If Notre Dame went head-to-head with Alabama, Oklahoma or Miami (Fla.) this weekend, FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt would pick the Fighting Irish to win each of those games. In fact, he doesn’t disagree with the College Football Playoff committee’s notion that Notre Dame is better than at least two of those teams.
However, Klatt also believes that the CFP committee ranking Notre Dame (No. 9) above Alabama (No. 10) and Miami (No. 12) could spell trouble for the future of college football.
“The hard part here is [the committee is] strolling themselves right into a lure, and there are penalties for what they’re doing,” Klatt mentioned on his podcast, “The Joel Klatt Present.” “We are able to see that Alabama is vastly superior because it pertains to résumé and three spots away is a crew [Notre Dame] misplaced to head-to-head. By [the committee’s] personal admission, these groups are actually within the cohort that is being evaluated towards each other. That also did not carry the day.
“That could possibly be problematic. You possibly can inform me this weekend you would decide Notre Dame to win the sport. That is high quality. However you continue to must honor the video games which have been performed. To some extent, it’s important to search for and honor what the gamers do on the sphere. I get it, Miami’s résumé is not fairly what Notre Dame’s is and their losses aren’t nice. … However this can be a drawback. Video games that get performed have to be honored. I have been constant about that.”
Ought to Notre Dame be ranked forward of Alabama? 🤔
Coming into the ultimate week of the common season, Notre Dame, Alabama and Miami all sit at 9-2. However the Crimson Tide arguably have the strongest résumé of the three groups, holding the ninth-toughest energy of schedule within the nation, whereas the Combating Irish are thirty fourth in energy of schedule and the Hurricanes are forty eighth. Alabama’s additionally 3-1 towards groups within the CFP’s high 25, whereas Notre Dame is 2-2 towards the identical group.
But, Notre Dame was nonetheless ranked forward of Alabama by one spot and three spots forward of Miami regardless of its loss to the Hurricanes again in September. After all, the Combating Irish have been a greater crew as of late, successful their final 9 video games with a mean margin of victory of almost 30 factors.
Whereas Klatt mentioned that rating Notre Dame forward of Alabama and Miami is according to the committee’s concept of valuing eye check over résumé, he additionally mentioned it is the one motive why the Combating Irish ought to be ranked above these two groups.
“The résumé is not shut. If you happen to go by résumé, which earlier committees have accomplished, then Alabama could be over Notre Dame. However this committee desires to worth Notre Dame,” Klatt mentioned. “I am not essentially disagreeing with this as a result of when you mentioned to me, impartial website, who wins subsequent weekend: Alabama or Notre Dame? I might decide Notre Dame. I feel the committee is utilizing that because the final resort. Who’re you selecting in a sport this weekend? Most likely Notre Dame. I would decide them over Oklahoma, by the best way, who’s ranked one spot forward of them. I might decide them over BYU. I might decide them over Miami, and I do know they misplaced to Miami earlier within the yr.”
The Playoff Committee is heading for a lure + a Chaos Situation for Rivalry Week
Nonetheless, Klatt worries that if Notre Dame makes the CFP over Alabama and Miami whereas having the same report, groups would possibly take the trail of least resistance shifting ahead to maintain their playoff hopes intact.
“It isn’t an amazing spot for the committee. However they’re placing themselves in a nook the place not honoring head-to-head is an issue, and that is an issue for the way forward for school soccer,” Klatt mentioned. “They’re additionally strolling into this lure of devaluing non-conference matchups. That is additionally an issue. Michigan at 15 is principally on the backside of all of the two-loss groups … that is a bit problematic due to the loss they’d [at Oklahoma].
“If we need to encourage blue bloods to maintain these video games on the schedule and encourage them to schedule extra of those non-conference video games, we can not carry the hammer down on them within the playoff committee room.”
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