06-07-2012, 11:36 AM
Virginia is on a nice upswing now. They finished strong last year and seem to have a solid coach in place. Plus, that's a great team to be playing from a recruiting territory standpoint, probably the best of all the "academic schools" out there.
As far as playing other programs like Michigan and Georgia, why? Is the Pac-12 schedule and Notre Dame every year not challenging enough? If the goal is to play for the crystal football, it's about going undefeated. If you run the Pac-12 table, which now includes a championship game, and beat Notre Dame, why would you will be in the playoff. Why potentially cost yourself a shot at a national title by losing at Michigan or Georgia? You can still lose to Virginia or Northwestern too, but that is historically not as tough.Â
As far as playing other programs like Michigan and Georgia, why? Is the Pac-12 schedule and Notre Dame every year not challenging enough? If the goal is to play for the crystal football, it's about going undefeated. If you run the Pac-12 table, which now includes a championship game, and beat Notre Dame, why would you will be in the playoff. Why potentially cost yourself a shot at a national title by losing at Michigan or Georgia? You can still lose to Virginia or Northwestern too, but that is historically not as tough.Â