The College Football Playoff committee stirred up plenty of debate this year with one of its boldest calls yet-leaving Notre Dame out of the 12-team playoff in favor of Miami. And while the Hurricanes’ Week 1 win over the Irish gave them the head-to-head edge, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Notre Dame closed the season on a 10-game winning streak, looking every bit like a team peaking at the right time.
But in the eyes of the committee, that early-season clash carried more weight than the Irish’s late-season surge. The message? Wins in September can still echo in December.
Naturally, the decision hasn’t sat well in South Bend. Notre Dame has been vocal about its frustration, questioning how a team that finished so strong could be left out. But not everyone in the playoff conversation is buying the argument-especially not Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire.
McGuire, whose Red Raiders are prepping for a New Year’s Day showdown with No. 5-seeded Oregon in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal, didn’t hold back when asked about Notre Dame’s playoff omission. His take? If you want in, play by the same rules as everyone else.
“It’s really tough, because you hate to eliminate anybody,” McGuire said. “But I do think that when you have a criteria of where you’re going to select a team, everybody should be in that same criteria.
So, and I don’t wanna make Notre Dame mad, but be in a conference, and you’re in the playoffs. If they’re in the ACC, they’re in the playoffs.”
McGuire’s point isn’t new, but it’s gaining traction again in light of this year’s decision. Notre Dame’s status as an independent means it’s not eligible for an automatic playoff berth as a conference champion. That independence, long a proud part of the Irish identity, may have finally worked against them.
Still, don’t expect Notre Dame to change course anytime soon.
Thanks to a memorandum of understanding, the Irish are guaranteed a playoff spot starting next season if they finish ranked in the top 12. That agreement gives them a clear path to the postseason without needing to join a league-a safety net that could quiet some of the outside pressure.
And let’s not forget the financial side of the equation. Notre Dame’s exclusive television deal with NBC continues to be one of the most lucrative in college sports. That kind of contract gives them the flexibility to remain independent, even in an era where conference realignment is reshaping the landscape.
So while McGuire and others may call for the Irish to pick a side-ACC, Big Ten, or otherwise-Notre Dame appears content to chart its own course. The playoff snub stings, no doubt. But with a new format and new guarantees on the horizon, the Irish are still very much in control of their postseason destiny.
For now, the debate will rage on: Should independence be a strength or a stumbling block in the playoff era? The CFP committee made its stance clear this year. But starting next season, Notre Dame may not have to worry about that question at all.