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BYU has a better resume than Notre Dame. How are you going to go after the committee for adhering to their rules? The top 5 highest rated conference champions get automatic bids, this isn’t hard. JOIN A DAMN CONFERENCE

Long ride home for the Buckeyes! I had a friend, who I haven't seen in years, who went with his dad to all IU football games, home and away for years. This one is for all long suffering IU fans, but especially Rod Conner!

The Irish have announced they are withdrawing from consideration for a bowl game. Another disappointing, but understandable, decision.

hahaha 500k , how much do they save by not going as a school? I would bet the number of the fine is close to operational cost on bowl game

Looks like ND taking their ball and heading home.

Jack Swarbrick, the guy who ushered Notre Dame athletics into the modern age, always said there were only a few things that could prompt the Irish to re-examine their independent status: if they lost their strong broadcast partner (NBC), couldn't secure a fair path to the postseason (like CFP access), or faced an unsustainable financial disadvantage due to conference realignment, especially concerning lucrative TV deals. I firmly believe that the bolded language represents exactly what happened this year. And there’s no reason it won’t happen again. It was absolutely predictable, and it’s totally repeatable. I fully support a complete re-examination of the cost/benefit of independent status in football, in light of the massive changes in the college football landscape since that policy was established.

How do I really feel? I'll keep it to myself so I don't get banned for a lifetime instead of a few weeks which is probably likely. I'm on here too much, so any kind of a ban would be a blessing. I'm hoping for two months at least. Notre Dame haters, yourself and football dork, can relish in the delight of Notre Dame getting screwed, so congratulations to you two. As for IU, really do wish them luck. I'm happy for their fans.

Notre Dame’s exclusion - which I described previously as being a 100% self-inflicted wound - was a very clear message from the “join a conference like everyone else” people, although it might be difficult even for them to keep a straight face with Tulane and James Madison in the field. Be interesting to see if someone can estimate how much it co$t them to miss the playoffs.

If Alabama gets “punished” it won’t be because they played. It will be because they did not look like one of the 12 best teams in the country … and haven’t for some time now.

No one has been more critical of the athletics administration at IU than I have. I will give them their props on Cignetti, they appear to have hit it out of the park with this hire. This group has even gotten a jaded cynical old man to watch a little college football again…..

I think this all goes back to a point @Bobref made recently. As big as the conference championship games are, especially financially, this very well may be the last time we see them being played. Willing to bet the ACC will be the first to announce it.

That was a great game. Period.

You guys are NOT going to believe this. I had THE craziest dream ever. IU fires Tom Allen, and they bring this dude in from some small school out east. Guy has a decent first year, but man the second year? Not only does the team go undefeated….crazy, right? F***ing IU undefeated, but theeeeeeennnnnn, get this shit…..beats Ohio State to win a Big Ten Championship. I should avoid late night pizza from now on. That was one crazy ass dream.

This should only be the beginning! 😊 I'm happy for Don Fischer too! He's suffered through some horrible football for years! I muted the TV and listened to him furing the game, and he has every reason to be exicted!

Hell yeah, the Sun Belt would be great for the Irish. Would be a great upgrade to the schedule the currently play

Take the fine, and do what's best for the players. It's patently obvious that those players who believe they could make the 'next level' would opt out anyway. Of course you will.....

Not going to look them all up, but Iowa State players absolutely had a voice. (According to the Des Moines Register) Teams in Big 12 are all being fined by their conference for boycotting bowls

Shut up? What's up with that?? Are you an internet bully?

The CFP basically said "screw you" to the kids at Notre Dame. Notre Dame said "screw you" back. Can't hardly blame them.

Packers won so he’s in a good mood. Now Coach…that’s a different story….

It’s a lot to risk I guess. If they play and lose, would cement the committee’s decision. Just hope the administration asked the players.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but there are plenty of them out there. I’ve previously made my feelings known about Notre Dame and the CFP. I have no beef with the Committee’s decision. But some people are wondering aloud about the coincidence that ESPN, who paid $7.8 Billion for the exclusive broadcast rights to the CFP, also is the network with exclusive broadcast rights to SEC football.

The TD throw, while being hotly pursued, right on the sideline, into a window that was less than the width of the football, was insane.

That’s fair YG. I like 16. Makes sense. Agree also about NIL regulation.

That’s BS and you know it. Indiana has the best 2 wins in the country, at Oregon and beating Ohio State on a neutral field. If they win 3 tough ass games to win the natty, there ain’t no damn asterisk because they didn’t have to beat a team that blew 2 games against eventual CFP teams. 0-2 vs. CFP teams isn’t getting it done and with that weak schedule means no playoff. I saw this coming and I said as much while you were boasting of a guaranteed spot for the Irish. Then you double down and trash the CFP teams are basically call it a sham because they Irish didn’t earn it on the field.

I do hope IU wins it this year, but it won't be legitimate without going through Notre Dame.

Like!

