Notre Dame, left out of college football playoff, declines bowl consideration

Snubbed by the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame snubbed its nose at a second-tier bowl game.The ninth-ranked Fighting Irish responded to getting dropped in the CFP rankings for the second consecutive week by turning down an invitation to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida.”As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” Notre Dame wrote in a statement posted to its official X account. “We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026.”Although it might be the exact reaction that many Notre Dame fans wanted, it’s far from ideal for the long-term viability of non-playoff bowl games.The decision also denies Notre Dame’s seniors a chance for one final game, denies underclassmen from a few extra weeks of practice and denies a legion of fans — is there a bigger brand in college football? — from watching this team play again.Unlike Iowa State and Kansas State, which each got fined $500,000 by the Big 12 for opting out of a bowl game because of coaching changes, Notre Dame won’t get punished because it’s not a full-fledged member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.Despite winning every game for nearly three months, Notre Dame dropped behind Miami in the final CFP rankings and was left out of the 12-team bracket entirely.The Fighting Irish, who won their last 10 games by an average of nearly 30 points, watched…

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