Snubbed by the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame opted to forgo a lower-tier bowl game, turning down an invitation to the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The ninth-ranked Fighting Irish made the decision after being left out of the CFP bracket for the second consecutive week, a move that left players and staff stunned. “Overwhelming shock and sadness,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said, describing the reaction as feeling “punched in the stomach.”
The decision denies Notre Dame seniors a final game, underclassmen extra practice, and fans the chance to see their team play again. Unlike programs such as Iowa State and Kansas State, which faced $500,000 fines from the Big 12 for bowl opt-outs due to coaching changes, Notre Dame will face no penalties as an independent. Despite winning their last 10 games by an average margin of nearly 30 points, the Irish were passed over in favor of Miami, which claimed the No. 10 seed based on a head-to-head tiebreaker from a 27-24 early-season win. Bevacqua and coach Marcus Freeman had avoided aggressive lobbying, expecting their winning streak to speak for itself, but the outcome left them frustrated.
Bevacqua called the playoff decision “an absolute joke,” saying it unfairly subjected student-athletes to emotional highs and lows only to have their playoff hopes dashed without explanation. CFP chair Hunter Yurachek cited Miami’s defensive performance against Notre Dame and perceived athleticism as decisive factors in the ranking. Miami will now face Texas A&M in the playoff opening round. Other teams, including BYU, Vanderbilt, Texas, and ACC champion Duke, also expressed dissatisfaction with the final CFP standings. Notre Dame’s exclusion is widely attributed to its 0-2 start, with narrow losses to Miami and Texas A&M early in the season, while Alabama, despite a three-loss season, secured a CFP spot due to its strength of schedule. The snub leaves Notre Dame sidelined for the postseason and raises questions about the playoff selection process.