A fair path? Laughable. Don’t lose to the two best teams on your schedule, especially when one of those teams is one you’re directly competing with for the last at-large spot. Notre Dame has gotten preferential treatment for almost a century. Notre Dame lost at home to a MAC team that ended up with a losing record and not only made the playoff but received the highest at-large bid.

Professional football players will continue to choose to not play exhibition games unless guaranteed money on the table to play said Exhibition games in December/January

Same. I’m out of reactions for the day.

I’m a ND fan who has cared little for independence, particularly when it was clearly costing them a ton of money and opportunities to pour money into football as the media rights skyrocketed over the past 15 years, but I’m not sure what is exactly arrogant about being independent. For a long time conference affiliation mattered for little more than bowl opportunities, and it’s likely the only reason independent programs like Penn State, Florida State, and Miami joined conferences was for money after the NCAA lost control of television. As for greed, that’s spread fairly equally around the sport—looking especially at the league offices in Rosemont and Birmingham. I don’t know if it’s a message to join a league or not, but it’s at least a message that the arrangement with the ACC is going to be more problematic without assurances that Miami and, I guess, Clemson appear on the schedule with greater frequency. Maybe ND can join the Big Ten with one other program so the league can split into two ten team divisions where they play nine conference games.

Agreed. I’m an Irish, fan, but I will not be losing sleep over them not being in. I’ll still watch the games.

As I have said multiple times, Notre Dame’s arrogance and being greedy finally bit them in the ass. About time. Join the Big 10, quit being greedy hogs, quit scheduling 7-8 cupcakes a year, and earn your way in.

The sport has made exceptions for ND forever. This time it bit them in the ass.

Jmu, Tulane and Alabama? Agree 100% on the smaller schools.

I think it maxes out at 16. The big takeaway last year…I remember Kirby Smart being on set during the first round, he wants a playoff home game. Football is a different animal than any other sport. A legitimate look at teams 12-16 now, and there is not a team that has a shot at making the championship game. That said, more than any other year ever, there are more teams who could make the championship game; not necessarily win it, but could make it. My issue is when you get beyond 16 teams, the health of teams playing becomes a greater factor. I hear you, but again every ranked team’s schedule can be criticized.

Conference championship games will be gone within 2 years. No advantage to playing them other than financial and the reason they were played in the first place was financial. They will increase to 16 teams soon and potentially to 24 teams within 5 years for the CFP

I think while the Notre Dame schedule can be scrutinized, name a team whose schedule cannot be. The saying that has followed IU for two years was not only play somebody, but beat somebody good. The bar was raised every step of the way. ACC was not very good, I grant you that. But I also think the SEC is overrated and has been. Outside of maybe two teams, the rest is just meh. While people can say Notre Dame did not beat anyone of value, their two losses were by a combined 4 points….to two teams in the playoffs.

Congrats Hoosier fans. You deserve it. Four red zone possessions for OSU…lol. The missed field goal early by Indiana may have actually been a blessing as there is no doubt Day would have gone for it on 4th and 1 down 6 instead of 3. His chicken$hit play call on 3rd and 1 was hysterical and telling. Still the same dude who buckles in close 4th quarter games.

When they discussed this new format, I knew this was going to happen to teams that lost in their conference championship games. The eye test shows Alabama is not a top 12 team but if I were them and I got left out today (which seems likely), I’d be pissed. They beat Georgia in the regular season and by record were the top team in the SEC. Ole Miss, Oklahoma and A&M sat on their asses yesterday and are comfortably in. They should’ve just declined the invite to the SEC title game.

Yep. Never pass up an opportunity to watch you make an ass of yourself.

What is a bit comical and disingenuous to me is the talk around conference championship games. One year, the talk is, well this team did not play in a conference championship game and should not be rewarded for that. This year we are hearing teams that lose a conference championship should not be punished for playing in that game. Should the conference championship games matter? Absolutely, every game should be taken into consideration. A friend was trying to stir the pot with me last night about the Irish not playing in a conference championship game. I said you know who else is not playing in a conference championship game? Oregon, Miami, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. If the goal is to get the best 12 in, the Irish belong. But so does Miami. I will even say that those two are better than at least 3 teams in the 5-8 spots in the rankings. If those two get in, I am fine saying that Alabama is one of the best 12. Winning at Georgia really is a BFD. But damn, that FSU loss is there too. No question though is whoever the G5 team(s) is/are, no I do not think they are among the best 12 in the country.

At this point, doesn't anyone really wanna see Bama in the playoffs losing by 21 points to someone? I personally would like to see Miami have a shot. Of course Notre Dame, which is a no brainer as they might be this year's champion.

Number one and 13-0 says it all!

Unreal!!! Losing est team in college football history, breaks 30 game losing streak vs. Ohio State, and beats the Buckeyes at their own game!!! Ho, Ho, Hoosiers!!!

ESPN is in bed with the SEC. What’s really bad is ESPN is the driver of the CFP. No conflict of interest here…

I really don’t understand why this hasn’t gotten some traction on the GID. It’s the only fair way, right?