It's The Sugar...and ND Hoops Wins

Just got done writing for tomorrow and figured I'd jump on here.

So LSU is the opponent. Tough matchup for Notre Dame. The Tigers defense is very, very good and led by a sure-fire first round pick in safety LaRon Landry. Plus, and Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis already downplayed this, it is essentially a home game for LSU.

Whether or not Notre Dame sells its allotment (and we know they will), the Tigers fans will take over the Louisiana Superdome. Plus, besides Notre Dame fans, the Irish will definitely not be the team folks want to see win. It is the first Sugar Bowl in New Orleans since Katrina and it would be a heck of a story for the local team (or as local as you'll get because Tulane certainly wasn't making the Sugar Bowl) to win.

Weis and LSU coach Les Miles also revealed who they voted for in the BCS. Weis picked Michigan because the Wolverines waxed Notre Dame at home and he hadn't played against Florida. Miles, who graduated from Michigan, chose Florida.

"I felt like the winner of the SEC conference, with one loss, might well deserve the opportunity to see Ohio State in the national championship game," Miles said. "I voted what was right and was arguably the second best team in the country."

What might end up happening is this. If Florida beats Ohio State -- and that is a very big if -- and Michigan soundly beats USC, there could be a split national championship. If that happens again, it could be what finally pushes things into some sort of playoff system. And already, the Michigan was robbed argument is coming to light, as evidenced here by ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski.

Either way, it's going to be a fun month.

And in other news -- did you catch the Maryland-Notre Dame game on television. Chances are you didn't because it wasn't on TV in a lot of markets but the Irish's upset of the Terrapins will likely help them if they are in the bubble picture come March, which is exactly what senior guard Colin Falls recognized earlier this week.

Next up for Notre Dame is No. 6 Alabama at home on Thursday. A win there, and the Irish will have a legitimate chance at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Tony Spilotro]

Couldn't believe Comcast Chicago aired that stupid GT Miami game instead of ND Maryland. It was kinda fun to watch the play by play on my laptop and see us go from down 7 to up around 10 in a matter of minutes though. We need another performance like that to take Bama, and here's hoping our lame ass b-ball fans (not including the student section of course) actually stand and cheer this year...

[Ted Kazmar]

Florida would have been easier for ND to beat than LSU and you think Florida has a chance against Ohio State?
I know that ND is a big draw but every year ND gets matched up with a superior team only to get beaten badly. You would think the BCS would try to have more competitive games and ND would lobby for that. Except for the Rose Bowl, the rest of the BCS games are all non-competitive games. All the talk about the championship game, what about the non-competitiveness of the rest of the BCS? Going to be a lot of boring BCS games this year, we college football fans deserve better Holiday TV.

[Michael Rothstein]

Ted --
I don't know if you were being rhetorical or not so I'll just answer your first question. Ohio State is the better team. They are much better than the Gators and should win. Like I had said...IF...and a very big one at that. But my statement was if the Gators pulled the upset and Michigan won handily there could be a split national title.
As far as the competitiveness, I actually think Louisville-Wake has the potential to be a competitive game, as does Notre Dame-LSU. And by competitive I mean the game will still be in doubt in the second half.
But in the case for a playoff, hope for blowouts all over the place and low ratings. That might be the key to a playoff after all.
-Mike