It’s nonsense to think that ESPN doesn’t want the eyeballs that Notre Dame brings—both supporters and the haters hoping to get a dose of schadenfreude of an ND loss in a meaningful game—especially when the alternative is what we got in the last two games yesterday.
I will admit full heartedly that in Championship level games - yes - I would like to see the better team (that night) determine who is the winner - and not things like a muddy field. Some variables can't be helped - but this one could and in my opinion - should.
As far as the published study - you can twist statistics anyway you want....we just had 3 real life examples - but you choose to ignore those.