SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis likes his team’s chances of earning a Bowl Championship Series berth if the No. 19 Fighting Irish keep winning.
Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett does, too. Catlett said the Gator Bowl would love to have an Irish team that finishes 10-2 but can’t imagine it happening.
“I can tell you that four BCS bowl directors are hoping they finish 10-2 and in the top 14 in the BCS poll,” Catlett said.
That’s because Notre Dame — with its tradition of eight national champions, seven Heisman Trophy winners and national fan base — brings TV ratings and strong ticket sales.
“Everyone involved in the bowl business is aware of Notre Dame, aware of their fan base, aware of their economic impact it would have on their bowl,” Rose Bowl executive director Mitch Dorger said.
But there has been plenty of speculation that the Irish could be left out at 10-2. With TCU or Boise State likely earning an automatic BCS berth, and the Southeastern Conference virtually a lock to grab an at-large bid along with its guaranteed spot, two berths likely would be left.
The Irish could be competing for those spots with USC, a team that beat the Irish last month, and the second-place Big Ten team and others.
Borger, Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan and Orange Bowl CEO Eric Poms said Thursday that Notre Dame wouldn’t be a sure thing for a BCS berth at 10-2.
“Are they an attractive team? Undoubtedly,” Hoolahan said. “Will they be attractive enough? It’s hard to say at this point.”
The Irish have been left out at 10-2 before, in Tyrone Willingham’s first year as coach in 2002. But that team was embarrassed 44-13 by USC in the regular season-finale. In 1998, the Irish were left out at 9-2. Both seasons the Irish played in the Gator Bowl.
The Irish (6-2) must finish in the top 14 of the final BCS standings to be eligible to play in the Fiesta, Orange, Rose or Sugar bowls. A top-eight finish guarantees a berth. Heading into Saturday’s game against Navy (6-3), the Irish are 22nd.
The Irish play one team ahead of them next week, No. 14 Pittsburgh (7-1), which is 13th in the BCS standings.
Plenty of other teams ahead of the Irish still play one another, including this week’s games of No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama and No. 15 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State.
“We’ve just got to take care of our business. We can’t worry about what everyone else is doing,” Weis said. “They’re going to knock each other off the way it happens every year.”
Notre Dame’s history wouldn’t give them an advantage, Poms said.
“There are a lot of teams out there that have a lot of rich history; Notre Dame is one of them,” Poms said. “But we have to look at a lot of factors, including what works best for that particular year and what other programs would be in play.”
College Sports
Weis likes Irish's BCS hopes
- College Sports
-
-
Trio of Ravens honored
Anderson University’s Katie Lee has been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central Region Team on Tuesday. Senior Monica Crowe and freshman Yardley Collett were named to the NFCA All-Central Region third Team.
-
Carthage ends AU’s season
Anderson University’s sudden scoring woes continued Saturday and it led to the Ravens’ elimination from the NCAA Division III softball tournament.
-
Anderson falls to Manchester in final
Manchester College defeated Anderson University 5-0 to claim the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament and claim the automatic bid for the Division III National Tournament.
-
Ravens' road rougher
Defending NCAA Division III national softball champion Linfield scored six runs in the first inning and blanked Anderson University 8-0 on Friday.
-
Ravens rough up Reds
Carthage College got to see up close and personal both barrels of the shotgun the Anderson University softball team used to dominate conference foes all year.
-
Crean defends decision to end Kentucky series
Indiana coach Tom Crean says the Kentucky series will end because the Hoosiers didn't want to play another game in Indianapolis.
-
AU set for power struggle
Keeping the ball in the park when the Carthage College Lady Reds are at the plate will be a key element for the Anderson University Ravens softball team this afternoon.
AU will play today at 2 p.m. at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, Ill., as it tests the NCAA Division III tournament waters in this double-elimination event. -
Former Arabian prepares for Pac-12 championships, cheers Luck
Stanford sophomore Ellie McCardwell was in the training room with some of the Cardinal’s football players two weeks ago when the Indianapolis Colts selected university legend Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
A two-time state champion in the pole vault at Pendleton Heights, McCardwell said she’ll never forget the reaction as Stanford athletes around the room cheered one of their own. -
Rick Teverbaugh: Ravens deserve attention
Perhaps it is akin to the “too close to the forest to see the trees” syndrome.
But for whatever reason, I suspect there is some extent to which the monumental accomplishments of the Anderson University softball team have gone underappreciated by area sports fans in general. -
Ravens learn softball draw
The Anderson University softball team learned the location and first-round foe for its entry into the NCAA Division III tournament on Thursday.
- More College Sports Headlines
-
