The College Football Playoff sent a message to Notre Dame on Sunday that independence comes with consequences.
Despite winning 10 straight games and seeing their resume strengthened by Boise State’s Mountain West title, the Fighting Irish were edged out for the final at-large berth by Miami, a team they lost to in Week 1.
In many ways, the committee arrived at the correct decision. Miami owned the head-to-head win, and in a crowded at-large field, that mattered. But the process behind the decision reinforced the perception that Notre Dame operates with little margin for error as the lone major independent.
Neither Notre Dame nor Miami played this weekend, yet the Irish slipped behind the Hurricanes after BYU’s loss reshuffled the CFP board. The committee’s slotting mechanics, not on-field results, ultimately determined Notre Dame’s fate.
It highlights the inherent risk Notre Dame faces by not being in a conference. Without a league title game, without divisional tiebreakers, without a late-season platform to validate its resume, the Irish rely on committees and comparisons instead of opportunities. Miami had its moment back in August and it carried more weight than 10 straight Notre Dame wins.
With first-round CFP matchups now set and Miami heading to the field while Notre Dame stays home, it's time to join a conference, or accept that this can happen again.
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