Notre Dame declines a bowl game after being left out of playoffs

[gtb1943]

ND's backup QB, Minchey, just entered the portal. Love, Wagner, Price and a handful of other potential draftees will opt out. ND is expected a few more to hit the portal shortly. It was said they likely would have held CJ Carr out as well, especially if they were running out a 2nd string OL, so ND would have been playing in the freaking Pop Tarts Bowl with a 3rd string QB and a bunch of backups at key spots.

These games are getting more and more useless and ND and others backing out this year is just going to speed up the process of them eventually going away or being replaced with something else.

I bet someone tries something like the NIT

 

[sbark]

Isnt this the concern voiced years ago about the Power 5

This is the beginning of a few elite teams.....and everyone else in tiers downward.

 

[Plankton]

Nobody stopped them from joining the Big East as a full member. They wanted to help in the search to bring new teams in but did not want become a member themselves in football. And it is not like the Big East had something against the Catholics. The Catholic 7 basketball teams wanted a different big east but Notre Dame decided not to join them.


Now whether or not I like ND does not matter. What matters to Notre Dame is Notre Dame.

However when the current AD goes out and complains that the ACC did not lobby for Notre Dame to get into the CFP it is pretty crazy.
They want the ACC to lobby for their football team but Notre Dame does not want to join the ACC in football. Why would the ACC lobby for Notre Dame at the expense of a full member In Miami.

But like I said, Notre Dame can do what is best for Notre Dame even if it is bad for a conference, just no need for them to feign outrage when somebody does what is best for the conference even if it is bad for Notre Dame.

The bolded is absolutely untrue. That's not what Bevacqua said at all. What he said was that the ACC actively lobbied AGAINST Notre Dame. They said nothing about Alabama's free ride to the playoff, or anything about BYU, both of whom were ahead of Miami. They, along with their partner in ESPN, lobbied against Notre Dame making the playoff over Miami, as if they were the only team that stood to prosper by Miami not making it.

If we are being truthful, Miami deserved to make it. Alabama did not. You can't get dog walked in a conference championship game and not get dinged (in the college playoff/BCS era, 86 of the 88 losing teams in conference championship games had their ranking or seeding lowered following their games. TCU didn't in 2022 - they lost on a FG in overtime. Alabama in 2025 was the other team, coming off a 21 point defeat where they ended up with -3 yards rushing). The ACC is barely hanging on as a football conference, with Florida State and Clemson actively trying to leave. Notre Dame has been one of the things keeping them afloat. Looks like the conference's demise may be accelerated.

 

[Ghost12]

Notre Dame thought they had the whole system figured out.

Create your own schedule. Play 1-2 good teams a year (probably lose), and then play 10-11 bottom of the barrel teams. Free playoff spot every year.

But because the sport wouldn’t let them get away with that, they do this. Losers.

Whoever wrote that tweet is a clueless moron.

Half of ND's schedule is made by the ACC. It isn't ND's fault BC and Stanford and Syracuse are so atrocious. Last year they had the #4 most difficult SOS in the nation.

As an independent, they make most of their schedule years, sometimes decades, in advance. Navy is an AP ranked team. USC is a perennial power. Wisconsin was winning 10 games per year when ND scheduled them. Purdue may not have been world beaters, but they weren't this bad. Ditto Michigan State.

 

[Sydla]

The bolded is absolutely untrue. That's not what Bevacqua said at all. What he said was that the ACC actively lobbied AGAINST Notre Dame. They said nothing about Alabama's free ride to the playoff, or anything about BYU, both of whom were ahead of Miami. They, along with their partner in ESPN, lobbied against Notre Dame making the playoff over Miami, as if they were the only team that stood to prosper by Miami not making it.

If we are being truthful, Miami deserved to make it. Alabama did not. You can't get dog walked in a conference championship game and not get dinged (in the college playoff/BCS era, 86 of the 88 losing teams in conference championship games had their ranking or seeding lowered following their games. TCU didn't in 2022 - they lost on a FG in overtime. Alabama in 2025 was the other team, coming off a 21 point defeat where they ended up with -3 yards rushing). The ACC is barely hanging on as a football conference, with Florida State and Clemson actively trying to leave. Notre Dame has been one of the things keeping them afloat. Looks like the conference's demise may be accelerated.

