No, Notre Dame respect is not 'helmet magic,' contrary to one writer's claim

The Notre Dame football team is 10-1 and has won nine games in a row. In the process, the Fighting Irish have laid waste to almost every opponent they’ve encountered. And it’s worth pointing out that among the teams they’ve encountered, four of those teams were ranked in the Top 25 at the time.

While there are some national analysts who are finally coming around to just how good the Blue and Gold are, there is at least one writer who continues to have a real problems with the Irish. In his latest column, USA Today Blake Toppmeyer rips into Marcus Freeman’s squad.

“Notre Dame, hosting a first-round playoff game? Give me a break,” he wrote on Twitter. “The Irish bamboozle the CFP committee with helmet magic. It's almost as if that loss to NIU never happened.”

Notre Dame football didn’t bamboozle anyone

“How stupid we were, to think the committee would get heavy-handed on the South Bend glory boys. I mean, c’mon, a lot of these committee members probably watched “Rudy.” Touchdown Jesus has broad shoulders. He lifts a heavy load,” the writer continued in his column. “Beat a few meek opponents from the ACC, and presto! Not only are the 9-1 Irish positioned to the make the playoff, they’re being rewarded with the enviable spot to host a first-round game.”

Of course, Toppmeyer’s argument misses the point. It’s not that the committee was bamboozled. They’ve simply paid attention to a one-loss Notre Dame football team team tha tis clearly better than some of the other SEC or Big Ten teams he wants seeded about ND. And while he’s welcome to complain abou the reality of the field, it is, in fact, the reality.