The College Football Playoff (CFP) has sparked controversy and disappointment among Notre Dame fans, who are questioning the fairness of the selection process. The low-scoring game between Miami and Texas A&M, which ended in a 10-3 Miami victory, left many fans and media personalities fuming, especially after Notre Dame was left out of the bracket.
The game was a showcase of missed opportunities and mistakes, with both teams' kickers combining to miss 4 out of 6 field-goal attempts and committing three turnovers in the first three quarters. It was the first time in CFP history that the game went into halftime with no score. This came as a surprise, considering both teams had averaged over 34 points per game throughout the season.
The controversy surrounding Notre Dame's exclusion from the bracket is twofold. Firstly, two Group of 5 schools, Tulane and James Madison, received automatic bids and made the Playoff field over the No. 11 Fighting Irish. This decision was met with criticism from media personalities like ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit and seven-time national championship head coach Nick Saban, who argued that the Playoff's selection criteria left Notre Dame out in the cold.
Herbstreit stated, 'I don't think we need to make sure everybody gets a trophy, and make sure everybody's included. I think that's a bunch of bulls---.' Saban also expressed his opinion, saying, 'I think the fact of the matter is, all three of those teams should have gotten in and deserve the right to play in the College Football Playoff.'
The second point of contention is the outcome of the game between Miami and Texas A&M, which was a showdown between Power 5 programs. Despite the high stakes, the game resulted in a low-scoring, mistake-ridden stalemate. This led to social media reactions from fans and media personalities, who questioned the Fighting Irish's exclusion from the Playoff field, with some even saying 'I told you so'.
The reactions on social media were mixed, with some fans expressing disbelief and disappointment, while others found humor in the situation. One fan tweeted, 'Notre Dame would've had 30 on the scoreboard by now', while another said, 'The funny thing about this Miami vs Texas A&M game is that no matter how bad both teams play, Notre Dame fans can't say anything cause they lose to BOTH of them. I love it'.
The controversy surrounding the CFP selection process and the low-scoring game between Miami and Texas A&M has left many Notre Dame fans feeling aggrieved and questioning the fairness of the system. The debate continues as to whether the Playoff's selection criteria are fair and whether the outcome of the game between Miami and Texas A&M was a true representation of the teams' abilities.
