:: Notre Dame Football ::
Notre Dame's schedule even tougher than had been realized
Leprechaun Express: Notre Dame Football Intel Update, Oct. 24, 2009
Only seven teams in the top-25 have played a tougher schedule than the Notre Dame thus far, and only seven teams currently in the top-25 play a tougher schedule from this point forward.
Notre Dame's strength of schedule is currently ranked 23rd, but if Notre Dame were ranked among the top teams by the BCS standings, its schedule would be among the very toughest in comparison to theirs.
Heading into the games of the weekend of Oct. 24, the combined record of Notre Dame's opponents is presently 47-33, a .588 winning percentage.
Of Notre Dame's previous opponents, Nevada is 3-3 and the #1 rushing team in college football; Michigan is 5-2, Michigan State is 4-3, Purdue is 2-5 but just beat Ohio State, Washington is 3-4 but beat Southern Cal and Arizona, and Southern Cal is 5-1. This week's opponent, Boston College, takes a 5-2 record into their game with Notre Dame.
Of the remaining games, only Washington State has a weak record at 1-5, but is still a bona fide major program competing in a top conference. Navy is 5-2 and getting votes in at least one poll, Pitt is 6-1 and in the top-20, Connecticut is 4-2, and Stanford is 4-3.
Make no mistake about it, Notre Dame deserves a lot of credit for putting together a great record against one of the more difficult schedules in college football; for Jimmy Clausen being the rightful Heisman leader against a tough slate, as well as the Notre Dame offense being one of the top offenses; and for the Irish defense contributing strongly to Notre Dame's great success against such stiff competition.
Keywords: Notre Dame Football, Notre Dame, Fighting Irish, Irish Football, College Football, Football, BCS, Schedule, Strength of Schedule, Standings
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