Should Notre Dame Be Upset at Missing Out on the CFP Playoffs?

• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish didn’t make the 12-Team CFP Playoff.
• They decided to opt out of a bowl game, calling the decision a “farce”
• Some wonder if the rumors of head coach Marcus Freeman going to the NFL had something to do with it.

Notre Dame is opting out of playing a bowl game after being snubbed for a CFP Playoff spot. The Fighting Irish have called the decision a “farce”.

There are some that wonder if the rumors that head coach Marcus Freeman is leaving for the NFL may have had something to do with the situation.

Irish Were in the Top 12 All Season, Even This Week

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua made the announcement shortly after the CFP Playoff rankings were released.

Bevacqua told ESPN that any rankings before the final set are a “farce and total waste of time”. He also told the Dan Patrick Show on Monday that there has been “permanent damage” between the ACC and Notre Dame, due to the conference’s campaigning for a team over Notre Dame.

On social media, Notre Dame football posted:

"As a team, we've decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season. We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we're hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026."

The Fighting Irish were in the top 12 of the rankings all season until Sunday, and even in the final rankings, they were 11^th. However, Notre Dame was on the outside looking in after Miami took the final at-large spot. James Madison and Tulane got in after winning the Sun Celt and AAC conferences, respectively.

It should be noted that Miami beat Notre Dame 27-24 at home on August 31. But the argument for Notre Dame is there, and they would have decent college football championship odds, had they made it into the playoffs.

Do the Marcus Freeman-to-NFL Rumors Have Anything to Do with It?

There are also some on social media that think the rumors of head coach Marcus Freeman going to the NFL had a little to do with the committee’s decision.

There isn’t anything to indicate that played any part of the committee’s choice to omit Notre Dame. But it is interesting that Freeman is now the favorite to take over the New York Giants at NFL betting sites. The Giants fired Brian Daboll on November 10, and Mike Kafka is the interim head coach.

But there has reportedly been interest around the league for Freeman, who is 43-12 in four years at Notre Dame. He coached the Fighting Irish for one game in 2021, losing to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl.

However, no one knows exactly what conversations were had among the committee members. No one can say exactly that didn’t factor into their decision. But it’s another example of a flawed selection system that no one seems to have a solution for!