A Notre Dame – Alabama Matchup Still a Possibility?
Last summer Alabama head coach Nick Saban mentioned that he would love to get Notre Dame on the ‘Bama schedule only to have John Heisler comment a few days later that having a home and home with Alabama would be very difficult to set up because of current home and home commitments.
Well, a columnist for the Atlanta Journal Constitution has come up with a pretty nice work around for Heisler’s argument and would certainly fit into Kevin White’s “Mini Bowl Game” plan.
If Alabama can’t talk Notre Dame into a home and home series, how about two neutral site games-one in Atlanta and one in the new stadium in Indianapolis? I’m just throwing it out there for your consideration.
Neutral site games, like the Aug. 30 meeting between Clemson and Alabama at the Georgia Dome, are going to become more common in the future. It comes with a good payday (over $2 million per school) and takes the “brand” of that school into new recruiting territory.
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The first of White’s neutral site game plan was officially announced earlier this month with a matchup with Arizona State in the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium in 2013, but the game did not generate a whole lot of interest from the ND online community.
A game with Alabama, however, would easily be one of, if not the biggest game of the year in whatever year it is scheduled. It would be a media frenzy and what have both fan bases extremely excited.
So to review. Alabama wants to play Notre Dame. Notre Dame wants to set up yearly neutral site games. So what is standing in the way of back to back Notre Dame-Alabama neutral site games?
Kevin White, make it happen and you’ll hear a heck of a lot less complaining about schedules from Notre Dmae fans.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
On a slight tangent – or no. TOTAL tangent, though still NotaDame, (I’m from Boston) of course, let’s not get overconfident. BK has the Irish on the precipice. Don’t wanna sound like a Donny-downer, but let’s establish ourselves as a champion before we act like one. True – “act like you bin there before.” But we musn’t fool ourselves. It’s bin a long, long time since we’ve been how we are going to be…CHAMPIONS.
Seems like a really good fit for both schools, especially with Saben having the upper hand for now. Why not?
That sounds about right. I’ve refrained from harping on the schedule debate that’s been going on all off-season, but I really think a series like this would be awesome for all of college football.
If Alabama really wants the series, I just can’t see any obstacles in doing it.
This is too logical for Kevin White. He needs somehting with a little more pizzaz. Notre Dame VS. North Texas at The Metrodome in Minneapolis.