Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua wasn't happy with the College Football Playoff selection committee on Sunday. He broke his silence after the Irish were left out of the final 12-team field. Still stung by the decision, Bevacqua called the process an “absolute joke” and said the program was blindsided by its drop to the first team out.
“My feelings and the feelings here are just shock and, really, an absolute sense of sadness for our student-athletes,” Bevacqua told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger. “Like a collective feeling that we were all just punched in the stomach.”
Notre Dame, who were ranked No. 10 entering championship weekend, appeared to be in position for an at-large berth ahead of No. 12 Miami despite the Hurricanes’ Week 1 win in South Bend. But BYU’s loss created a side-by-side comparison between the Irish and Hurricanes, with the committee ultimately elevating Miami based on head-to-head.
Alabama, which fell in the SEC title game, remained at No. 9, further compounding Notre Dame’s frustration. “There is no explanation that could possibly be given,” Bevacqua said. “We feel like the Playoff was stolen from our student-athletes.”
Selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek defended the decision on ESPN, saying Miami and Notre Dame were “almost equal” on paper and that revisiting the head-to-head matchup broke the tie. He acknowledged the controversy surrounding the timing of that evaluation.
Bevacqua said Notre Dame is still evaluating its bowl options but made clear the disappointment will linger. “It’s devastating,” he said. “These young men deserved better.”
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