losing 2-3 games tops this upcoming season. I could also see them going undefeated no doubt in my mind.

Ok, my top 5 is:

Ohio State
Notre Dame
LSU
Florida
West Virginia

And my dark horse is USC

I think WV and Ohio State will be the championship. WV beat a good georgia team with a freshmen QB and freshmen RB and they have most of their whole offene coming back. Ohio State beat ND and did not lose to many good players EXCEPT THEIR WHOLE LB CORE...But troy smith will be back and they still have Ginn Jr and get the number one HS RB Chris Wells....I think it will WV winning it all...

Now every one says USC will not have a chance, but its USC, they will find a way. They will probably have a freshman RB, but he is incredibly good. Their QB will be John David Booty, who will be a junior, and was number 1 in his recruiting class as a senior, same with the other QB Mark Sanchez, so the QB will be fine. They have 3 OL returning and all teh WR's. Watch out

Ooooh. Notre Dame vs. UCLA. That should be an amazing game. UCLA and their high octane offense and Notre Dame's offense. 45-42 will be the final there.

Notre Dame certainly has a chance, but that is a tough schedule. But you know what they say, "to be the best, you have to beat the best." USC did it for two years, now it's somebody else's turn...

Oh, and the Trojans will not be back in the NC game. John David Booty is not very good. In the limited time he's played, he has looked incredibly unimpressive, including throwing a pick against UCLA in the 4th quarter of their game. Mark Sanchez was really good in high school, but again this is not high school...They lost White and Bush, which will DECIMATE them. Absolutely decimate them. I went to the ASU-USC game this year, and ASU had them beaten. We were up 21-3 at halftime, and were completely dominating the team. Then in the second half, Reggie Bush, and Lendale White, along with that o-line took over the game. Leinart was/is horribly overrated. You put any QB with decent talent into his position, and they'll do exactly what he did. He's an average QB at best, who's NFL ceiling is Jake Plummer when he was on the Arizona Cardinals. He's gonna go play for New Orleans or Tennessee and get pushed around until he goes somewhere else via free agency to be somebody's backup. Maybe New England. The point is though, that Bush and White were the heart and soul of that team. And they're gone. Along with 3 starting offensive linemen, Deuce Latui, Winston Justice, and Fred Matua, their starting Tight End (who was a big part of their offense), and their best defensive player, Darnell Bing. There is no way any of their replacements will be good enough next season to go back to the national championship game...

true story

They will not go to Chip, but I think they might just win the Pac 10. UCLA lost everyone...Their QB, TE, RB. I think USC just has more talent. But from what I heard I think Mark Sanchez might start instead of Booty. In two years, USC will be back to full form.

UCLA's backup QB actually was expected to be starting last season, he was the #1 quaterback in his recruiting class, then went on a mission, and transferred to UCLA instead of going to BYU, where he was recruited. Drew Olson was the most hated UCLA player in decades until this year, so the hope is that Ben Olson (no relation) will be just as good or better. They also have TWO running backs who rushed for over 130 yards in the Sun Bowl, Chris Markey, and this other guy Bell, and their second TE actually caught a few TD's last year. So yes, they've lost a lot, but their replacements are already semi-proven, or have a ton of potential. Plus they're bringing in two top 15 recruiting classes in a row. Sure, USC will be good, but they'll lose 2 or 3 games this year...I'm betting UCLA beats them at the Rose Bowl...and maybe Notre Dame too...and when the USC mystique is gone after not going back to the National Championship again...then their recruiting will drop off a little bit, and finally, FINALLY, the University of Spoiled Children and thier best paid college football players in America, will FALLLL! MUAHAHAHAHHAA

They need to learn to suck less against the much worse UoA

I just spent a month at ASU

seriously? a month at ASU? What for?

You must have picked up all our traditions, like the almighty pitchfork (aka the shocker), the obsession with Maroon and Gold, and an insane amount of construction.

oh and Beat Cats.

Go Devils.

west virginia will win the championship next year


also... ohio state wont win it because they couldnt even beat penn state this year with hawk, carpenter, and schlagel... plus holmes and youboty.

forget it... ill pick OSU to win the big ten if michigan falls off.

its between LSU and WVU for my choice.