Controversy Surrounds College Football Playoff Selections

There’s bound to be some controversy surrounding the Sunday College Football Playoff selection, and this year’s drama involves Notre Dame.

Initially, it was thought that the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee would rank 10-2 Notre Dame higher than Miami, despite both teams sharing the same record and having faced each other directly, where the Hurricanes emerged victorious. Ultimately, the situation shifted, and Miami found itself positioned as the 10th team, while Notre Dame ended up on the outside looking in, finishing with a 10-3 record, especially after Alabama’s favorable ranking post their SEC Championship Game loss to Georgia.

Even after Alabama lost twice during the regular season, the committee still felt the Crimson Tide’s resume and strength of schedule warranted a playoff spot. After a narrow win against Auburn, which also included a victory over Notre Dame earlier in the season, their position seemed solidified. This was true even after they faced a significant defeat to Georgia; the committee’s stance didn’t waver. Consequently, Notre Dame found itself completely excluded from postseason play.

In my opinion, this decision was a misstep on the committee’s part.

Notre Dame kicked off the season with two tough, close losses to Miami and Texas A&M. Ironically, those two will compete against each other in the first round of this year’s playoffs. As the season progressed, it became clear that the Irish had to perform exceptionally well in their remaining games, and they certainly rose to the occasion.

Under Coach Marcus Freeman, the team showcased a solid schedule and boasted an average scoring margin of 29.7 points, highlighted by a recent win over a 16th-ranked USC team that was on the cusp of playoff contention. They bested not only respectable ACC teams like North Carolina State and Pitt but also Group of Five challengers like Navy and Boise State, the latter winning the Mountain West title. An almost astonishing victory against Syracuse, where they won 70-7, exemplified their dominance. They aimed to demonstrate their playoff worthiness by defeating weaker opponents, and they succeeded over the last few months.

In contrast, Alabama’s season began with a 14-point loss to Florida State, a setback that grew increasingly unfavorable as the Seminoles’ season progressed. While Alabama managed to rattle off eight straight wins, including a close road victory against Georgia, their narrow escapes against teams like South Carolina and LSU revealed some weaknesses—particularly in their running game—culminating in a defeat against Oklahoma State. Notably, they received praise for overcoming an Auburn squad that struggled throughout the season, yet the committee gave them a pass for their struggles in the title game, while other teams faced stricter scrutiny for similar performances.

The statistics suggest that Notre Dame had the edge over Alabama in multiple aspects, including rankings from ESPN’s FPI and Bill Connelly’s SP+. Alabama, it appears, was a good team—but not quite at the elite level expected of them, casting doubt on their playoff bid compared to Notre Dame’s two-loss season bolstered by an early win against Michigan State. Their disappointing loss to Florida State lingers as a significant blemish.

However, Notre Dame isn’t leaving this situation unscathed. The fallout from being denied a bowl game is stirring discontent, and quite rightly so. Yet, as a prominent program in college football, they’re likely to avoid this predicament in the future.