Golden Dome Column: The Hate For Notre Dame For A Playoff Spot Is Stupid

This has got to be the dumbest column I have ever had to write, but it needs to be addressed and I hope fans of Miami, BYU, and Alabama fans actually read this because this whole hate on Notre Dame and what they have done to DESERVE a ranking as to where they are now is just so stupid. Sorry, that first sentence was long winded, but you get the point. The fact that so many fans of other teams, especially Miami, are upset that Notre Dame has a ranking as high they do have now is either out of stupidity or bias. I almost wanted to say jealousy as well, but I don't want to come off as arrogant.

So let's start with the case about why Miami fans are so upset about all this. The only thing they can back themselves up on in this debate is the "head to head". Yes Miami fans, we get it, you beat us....in the first week of the season, by just three points. Admittedly, things were not as cohesive then as they are now, but what Miami fans fail to forget is that it was the freaking first week of the season, on Miami's home turf! Seriously Miami fans, do you really think that you are the better team now? You're not, you're simply not! I'm not sure if Notre Dame would obliterate your team or if it would be close if they played today, but the Irish are a much better side than yours right now. These two teams are not the same that played in week one, Notre Dame is a much better side now. I doubt Miami's defense would be able to stop Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price on the ground or CJ Carr with his arm right now if there was a rematch. In fact, with how stupid this whole thing has been, I would love a rematch right now just to shut some fans up.

But if you all keep clamoring about "head to head" as your reason for getting placed where your team is, then just shut the hell up. If anything, that's the only thing saving Miami's ass on their resume to be even considered having a playoff spot. The head to head is important, but only for Miami to have any life. Otherwise, that argument does not hold up well. And I have no doubt Miami fans will be pissed off reading what I'm saying right now, but how about this: how about your team doesn't lose to two unranked teams. Did Notre Dame do that? No, but Miami did. So that right there just shuts down that argument and you all have nothing to stand on. It's just typical blind hatred for Notre Dame. There is no bias from the committee there, they simply see the facts there.

That being said, both Notre Dame AND Miami should be in the playoffs. Yes, Alabama still has a chance to make it in which is so absurd considering they have three losses and looked anything but a playoff team in their conference championship especially putting up less rushing yards than Miami did (for context, Alabama rushed for -3 yards, Miami didn't even play thus rushing for 0 yards). If the committee was to push out either Notre Dame or Miami or both out of a playoff spot for Alabama then that would be clear and obvious bias from them. So yes Miami fans, I will defend your team here; if Alabama gets in over your side then I will be at the NCAA Committee's headquarters with a pitchfork standing right along with you all. Heck, even considering BYU after that bad display in the Big 12 championship is stupid too.

Anyways, I will go to the next talking point and it's about Notre Dame's supposed cupcake schedule. Admittedly, this wasn't the hardest schedule, but to say it was cupcake is ludicrous. However, they did dominate their competition in the 10 wins they secured. In those 10 wins, they did play USC and Pittsburgh, whom were both in the top 25 and those contests weren't even close. Yes, beating an SEC side like Arkansas helped, but it's not as much to gloat about as some Notre Dame fans think as the Razorbacks were pretty bad this season. However, beating Boise State 28-7 plays more significance than you think as they were the Mountain West champions in what is a pretty competitive conference especially as Boise State was in the playoffs last year. Crushing a conference champion speaks volumes. There was only one game that looks "bad" for the Irish and it was the Boston College contest where they "only" won 25-10 as they looked sloppier than usual. Games like those happen, but that's neither here nor there. Plus look at the drubbings they put on other teams: Purdue (56-30), Arkansas (56-13), NC State (36-7), 20 USC (34-24 as the score made it seem closer than it really was), Navy (49-10), 22 Pittsburgh (37-15), Syracuse (70-7 which should be talked about more than it gets and should play a major factor in their resume for the playoffs), and Stanford (49-20). So, with all those crushing victories especially against two teams in the top 25, yeah, that's domination. So explain to me how Miami is better?

One thing that Miami fans overlook is the strength of schedule and that right there is where Notre Dame's case becomes even stronger considering everything else that was mentioned earlier. Notre Dame's strength of schedule was 42nd, so let's compare that to some other significant teams in the playoff hunt. That's a higher SOS than Texas Tech (59), Ohio State (46), Indiana (45) and it's higher than, uh oh, Miami (44). Remember me mentioning how Miami has two losses to two unranked sides and Notre Dame doesn't? Yeah.....

So let's also talk about Notre Dame's two losses. They lost to Miami, in Miami, in Week One. Miami was definitely the better team that day, but they also only won by three points. Notre Dame could've easily won that contest. Notre Dame would win soundly today. The loss against Texas A&M, it was by one point. Now, I find it debatable as to whether Notre Dame could beat A&M if they played again today as the Aggies are a really good team ranked 7th in the country and have a SOS of 15. The SEC is the best conference in the country for a reason as those teams really freaking battle it out. And if people think there is bias against ESPN for the SEC, well, that's understandable because if you look at the records and SOS of the teams, it's scary how good that conference really is. I mean the only saving grace for Alabama in the rankings is their SOS which is 11. Heck, even Texas is 8! So considering all that, it's a very quality loss for the Irish as they lost only by one point to one of the best teams in all of college football and they could've easily been playing in overtime in that one if it wasn't for that call towards the end of the game. So, let's look at these losses: two by a combined score of four. Four! Sounds like the Irish could've easily had been 12-0. The Irish have losses to two top 15 sides, sounds like more quality losses than Miami has.

So Miami fans, you really think your team is more deserving of a higher ranking than Notre Dame? Then be prepared to be laughed out of the room by not only our fans, but by so many other fanbases across the country. Your team is simply not better than ours. Now both Miami and Notre Dame should be in the playoffs, but a higher ranking than the Irish is just ridiculous. The bitching and moaning and crying from Miami fans about this and exclaiming "head to head!" is just like a little kid throwing a tantrum because they didn't get their way. Just shut up, please! Now that we got all that squared away, can people now just shut up about Notre Dame and accept that they are a damn good team? Good, thanks for coming to my TED talk.