The college football season is basically already over with as far as the regular season is concerned. As there are only one or two more games for the majority of teams in the country. With that the CFP race is getting hotter than ever, and it’s time to take a look at one of its most polarizing cases. As there has been a lot of debating over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and their potential inclusion. As they look to avenge last year’s national championship game loss, and claim their first national title since 1988.
Tale Of The Tape
Record: 8-2
Remaining Games: vs Syracuse (3-7) , @ Stanford (3-7)
SOR: 12
SOS: 29
Average Margin Of Victory: 25.6 Points
Average Margin Of Defeat: 2.0 Points
Average PPG: 38.5 Points Per Game
Average PPG Allowed: 18.4 Points Per Game Allowed
Current AP Poll Ranking: 9
Current CFP Ranking: 9
Top 25 Wins
Week 8- vs #15 USC
Respectable Victories
Week 11- vs Navy
Week 12- @ Pittsburgh’
Quality Defeats
Week 1- @ #13 Miami
Week 3- vs #3 Texas A&M
Unforgivable Losses
None
The Verdict
Why They Should Get In:
They would be one the hottest teams in the country if they finish 10-2 this season. As they would close the year winning ten consecutive games and in most of them, winning by double digits. There has been a clear improvement on both sides of the ball, and they are emulating the same type of growth from last season.
Many will remember, that is a team that lost in week two to NIU and went on to play for a national championship. Plus let’s be real, Notre Dame only occasionally wears green… but they always translate to green… and at the end of the day, the brand brings bucks. So you may not like it but you have to realize why a 10-2 ND team is better for the playoffs than let’s say.. 10-2 BYU or Utah at the end of the day.
Why They Should Not Get In:
Even as a Notre Dame fan myself I will gladly admit that the lack of a conference championship game this season could be the reason. Also when you factor in the addition of the lack of top 25 wins with how the teams on the schedule have turned out. It provides pretty clear reasoning as to why a 10-2 Fighting Irish team could find themselves at #13 on Selection Sunday.
Heading into the second to final week of the regular season the head to head loss to the Canes does not matter. However, as the two teams inch closer it could be the reason why the Irish head to a lower bowl this postseason. The gap closing completely between the Irish and Miami is the ultimate nightmare for everyone in South Bend right now.
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