College football is no stranger to controversy, but few things ignite national debate like the College Football Playoff rankings. And this week, Paul Finebaum was not holding back. During his latest segment, Finebaum erupted over what he sees as glaring favoritism toward Notre Dame, arguing that Miami and Alabama have been unfairly pushed aside despite comparable (and in some cases superior) resumes.
Finebaum Calls Out CFP Committee for Favoring Notre Dame
Finebaum did not take it easy. He started his rant by saying, “It rubs me beyond the wrong way. I’ve been hearing that Notre Dame, there’s a bias. There is a bias! Let’s just go ahead and admit it..”
He continued, “I feel bad for Miami,” referencing their exclusion from last year’s playoff and their slide again this season. “They got knocked out last year, they were the last team out along with Alabama. They did some of it to themselves, but they beat Notre Dame. Shouldn’t head-to-head matter in college football? But apparently to this committee it does not matter.”
Finebaum’s frustration reflects a growing national talking point: why is Notre Dame ranked No. 9, above both Miami and Alabama, despite the Hurricanes holding a head-to-head victory? And how should fans understand the logic the CFP Committee is using under new chairman Hunter Yurachek?
To answer that, we look at the numbers.
Offensive Production: Slight Edge to Notre Dame
According to PFSN’s CFB Impact Rankings, Notre Dame holds a clear advantage in total scoring:
- Points For: Notre Dame 385, Miami 337, Alabama 316
While both Alabama and Miami boast stronger passing metrics than Notre Dame, though not by overwhelming margins, the Irish dominate the ground game, leading all three teams in rushing yards per game:
- Rushing Yards/Game: Notre Dame 192.5, Miami 157.8, Alabama 108.7
- Rushing TDs: Notre Dame 28, Miami 22, Alabama 12
This is a key pillar in Yurachek’s defense of the rankings. He has repeatedly emphasized offensive balance, arguing that Notre Dame’s ability to win in multiple ways plays a significant role in its placement.
Offensive impact grades back that up:
- Offensive Impact Grade: Notre Dame 87.5, Alabama 86.4, Miami 84.7
Notre Dame doesn’t simply score points; they do so efficiently, consistently, and in a way that travels in November football.
Defensive Performance: Miami Leads, But It’s Tight
Defensively, Miami has the overall advantage:
- Defensive Impact Grade: Miami 91.4, Notre Dame 87.9, Alabama 87
Looking deeper:
- Passing Yards Allowed/Game:
-Alabama 161.5 (best)
-Miami 189.1
-Notre Dame 224 (worst)
- Rushing Yards Allowed (Total):
-Miami 818 (best)
-Notre Dame 993
-Alabama 1326 (worst)
Alabama’s run defense is the major outlier, shockingly poor compared to its historical identity. This deficiency directly affects their ability to control the line of scrimmage, a major CFP selection metric.
On the flip side, Notre Dame’s defense remains opportunistic:
- Interceptions Forced: Notre Dame 17, Miami 11, Alabama 8
This turnover margin helps neutralize some of their passing-yard weaknesses.
Strength of Schedule: Small Lean Toward Alabama
Strength of schedule is extremely tight among the three:
- Alabama: 14.63
- Notre Dame: 13.53
- Miami: 13.34
Alabama gets a slight boost here, but not enough to elevate them over Notre Dame, considering recent results and the other factors on both sides of the ball.
Offensive Line Impact: Miami and Notre Dame Outclass Alabama
Using PFSN OL Impact data:
- Miami: 90.7
- Notre Dame: 90.6
- Alabama: 81.8
Both Miami and ND can control the line of scrimmage; Alabama cannot. This becomes especially relevant in November, when games often come down to run game consistency and trench play.
But the context matters, and the belief is that the committee favors Notre Dame.
Finebaum frames the rankings as a clear bias. But when unpacking the context:
- Notre Dame hasn’t lost since Week 2.
- Their two losses came against Top-13 teams.
- They are the hottest team of the trio.
- Their offense is the most balanced.
- Their defense is opportunistic.
- Their run game is the most reliable.
The Miami argument hinges largely on head-to-head, but context complicates that narrative. Miami beat Notre Dame by only a field goal in Week 1, with Irish QB CJ Carr making his first-ever collegiate start as a redshirt freshman. Since then, ND has experienced significant growth.
Alabama’s issue? Recency. Their latest loss damaged their momentum, and the committee believes they are being carried disproportionately by Heisman contender Ty Simpson. Meanwhile, their run defense remains a liability.
Miami’s biggest problem? The inconsistencies have been showing up lately. Which Miami team is it? In the first half of the season, Miami looked elite and dominant. However, losses to Louisville and SMU have revealed cracks in their play and a lack of a clear path to their conference championship.
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So, is there real Notre Dame bias? The numbers say no.
Notre Dame is not dramatically better than Alabama or Miami, but they are better in enough categories, and stronger in the metrics the CFP committee has historically valued:
- Balance
- Consistency
- Run game reliability
- Turnover margin
- Line of scrimmage control
- Quality losses
- Momentum
Finebaum’s frustration is understandable; Miami did beat Notre Dame, and Alabama’s schedule is technically stronger. However, when examining the full body of work, the gap between the Irish and the other two isn’t rooted in bias, but rather in performance.
Notre Dame is simply one of the most well-rounded teams in the country right now, and the metrics validate their position.
