The College Football playoff bracket was just released and many fans are disappointed in which teams made it and which didn’t. This is perfectly normal and happens every year because of the College Football playoff’s system. The system is based on opinion and a team’s standing in their conference. This year is different as fans aren’t the only ones livid with the bracket. Teams are also audibly upset, specifically Notre Dame.

Notre Dame was projected to make it into the playoffs right up until the bracket announced that Miami would replace them. Notre Dame was so angry that not only did their athletic director have harsh words for the committee and the conferences, but they also opted out of the Pop Tart bowl. Opting out of the Pop Tart bowl does not affect their chances of making it to the playoffs or help their reputation as a team. If anything, it actually destroys their already diminishing reputation as a team. 

Notre Dame’s football team is an independent team. This means that they chose not to be in any College Football conferences and, therefore, are able to make their own schedule, own their broadcasting rights, and many other privileges. This move is already controversial to some as it makes things more complicated for other teams and conferences in comparison to if they would just join a team. 

When you put that in conjunction with Notre Dame complaining to everyone about not making it to the playoffs and being replaced by a team that is part of a conference, has the same win record, but beat them 27 – 24 in this season, on paper it makes sense for the playoff committee to replace Notre Dame with Miami. If Notre Dame wanted to make an argument that they should be in the playoffs, they should make the argument that they should replace either Tulane or James Madison, both teams who haven’t played super competitive college teams, but again they were included and Notre Dame was not because they are in conference and are leading those conferences.

If Notre Dame would just join a conference, their arguments would and could hold more weight, but since they are not, they have destroyed their reputation and embarrassed themselves in front of everyone.