Penn St or Notre Dame

[ChickenMan]

Who's the bigger surprise and who's the better team???

Both have far exceeded expectations and look to be headed to a BCS bowl. Maybe they'll end up playing each other.

Bigger surprise... ND

Better team... Penn St (much better defense)

[colgate13]

I've got them the other way around.

Notre Dame wasn't too bad under Ty. Many had written JoPa off. that's a bigger surprise to me.

And the fact that ND should have beat USC tells me they're the better team.

[ASU Kep]

Biggest Surprise = Penn St.

Best team = ND. By a hair. But don't quote me on it.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

I have to agree with Colgate13 on this one. Though both are surprises (and to me, pleasant surprises) I think ND would win a head to head matchup. It is amazing what a difference a coach can make and Weiss is the real deal.

[89Hen]

Make that four votes for ND over PSU head to head and PSU as the bigger surprise.

[ISUMatt]

Penn St gets both my votes here...JoPa was dead and buried and Jason Voohrees like, HE's BACK!!!

[Tribefan]

Penn State, simply because I think they would still be undefeated if Lloyd Carr wasn't so incredibly lucky with referees.

[putter]

I take ND as biggest surprise with how far and how fast they have turned it around. I think with Weiss's genious on offense they would win the head to head. JoPa has amazed me with his team this year though.

[footballer23]

I'd say the Penn State is definately the biggest surprise. Everyone was calling for Paterno's head, and somehow he came through with a season like this. I wouldn't be surprised if they win out, get a good bowl win and then he calls it quits before things goes downhill again.

I also think that Notre Dame is the better team. They came extremely close to knocking off USC. Not to mention their coach, Charlie Weis. Notre Dame is here to stay for a while. Just wait until Weis's first recruiting class comes of age...

[UNHWildCats]

Who's the bigger surprise and who's the better team???

Both have far exceeded expectations and look to be headed to a BCS bowl. Maybe they'll end up playing each other.

Bigger surprise... ND

Better team... Penn St (much better defense)



Bigger Surprise: Penn State (Us in Patriot Nation never had any doubts Charlie would lead them to respect right away)

Better Team: Until Penn St takes the best team in the history of I-A to the last seconds of a game like ND did with USC its ND

In the words of Rodney Dangerfield They get no respect (atleast with the computer rankings)

[LacesOut]

Alabama.

Can't remember the last time PSU, ND and 'Bama were all this good.

For the PSU/ND question, I'd say PSU is the bigger surprise and the slightly better team. Slightly, I say.

[89Hen]

Can't remember the last time PSU, ND and 'Bama were all this good.
Right around the time The Godfather was released. :p My whole family is from PSU territory, many cousins went there. I can remember going to a wedding as a kid in the early 70's and everyone was standing around outside the church listening to a PSU/Bama game on transistor radios. It was the one of the first glimpses I had into what it meant to be a college football fan. :nod:

[dbackjon]

Penn State - hands down on both.

Penn State would beat Notre Dame by 10 plus - Penn State has been dominating most opponents this year, with the only close games being the loss AT Michigan, a close game AT #25 Northwestern, and Ohio State.

They have beaten 3 ranked teams (NW, OSU and Wisconsin) plus Minnesota.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, has lost twice at home, to USC, and to a below average Michigan State team. Besides the close win over Michigan, Notre Dame has not beaten a ranked team - in fact, the only team with a winning record Notre Dame has beaten is 5-4 BYU.

[LacesOut]

Notre Dame, on the other hand, has lost twice at home, to USC, and to a below average Michigan State team. Besides the close win over Michigan, Notre Dame has not beaten a ranked team - in fact, the only team with a winning record Notre Dame has beaten is 5-4 BYU.

Exactly. Those were my points/thoughts about two weeks ago when people were calling Weiss a coaching genious, all because they played USC close. People forget Tye Willingham started 8-0 his first year at ND. Now Weiss gets a new contract (last week) making him the highest paid coach in college football. After just seven games. Wow. how about Pete Carroll?? Hmmm, what has he done at USC?? Won a few games, I think. lol

Not a ND hater, nor am I blaming Weiss for getting that type of deal. Just really surprised.

[Marcus Garvey]

Exactly. Those were my points/thoughts about two weeks ago when people were calling Weiss a coaching genious, all because they played USC close. People forget Tye Willingham started 8-0 his first year at ND. Now Weiss gets a new contract (last week) making him the highest paid coach in college football. After just seven games. Wow. how about Pete Carroll?? Hmmm, what has he done at USC?? Won a few games, I think. lol

Not a ND hater, nor am I blaming Weiss for getting that type of deal. Just really surprised.


Weiss got the contract because ND put themselves in this situation. By not giving Willingham a full 5 years, per his contract, to rebuild the program, they told the world that a contract with Notre Dame means Jack *****! This is their way of telling Weiss "We're not gonna 'Willingham" you!"

Incidently, my friend has Fiesta Bowl tix and we're both hoping that Penn St. is playing. If USC and Texas win out, Penn St. is likely to go to Tempe. Otherwise, the Fiesta Bowl is supposed to pair the Big 12 and Pac-10 champs.