Yes, you could see the ACC taking sides and taking swipes at ND on their various social media platforms. As you said, BYU was ahead of Miami too and you could find very little chatter from the ACC side of things about how Miami was better than BYU and here's why. The ACCN literally ran the Miami-ND on a non-stop loop for days. You know what they didn't show that also could have been used to help Miami get in? The Alabama FSU game.

Now I get it, the ACC panicked because their own rules had them stuck in a situation where their best team was going to sit home and they understood they may not have a participant at all.

The fact the ACC targeted ND and never really questioned why BYU or Bama were ahead of Miami was peculiar.

 

[Plankton]

Yes, you could see the ACC taking sides and taking swipes at ND on their various social media platforms. As you said, BYU was ahead of Miami too and you could find very little chatter from the ACC side of things about how Miami was better than BYU and here's why. The ACCN literally ran the Miami-ND on a non-stop loop for days. You know what they didn't show that also could have been used to help Miami get in? The Alabama FSU game.

Now I get it, the ACC panicked because their own rules had them stuck in a situation where their best team was going to sit home and they understood they may not have a participant at all.

The fact the ACC targeted ND and never really questioned why BYU or Bama were ahead of Miami was peculiar.

Oh, it's obvious why they did it. They were mad that Notre Dame made it last year and got to pocket the entire financial reward for making it to the title game without the ACC getting a dime of it. ESPN conspired with them to support the schools/conferences that they have a financial stake in - they have no financial stake in Notre Dame, so they were an easy target for them.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Oh, it's obvious why they did it. They were mad that Notre Dame made it last year and got to pocket the entire financial reward for making it to the title game without the ACC getting a dime of it. ESPN conspired with them to support the schools/conferences that they have a financial stake in - they have no financial stake in Notre Dame, so they were an easy target for them.

Why would the ACC lobby for ND at the expense of Miami.
One is a full member, the other is not.
And like you said, full members will get money for the conference.

ND gets there indy status and NBC money. They got the CFP to put in a at large bid that they will normally win more years than not. Let's not talk about them getting the shaft because of one year. The only way ND would ever join a conference is if it was required to get into the CFP. They won by getting it so they did not have to do that. And again...as long as ND does well in the regular season they will probably get in.

ND gets some things, they give up some things. It is what it is.

 

[Sydla]

Why would the ACC lobby for ND at the expense of Miami.
One is a full member, the other is not.
And like you said, full members will get money for the conference.

ND gets there indy status and NBC money. They got the CFP to put in a at large bid that they will normally win more years than not. Let's not talk about them getting the shaft because of one year. The only way ND would ever join a conference is if it was required to get into the CFP. They won by getting it so they did not have to do that. And again...as long as ND does well in the regular season they will probably get in.

ND gets some things, they give up some things. It is what it is.

Why do you keep misrepresenting what ND is saying. No one at ND said they expected the ACC to lobby for them at the expense of Miami?

The point is why are you cutting off our knees as a partial member and someone who brings a ton of value to the conference? The ACC was able to substantially increase their media rights deal, in large part, due to ND. Most of the conferences highest rated games involved ND. When you look at attendance in ACC stadiums when ND is there compared to not, it was a massive difference. And yet, the conference saw it fit to basically trash ND for Miami. No one is saying they should have promoted ND over Miami. That's a red herring.

There were two other teams in the same grouping as Miami, including BYU who was rated right ahead of Miami. At no point did the ACC and their media blitz target BYU or Alabama, both teams that also had chinks in their armor resume wise? Just focused on ND. When Bama was getting mauled, you would think the ACC social platforms would be running arguments why Miami should be ahead of Bama. Nope, just more posts about how Miami deserves it more than ND.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Why do you keep misrepresenting what ND is saying. No one at ND said they expected the ACC to lobby for them at the expense of Miami?

