Many expected Marcus Freeman to lead Notre Dame to a national title run in 2025, given the strength of their roster. However, after finishing their season at 10-2 and landing at No. 4 in the PFSN College Football Playoff Rankings, the Fighting Irish didn’t make the playoffs.
Notre Dame was left out despite rattling off 10 straight wins following early-season defeats to Miami and Texas A&M. Athletic director Pete Bevacqua has voiced the team’s frustrations throughout the week, saying the school was stunned by how eagerly the ACC seemed to lobby against them.
Notre Dame’s CFP Snub Gets Paul Finebaum’s Backing
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum previously argued that Miami deserved to be ranked ahead of Notre Dame in the playoff standings. That prediction came true, as Marcus Freeman’s program finished at No. 11, sitting just behind No. 10 Miami and No. 9 Alabama as the first team out.
In last Tuesday’s second-to-last CFP rankings, Notre Dame had been No. 10 and Miami No. 12. Neither team played on championship weekend. Still, the committee used the Hurricanes’ 27-24 Week 1 win over the Fighting Irish as the deciding factor, especially after BYU slid in the final rankings following its Big 12 Championship defeat.
While many fans criticized the College Football Playoff Selection Committee for excluding Notre Dame because of that early-season loss, Finebaum defended the decision.
“They got it right,” Finebaum said in an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday. “And the crying from Notre Dame is quite frankly embarrassing. Everything Notre Dame has done since the moment this was announced is really beneath a great institution that should stand for principles…They’re not in a conference. That’s their own fault.”
“They think they’re too good to be in a conference. Had they joined the ACC, which they, by the way, are a member of in every other sport, they would have played for the ACC Championship game, they would be in the playoff today, and they wouldn’t be a bunch of sniveling crybabies. And really, quite frankly, in my opinion, the laughingstock of college football.”
Finebaum’s SEC favoritism is well known. In the same segment, he supported Alabama earning a playoff spot over Notre Dame, arguing that the Crimson Tide had beaten ranked opponents while the Fighting Irish faltered in big games.
Finebaum’s views toward Notre Dame aren’t new either. Before the final rankings were even released, he had blasted the fan base on “The Matt Barrie Show” on Sunday.
“Notre Dame is now in contention for the worst fan base in America,” Finebaum said. “I know that’s always been the case, but just shut up already, Notre Dame fans, you haven’t done anything this year. You’ve got a really good team. You played two very meaningful games at the beginning of this year, one at home, one on the road; you lost both. What’s your best win? Southern Cal, whatever.”
Following the playoff snub, Notre Dame opted out of participating in a bowl game, joining Iowa State, Kansas State, and seven other schools to do so.