[ngineer]

Both my votes go to PSU. Granted, I may be somewhat biased from my home state's 'flagship' school, but I agree with the earlier posts: PSU has beaten more quality opponents. Defense wins and the Nits have the best defense in the country right now. I'd pick PSU over ND in a head to head--an next year we'll get to see it in early September in South Bend.
And don't expect JoePa to hang 'em up after this year. With all those frosh coming back, Tony Hunt and Morelli at QB the offense will be dynamite. Defense will need reloading, but side of the ball is easier to replace.

[LacesOut]

an next year we'll get to see it in early September in South Bend.

Really, they play each other next season?? Sweet.

I would love to see them meet this season in a BCS Bowl. Maybe the Fiesta? Or Orange?

[89rabbit]

Penn State on both counts.

[Eaglegus2]

Penn State receives 2 votes from the Great State of Georgia. :D

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Penn State biggest suprise, ND the better team. Hopefully they can meet up in a bowl game so the Irish can prove it on the field this year. Give Weiss a month to get ready for a team and i can only imagine what he'd come up with it. I might be biased since i hate Penn St. and love ND, but if i really thought they were better i'd say so. Can't wait until next September, i'm planning on going out to South Bend for the game.

[ChickenMan]

I'd take Penn St over Notre Dame... defense wins games and PSU's defense (17.6) is much tougher than ND's (24.7)

[CCU2003]

I was at both PSU vs. OSU and PSU vs. Wisc and let me tell you….PSU’s defense is unbelievable! Just remember to what they did to Minnesota’s Maroney, the whole OSU offense and most recently Wisconsin’s Calhoun. Those boys have been tested week in and week out by other “great” coaches and have shut them all down. (To my surprise) I think PSU vs. Notre Dame would be an amazing game this bowl season, giving Weis a month to prepare would be dangerous but the speed and ability of PSUs defense is amazing. PSU 24, ND 14…..Now another matchup that would be crazy is PSU vs. Miami, that game might come down to OT at 0-0. Defense out the wazzooo……

Oh yeah, to answer the question of the thread…PSU for both the better team and biggest surprise….Old Joe pa…crazy ass old man……

[bodoyle]

Having seen both teams, I think I can lend an unbiased view, with that said I am a DIEHARD ND fan.

Both teams are great, people didn't expect ND to be this good this soon. More people are surprised by Brady Quinn's emergence. He has Heisman numbers, but will get no respect.

PSU has had the great recruits, but JoPa just did something with them this time. I would say PSU bigger surprise, but ND better overall team.

~sidenote anyone see Brady Quinn's mom on NBC last game? MILF!!!!! :D

[CCU2003]

Well all this speculation will be laid to rest next weekend. PSU visits MSU who downed ND earlier this year. Ewwww, that’s why I can’t say ND is the better team right now, they hung with USC but then so did Arizona State, and their not so hot. I think ND’s defense is their weak link, everyone knew Weis would get their offense clicking, even with so-so talent. I stick with the Lions and hope we see ND in the Fiesta!!!! If not, hell, we’ll see um next year anyway…..damn they’ll be good then, another year with Weis recruiting and teaching…..:(

:bang:

[eagleskins]

Penn State is the better team. Penn State might be the best team in the country. Only loss was at Michigan on a BS decision by the refs to put two seconds back on the clock.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

[QUOTE=ChickenMan]I'd take Penn St over Notre Dame... defense wins games and PSU's defense (17.6) is much tougher than ND's (24.7)[/QUOTE

Notre Dame's D is not as bad as people say and has certaintly gotten better. The game against Michigan State they weren't very good but they played very well against USC holding them to their lowest output of the year. The points they gave up to Purdue were in garbage time, they were up 28-0 at half. Their offense is so good that they're D is on the field alot. They might not be as good as Penn States but they're good enough to be one of the top teams in the country. What's the best offense PSU played? Purdue? I promise you if they'd have played USC their avg would be atleast a couple points higher. ND's offense is a lot better than PSU's and would be by far the best O the Lions have faced. I hope they match up in the bowl season. I live in Northeastern Pa aka NEPA and i don't think people realize how big of a rivarly Penn State-ND is in this part of the country. There's a lot of Irish Catholics and of course PSU alums. Scranton has the second largest St. Patricks Day parade in the US. People have been talking about this game for over a decade. My one buddies said in 1992 a fight broke out between their family because his one side was all PSU fans/alums and the other side was hardcore Irish Catholic. They went nearly 5 years without speaking to eahother. Another person i know who's grandfather died just last year requested before he passed that when ND-PSU next year that someone would place his "lucky" ND hat on his grave. I can only imagine how many bar fights there are going to be that day.

[ChickenMan]

Penn St has faced some pretty good offenses this year... four who are much better than Purdue and held them all (other than N'western) far below their normal point per game average.

Purdue...... 26.8... 15 vs PSU

Ohio St...... 32.2... 10 vs PSU
N'western... 33.8... 29 vs PSU
Minnesota... 39.3... 14 vs PSU
Wisconsin... 39.6... 14 vs PSU

ND may have an edge over PSU on offense... but there's no question that PSU is a far better defensive team and as I said... I'll take defense over offense in any big game.


PS... ND is averaging 38.2 points a game... Penn St 35.5