He was upset because they kept playing the Miami vs Notre Dame game over and over which looked bad because it was creating the narrative that Miami beat ND in the head to head game which should put Miami ahead.

Now we can talk like he was just upset for those players not being able to play in the game...but that narrative went out the window when the decided to turn down the bowl game they were offered.

Now, did he come out and say that exactly? No. But it is what he was saying without saying it. Lets not be coy about it.

The most people that seem to be ok with what he said is basically ND fans. And most others thought it was a bad look to have him up there complaining about stuff.

Like I said, it is what it is. And they will get in more than they do not.

 

[Sydla]

He was upset because they kept playing the Miami vs Notre Dame game over and over which looked bad because it was creating the narrative that Miami beat ND in the head to head game which should put Miami ahead.

Now we can talk like he was just upset for those players not being able to play in the game...but that narrative went out the window when the decided to turn down the bowl game they were offered.

Now, did he come out and say that exactly? No. But it is what he was saying without saying it. Lets not be coy about it.

The most people that seem to be ok with what he said is basically ND fans. And most others thought it was a bad look to have him up there complaining about stuff.

Like I said, it is what it is. And they will get in more than they do not.

Yes, as the ACCs biggest business partner, and likely the main reason they make the money they do from the ACC contract, he was rightfully upset that the ACC was taking potshots at ND. At no point did he ever suggest that the expectation was that the ACC should pump ND over Miami or anything close to that. That's just a disingenuous take on what the AD said and the point he was making.

And yeah, he was upset that our team was not playing in a playoff game but to then try to spin it as something else because they turned down a lesser bowl is another odd take. It's not an apples to apples comparison. If ND had played in the CFP, the entire team would have played. After being relegated to the Pop Tarts bowl, they knew a bunch of player would opt out. Love, Price, Wagner, and a bunch others. Their backup QB, Minchey, just opted into the portal as will a few others. It was reported that ND likely would not have played CJ Carr much, if at all, to protect from injury so ND could have played the game with a 3rd string QB who had never taken a snap before. So the players decided it wasn't worth it.

To use that situation as some example of ND really wanting the ACC to lobby for them and not Miami is weird.

 

[gtb1943]

He was upset because they kept playing the Miami vs Notre Dame game over and over which looked bad because it was creating the narrative that Miami beat ND in the head to head game which should put Miami ahead.

Now we can talk like he was just upset for those players not being able to play in the game...but that narrative went out the window when the decided to turn down the bowl game they were offered.

Now, did he come out and say that exactly? No. But it is what he was saying without saying it. Lets not be coy about it.

The most people that seem to be ok with what he said is basically ND fans. And most others thought it was a bad look to have him up there complaining about stuff.

Like I said, it is what it is. And they will get in more than they do not.

IT seems clear that the ACC was also supporting Alabama which to me is the real problem. It is obvious that the committee decided to do whatever they had to so that Alabama would get in. It was never about Miami; it was about getting Alabama in and ND out.

 

[Sydla]

IT seems clear that the ACC was also supporting Alabama which to me is the real problem. It is obvious that the committee decided to do whatever they had to so that Alabama would get in. It was never about Miami; it was about getting Alabama in and ND out.

You can make a pretty strong case about this. When Bama jumped ND on Tuesday, the argument Yurachek gave was nonsensical. They were impressed with Bama's fortitude making that late 4th down play and their impressive first half (when ND was up 42-3 in the first half on Stanford). But many in the media believed they were doing that so they could keep the buffer between ND and Miami because up until this point, they had shown zero desire to put ND behind Miami. The thought was if Bama lost, they could just slide behind ND and stay in the CFP and keep that buffer between ND and Miami, even if BYU lost.

But you can now make the argument they were clearing the deck for the last poll where all they had to worry about was BYU between Miami and ND. Once BYU lost, they go tumbling, Miami jumps up, now they can compare the two (which is another preposterous claim by the way) and out goes ND. Again, the fact Yurachek argued they couldn't punish Bama for getting smoked in a CCG game but then in the next breath said they felt they had to penalize BYU for getting smoked................. LOL. That tells the whole story right there.

