Disclaimer: The following is not intended for betting purposes.

Similar to last year, the final AV Ranking values (see the values in the table below) will be used to predict the BCS bowl game winners against the spread.

The BCS games are as follows:

• Rose Bowl presented by Citi: Ohio State vs. Oregon
• Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. TCU
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: Cincinnati

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With all of the recent and dramatic change in the Irish football program, the 2009 season seems to be mostly forgotten.

There is no bowl game. Sensational quarterback Jimmy Clausen and unanimous All-American and Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Golden Tate have left for the NFL. And Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis has been replaced by Brian Kelly.

This seemingly serves as a forward-looking time…

Clashmore Mike staff writer Anthony Pilcher was interviewed Saturday on the Joe O. & Rock show on 670 The Score regarding the hiring of Brian Kelly as the head coach at Notre Dame.

What follows are some further responses and elaboration on questions from the interview. The audio of the interview itself can be found at the bottom of this article.

On Brian Kelly’s Impact

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Scheduling for Success

Once again we’ve reached the part of the season that is consumed by boasting. Who has the best conference—mine or yours? We’re all biased even though we try to be objective about non-conference scheduling. Complicating the process is that fewer top teams are playing each other, more teams are taking advantage of the 12th game to increase the number of home games…

When trying to get a high school football recruit to come to Notre Dame, one of the biggest draws is the added exposure that player will receive, not only from the fans across the nation, but professional scouts as well. Storied history? Check. Historical significance? Check. Facilities that are second to none? Check. A schedule that covers the entire nation (as well as other countries)?…

We’ve just received word that Clashmore Mike’s very own Anthony Pilcher will once again be featured on the Joe O. & Rock Show tomorrow night (December 12th) on 670 The Score. This will be the second time Pilcher has provided Notre Dame-centric analysis on Chicago’s 670 The Score and this time around he figures to weigh in on the coaching change and recent hiring of…

As the FBS season winds down amidst high-profile coaching searches at Notre Dame and others, I have noted the pain with which Irish players are parting with their coaches. Yet TV and equipment contracts, lucrative benefits from conference membership, large fan bases with seven or even eight home games keep big-time college football immune from dissolving their football programs.

The End of a College Football Program

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Since the press conference held by Notre Dame’s Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick last Monday announcing the departure of Charlie Weis, the entire Notre Dame fan base has been on the edge of their seat, constantly checking the internet and ESPN, to see if any head way has been made in the search for the next head coach of the football program. Meanwhile, Swarbrick is working…

The Notre Dame football team secured a commitment last night from Louis Nix, defensive tackle from Raines High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Nix had previously committed to Miami and was also considering the Florida Gators. Nix is rated among the top seven defensive tackles—a position of need for the Irish—by various recruiting services.

Louis camped at Notre Dame this summer, made an official visit to…

Notre Dame dropped their fourth-straight game Saturday and completed a second-half season slide for the second consecutive season. The Irish finish the regular season at 6-6, the six wins about at the expectation level of the most pessimistic fans.

For the 33 Irish seniors, it was a bitter way to end a season ripe with high expectations. For head coach Charlie Weis it was a…