Notre Dame Football: The Wrecker Of Dreams?

Can Notre Dame wreck the dreams of two “Power 5” conference champions?

It’s June, so of course let’s talk abut impending scenarios involving Notre Dame and the College Football Playoff. Who better to kick things off than ESPN’s Heather Dinich. Dinich, after all, seems to be one of ESPN’s clutch players when discussing the college football playoff.

And when ESPN discusses the playoff, it’s usually one of those things where they throw anything they can think of against the wall, and see what sticks. Dinich is especially tuned into this practice if you have ever listened or watched her.

This all seems especially true after Dinich posted an article about Notre Dame’s potential to cause headaches for the college football playoff. This type of article is right on par with the annual “LOOK  AT HOW MUCH NOTRE DAME STILL PAYS CHARLIE WEIS.” It’s predictable and annual.

You see, it’s not that Dinich is wrong in her assessment and the principles she uses in regards to predictions involving Notre Dame. No, it’s the- how should I put it… NO FREAKING DUH way in which this is all presented.

Going into the third year of the college football playoff, I think it’s safe to assume that if Notre Dame ends up in the top four, at least two Power Five conferences will not be represented in the playoff. This shouldn’t come as a shocker to anyone.

In 2014, most people argued that if Notre Dame won out after a close loss to Florida State on the road, Notre Dame still had a really good shot to get in (until they went out and lost 5 of the next 6), and last year it looked as if Notre Dame was most likely to gain a spot if Stanford doesn’t make that last second field goal- even with one loss on its schedule already to Clemson (also on the road).

So what has changed for Notre Dame and its chances if it goes 11-1 in the regular season? I think we can all agree that a 12-0 Notre Dame team is in the playoffs no matter what, but that one loss is really tricky. Last year it was that one loss to an undefeated Clemson squad at Clemson that actually helped the Irish. It was a close game, and Notre Dame was winning their other games. So is there something different about 2016? No, but in 2017 it may when the Big 12 adds a conference title game.

Brian Kelly and Jack Swarbrick have always maintained that they would “put up their 12 against anyone else’s 12” when it comes to FBS opponents, and in a world where a lot of teams still play a FCS school, that is a nice advantage. Like Dinich, I can only argue that in the end, the committee will use those data points to judge a team.

Yes, Notre Dame has the ability to wreck the dreams of two Power Five conferences each year, but how much should that even matter? If the Irish play a tough schedule and drop a close game they should, and most likely always will, be in the running for a playoff spot. The whole thing is incredibly fluid, but much like the “Weis story,” it’s June and we feel compelled to talk about it.

GET HERE AUGUST.