Home / Sports / Notre Dame Denied CFP Berth: A Shocking Snub?
Notre Dame Denied CFP Berth: A Shocking Snub?
8 Dec
Summary
- Notre Dame ranked 11th, narrowly missing CFP playoff.
- AD Bevacqua calls CFP rankings 'a joke' and 'waste of time'.
- Head-to-head tiebreaker controversy between Notre Dame and Miami.
The College Football Playoff bracket has been finalized, with Notre Dame notably absent despite a strong season. The Fighting Irish learned on Sunday, December 7th, that they were ranked 11th in the final CFP standings, just outside the coveted playoff spots. This exclusion has sparked significant backlash, with Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua publicly stating his dismay.
Bevacqua criticized the selection process, describing previous rankings as a "joke" and a "waste of time." He conveyed that the team felt "the playoff was stolen from our student-athletes," highlighting the perceived lack of clear explanation for their exclusion. The controversy deepens due to the committee's decision to use a head-to-head tiebreaker between Notre Dame and Miami in the final rankings, a metric not prioritized in earlier assessments.
Miami ultimately secured the final playoff spot, leaping ahead of Notre Dame due to this tiebreaker. CFP chair Hunter Yurachek explained that Miami's performance in their championship game, coupled with Notre Dame and Miami being nearly equal in strength of schedule and common opponents, led to the head-to-head comparison. This eleventh-hour shift has left many questioning the integrity of the CFP ranking system.
