Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/561665
UNDER THE DOME NOTRE DAME-NEW MEXICO TO MEET IN 2019 Notre Dame and New Mexico have agreed to play each other in football. The Fighting Irish will host the Lobos on Sept. 14, 2019. According to The Albuquerque Journal, the New Mexico athletic program will receive $1.1 million for the game, $50,000 of that payable this year. Current Lobos head coach Bob Davie was Notre Dame's head coach from 1997-2001, and its defensive coordinator from 1994-96. He was 35-25 during his five years at the helm, highlighted by 9-3 ledgers in 1998 and 2000, but was fired after a 5-6 season in 2001. Now in his fourth season at New Mexico, Davie was 4-9, 3-9 and 4-8 his first three seasons, with a 4-20 record in the Mountain West Conference. Only one former Notre Dame head coach went on to face his past employer: Tyrone Willingham's (2002-04) Washington Huskies lost 36-17 at home to the Irish in 2005, the year after he was ousted. To provide some balance to its schedules rife with Power Five conference teams, Notre Dame is annually CHARTING THE IRISH COMPARING ACC OPPONENT SCHEDULES One of the more discussed topics on message boards and social media during the summer months was the question of whether Notre Dame should have to join a conference — specifically the ACC. According to ESPN's Brett McMurphy, several ACC coaches — including Duke's David Cutcliffe, Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer, Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Pittsburgh's Pat Narduzzi — feel that Notre Dame should have to join a conference. "I agree 100 percent that Notre Dame should be in a conference," Cutcliffe told McMurphy. "It's the only way to a level playing field. "Playing in a conference, whether it was my time in the SEC or ACC, you knew whoever you played could beat you because of the familiarity between the teams. I would love to see Notre Dame step in our league. You're either in or you're out." Interestingly however, while Notre Dame football remains independent, it hasn't opted for any easier road to the playoffs, at least in terms of schedule strength. According to ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) strength of schedule rankings, the road to the 2015 College Football Playoff for Brian Kelly and the Irish is tougher than all of the above listed coaches and their programs, trailing only Virginia and Georgia Tech from the ACC. Duke's non-conference schedule, for example, includes North Carolina Central (Football Champion- ship Subdivision), Tulane (American Athletic Conference), Army (independent) and Northwestern (Big Ten). STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE RANKINGS ACCORDING TO ESPN'S FPI Virginia — No. 16 Georgia Tech — No. 17 Notre Dame — No. 29 Miami — No. 30 Virginia Tech — No. 34 Clemson — No. 36 Pittsburgh — No. 42 Louisville — No. 47 Wake Forest — No. 52 Syracuse — No. 56 Boston College — No. 57 Florida State — No. 58 North Carolina — No. 61 Duke — No. 62 North Carolina State — No. 64