<p>It is football. The University of Texas had a huge admissions jump when God sent his second son down to earth. UF has won two straight basketball titles and won the football championship in 2006-2007 and they have also seen a surge of admissions.</p>
<p>ND being terrible this season conversely has a negative effect on application rates. Kids really don’t want to go to a school with a bad football team, and kids also have really short memory span (ask any HS senior who won the BullcrapCS 5 years ago, and they won’t be able to tell you). They won’t care that ND has amazing football tradition as well as tradition in all aspects of the school. They will just think “well I want to go to a college that can actually beat Navy.”</p>
<p>It’s a sad but true impact on admissions. Next season when Claussen gets more experience the rate will go back up because the Irish will probably go 8-4 or thereabouts and will be a decent program. If he can take them to the BCS (I expect him to within the next 4 years) then the rate will skyrocket.</p>