Slap the Sign
Fansided

Notre Dame football: Is Brian Kelly leaving hurting their CFP chances?

By Sean Smith

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 29: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish walks in to the stadium before the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 29, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Miami 30-27. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 29: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish walks in to the stadium before the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Stadium on October 29, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Miami 30-27. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Brian Kelly leaving for LSU, is his departure hurting the chances of the Notre Dame football team making the College Football Playoff?

Brian Kelly is heading to LSU, and it may have just cost Notre Dame football a shot at the College Football Playoffs. Via Yahoo Sports College Football: CFP chair Gary Barta on Notre Dame: “Once the championship games wrap up … the protocol does include the ability for the committee to consider a player or a coach not being available.”

Oklahoma State jumped the Irish in the polls at No. 5, which shows the committee has no respect for the Irish after losing their coach. Not only do the Irish now need Alabama to lose to Georgia. They also will need Michigan, Oklahoma State, or Cincinnati to lose to their respective opponents this weekend.

Notre Dame football dealing with plenty heading into the final CFP ranking

It has been a stressful 24 hours for the Notre Dame football community, and this made it even more stressful. These players battled all season long to show they are a playoff-caliber team, and there is a chance it is taken away because of something they can’t control.

This team needs leadership, and Marcus Freeman is the answer for the Irish. The coaches, players, and fans are all rallying behind Freeman, showing their support for the current Irish Defensive Coordinator.

I have never seen anything like it.

If the Irish can keep Freeman and make him the head coach, the Notre Dame recruiting classes and the team should remain intact. However, if he is not hired as the Head Coach there will likely be recruits who de-commit and players that transfer. This would seriously impact the 2022 and 2023 classes, as they are two of the best Notre Dame has had in recent memory.

This team is angry. They just lost their coach and fell in the College Football Playoff Rankings. Whether if it is an NY6 bowl or the playoffs, whoever plays the Irish next is going to play a dangerous team, and I am excited to see this team perform.

Home/Notre Dame Football