 

[Plankton]

Why would the ACC lobby for ND at the expense of Miami.
One is a full member, the other is not.
And like you said, full members will get money for the conference.

ND gets there indy status and NBC money. They got the CFP to put in a at large bid that they will normally win more years than not. Let's not talk about them getting the shaft because of one year. The only way ND would ever join a conference is if it was required to get into the CFP. They won by getting it so they did not have to do that. And again...as long as ND does well in the regular season they will probably get in.

ND gets some things, they give up some things. It is what it is.

No one was expecting the ACC to lobby for Notre Dame. Where the anger from Notre Dame is coming from is that to advocate for Miami, they actively targeted Notre Dame in a repeated tweet storm and all public appearances by ACC officials and other coaches in the ACC (Pat Narduzzi, for example). Their network partner in ESPN played the Notre Dame-Miami game in a loop for 48 hours on the ACC Network. Does that sound like normal behavior for how people treat a business partner?

They easily could have played the Alabama-Florida State game on that channel to make a similar point, but they never did. They could have made comparisons against Alabama or BYU, but they never did. This is where the Notre Dame hierarchy has an issue.

The bottom line is that Miami deserved a CFP berth. So did Notre Dame. Alabama did not. The ACC picked a specific strategy, and as the adage goes, they won the battle, but they will ultimately lose the war when their conference goes down by 2030.

 

[gtb1943]

No one was expecting the ACC to lobby for Notre Dame. Where the anger from Notre Dame is coming from is that to advocate for Miami, they actively targeted Notre Dame in a repeated tweet storm and all public appearances by ACC officials and other coaches in the ACC (Pat Narduzzi, for example). Their network partner in ESPN played the Notre Dame-Miami game in a loop for 48 hours on the ACC Network. Does that sound like normal behavior for how people treat a business partner?

They easily could have played the Alabama-Florida State game on that channel to make a similar point, but they never did. They could have made comparisons against Alabama or BYU, but they never did. This is where the Notre Dame hierarchy has an issue.

The bottom line is that Miami deserved a CFP berth. So did Notre Dame. Alabama did not. The ACC picked a specific strategy, and as the adage goes, they won the battle, but they will ultimately lose the war when their conference goes down by 2030.

I doubt it will take that long

 

[Ghost12]

I don't think most people realize that next year if the exact same thing happens and we get the exact same results and final rankings, then #11 ND would be in and #10 Miami would be out.

I can't wait to see the haters completely blow a gasket if that happens. They will melt down worse than Chernobyl.

 

[kskboys]

Why don’t they try winning next year? They beat no ranked teams and lost to two CFP teams that will lose in the first round. They think they’re entitled to the CFP because they won a championship 38 years ago?

Even moreso, join a frickin' conference. The day of the independent teams is over, get w/ reality.

UT deserves it more than they do w/ their juggernaut of a schedule.

 

[kskboys]

They’ve been practically meaningless forever….. at least for the past 25+ years.
They are completely worthless games when you think about it.

100%

Won't be long until the number of playoff teams will be in the 20s. Why? OMG, this was incredibly easy to see coming. Money. Can you imagine what the TV contracts are going to be?

 

[Sydla]

Even moreso, join a frickin' conference. The day of the independent teams is over, get w/ reality.

UT deserves it more than they do w/ their juggernaut of a schedule.

UT lost to a bad UF team and was lucky to beat dogs like Miss St in OT late in the year.

So nah, they blew their chance.

 

[Ghost12]

Even moreso, join a frickin' conference. The day of the independent teams is over, get w/ reality.

Why should they? The only reason the “day of the independent teams is over” is because Notre Dame is the only school with enough prestige to maintain an independent schedule.

 

[gtb1943]

Even moreso, join a frickin' conference. The day of the independent teams is over, get w/ reality.

UT deserves it more than they do w/ their juggernaut of a schedule.

take your 'reality' and shove it