FanPost

Why Notre Dame is NCAA Football's Best All-Around Team!

*Just an Article I wrote for fun to back why i think Notre Dame deserves to make the playoff.*

Here we are football fans, the end of the second season of the College Football Playoff, with just as much wonder of who will round out the year's final top four as we did in 2014 if not more.

Last year, Ohio State snuck into the bracket behind the stellar play of their back-up quarterbacks. Their ability to adapt to injuries was phenomenal and the Buckeyes persevered to show that they were a truly great team that could prove their talent and their depth. In 2015, another team has shown that parallel all season long... The Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

According to a report found on www.donbest.com here is a look at what Notre Dame's 2015 injury list looks like as of November, 24th.

11/23/15 DB KeiVarae Russell - Leg expected to miss 6-8 weeks
11/22/15 RB C.J. Prosise - Ankle injured vs. Boston College, doubtful for Saturday vs. Stanford
11/22/15 WR Chris Brown - Shoulder questionable Saturday vs. Stanford
11/22/15 LB James Onwualu - Knee questionable Saturday vs. Stanford
11/13/15 WR Equanimeous St. Brown - Shoulder out indefinitely
10/18/15 OL Alex Bars - Ankle out for season
09/21/15 DB Drue Tranquill - ACL out for season
09/15/15 TE Durham Smythe - Shoulder out for season
09/13/15 QB Malik Zaire - Ankle out for season
09/06/15 RB Tarean Folston - Knee out for season
08/27/15 DB Shaun Crawford - Knee out for season
08/15/15 DL Jarron Jones - Knee out indefinitely (1)

The most notable of these injuries are Folston, Zaire, Smythe, Jones and most recently Prosise and Russell, most being either big time contributors and some were starters. Some thought that the season was over for Notre Dame when Zaire went down early against the University of Virginia. An injury that almost caught the Irish their season immediately as they Irish had to adapt on the fly and comeback to win the game behind freshman quarterback DeShone Kizer. The near loss had Notre Dame looking suspect but Kizer led the team through the season with a lone loss coming at Clemson to the now number one ranked team in the nation.

The 2015 season will not relent either as the Irish enter their last scheduled game against the CFPC ranked number 11 (as of November 23rd) Stanford Cardinal on the road. If the Irish can notch the tough road win onto their belt despite their added on body count and losing Heisman-flirt running back C.J. Prosise, Notre Dame would have to be a shoe-in for this January's Final Four.

While some will ask how the committee can promote a team that will limp into the playoffs on the crutches of numerous injuries, the Irish have answered that question all season long, simply by showing up week after week and proving their roster holds the most talent of this year's NCAA crop.

Notre Dame has lost eleven players for the season, while other school's competing for a playoff spot have not been nearly as stung by the injury bug this year.

  • Alabama - two players out for the season
  • Clemson - three players out for season
  • Iowa - one player out for season
  • Michigan State - seven players out for the season
  • Oklahoma - two players out for the season

The Irish have proven that they have one of the best all-around teams with their elasticity to injuries in 2015 and like the Buckeye of 2015 have shown that they won't let a fallen player, whether they be a corner back or a quarterback ruin their shot at the 2015 playoffs. They have continued to answer the question of "Who's the next man up?" and it's a type of quality a the College Football Playoff Committee should want representing the NCAA.

Sources:

  1. http://www.donbest.com/ncaaf/injuries/

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