As the dust settles on the 2025 college football season, Notre Dame must confront its own shortcomings for missing out on a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Fans of the Irish need to face a harsh truth: Miami earned its CFP position over Notre Dame, primarily due to their head-to-head victory. Despite the historical grievances surrounding the 1993 national championship, this season”s results are what matter. If this reality stings, perhaps it”s time for Notre Dame to claim that title outright and engage in endless debates with Alabama supporters about their legacies.
However, even as the CFP Committee made a defensible decision regarding the teams selected, it also made numerous missteps that contributed to Notre Dame”s frustration. The Irish”s journey felt more like a scripted drama than a competitive season, with the team serving as a pawn in a reality television narrative gone awry.
The responsibility for Notre Dame”s predicament ultimately lies within its own ranks. This is not merely a critique of the team”s independent status or their partnership with the ACC, which has not proven strong enough to bolster Notre Dame”s resume to the level of SEC teams. Instead, the blame falls squarely on head coach Marcus Freeman, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, and defensive coordinator Chris Ash for avoidable mistakes throughout the season.
Kudos are due to the defensive coaches who managed to rectify a shaky start to the season, but there should not have been such a shaky start in the first place. Controversies like a glaring non-call on a holding penalty during the Texas A&M game and injuries to key players like Leonard Moore and Tyler Buchner do not excuse the team”s lack of readiness.
Freeman”s tenure at Notre Dame has shown a troubling trend: a tendency for the Irish to struggle defensively in the early part of the season. This year, players like Karson Hobbs were exposed against Miami, while Malachi Toney found success against many defenders. Additionally, the inconsistent application of discipline, with Jadarian Price being benched for a fumble while Malachi Fields avoided such punishment, raises questions about the coaching staff”s decision-making.
This is not meant to serve as a referendum on Notre Dame football or its coaching staff, but rather a lamentation of how the Irish squandered a significant opportunity in 2025. They placed their fate in the hands of the CFP Committee, which ultimately did not favor them. An 11-1 record would have guaranteed a spot in the 12-team playoff field, but this year”s 10-2 squad was left out. Most analysts would agree that Notre Dame is among the top teams in the nation, possibly even among the top five.
Ultimately, Notre Dame”s inability to control its own destiny in this flawed playoff structure is a central issue. The Irish should not have allowed their postseason hopes to slip from their grasp and into the hands of a selection committee that often seems to prioritize SEC interests. This is a critical lapse on Notre Dame”s part, and it leaves fans without even a quirky consolation prize to cope with the disappointment.
