2025 College Football Playoffs

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DCK_1981

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Seeing that list makes me sick how we missed by 1 year playing in the easiest playoff ever. Michigan beat the Bama team that Saban was 1 foot out the door and then Washington. Does anyone think the 2024 Irish wouldn’t have won that natty? We had to play a super team in the finals not an above average pac 12 team
 
IrishLax

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NDPhilly said:
ND ended the season #3 in pretty much every advanced metric system:

DokterEntropy: 3
Sargarin: 3
TeamRankings.com: 3
ESPN FPI: 3
Massey Power: 3

Would have been ~5pt dog to IU on a neutral field. painful.
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Yeah the big takeaway from this year is "missed opportunity" because the field was wiiiiiiide open. A few different injuries or calls break ND's way and there's a very real possibility would've won it all. Indiana and Ohio State were the only two teams definitively "better" on paper.
 
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tirishman505

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irish4ever said:
IMO, 3 things prevented the Irish from playing for a natty this year ...
1) The ESPN-led CFP committee's fucked-up snub of course (gotta protect the SEC)
2) Al Golden being hired by the Bengals (D definitely wouldn't have started the season that slow if it wasn't for a new DC to get acclimated to)
3) The fumbled snap/missed extra-point demise near the game against A&M (also #2 comes into play here as A&M wouldn't have scored 40+ on a Golden led D).
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4) Shuler not picking off Beck at the end of the 1st half.
 
Blazers46

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BleedBlueGold said:
I'm not sure there needs to be a new thread for 2025 in the rearview, but I do have some thoughts:

There is a small part of me that feels like ND is cursed. The sheer amount of things that ND needed to go their way this year, but didn't, is astounding. In this "game of inches," ND fell short in ways that seemed to have cosmic interference. Feel free to add to this list. This is just off the top of my head.
  • Miami needed an insane one-handed TD grab by Daniels, a flukey INT, and a last minute FG to beat ND. All season long, Miami was known for shooting themselves in the foot, yet in this game, they played almost flawless. (For comparison, Indiana needed a Miami missed FG, a blocked Punt for a TD, and a Beck INT to win that game last night. Miami provided them with all.)
  • A&M needed a botched XP from ND, a gigantic missed holding call, and one of ND's worst defensive efforts on the entire season to win this game by one point.
  • Fast forward and towards the middle-to-end of the season there is not one single upset that benefits ND. Not one.
  • The ACC royally screws up their own conference tie-breaker and has Duke vs UVA in the CCG instead of UVA vs Miami.
  • And then Duke proceeds to win that F'ing game, rendering the Bama/UGA and BYU/TexTech games meaningless because...
  • The CFP committee screws ND in unprecedented fashion by keeping a bad Alabama team in and dropping ND to keep from leaving the ACC out. Reasons were completely fabricated.
It's not that one or two of these things happened in a vacuum. That'd just be chalked up to what we call "college football." It's the fact that ALL of these things absolutely NEEDED TO HAPPEN in order to keep ND out of the playoffs.....and somehow, some way, that's exactly what happened.
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And it still took a corrupt system to put Alabama over ND because a random nonsensical reason.
 
BleedBlueGold

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Blazers46 said:
And it still took a corrupt system to put Alabama over ND because a random nonsensical reason.
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If literally any one of the bullet points I listed go in ND's favor, there is no way they get left out. Just one needed to break for ND.

I circled back to that a couple times today, wondering if I forgot anything. My overall takeaway is that literally ALL of those things had to happen for ND to be left out, and they did.

I cannot get my head around it.
 
NDWarrior

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So this is where the CFP committee is at this point with a hard deadline of this Friday (1/23) before the 2026 CFP defaults to the same current 12-team field format (and I assume with the same requirement to include the top 5 ranked conference champions that would include a G5 CC):

The CFP committee has not finalized any changes for the 2026 season this weekend; they delayed the decision, making it increasingly likely the format will remain at 12 teams unless the Big Ten and SEC commissioners can reach a last-minute agreement by the Jan. 23 deadline. The ongoing disagreement between the Big Ten (pushing for 24 teams) and the SEC (preferring 16 teams) over future expansion models has stalled progress, leaving the current 12-team structure as the default for 2026.

Key Points from the Weekend Meetings (Jan 18, 2026):
  • No Decision Made: Leaders met in Miami but did not agree on expanding the playoff field for the 2026 season.
  • Deadline Looms: A hard deadline of Friday, January 23, exists for any format changes to take effect for 2026.
  • Stalemate Continues: Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey hold the ultimate power, but their differing visions (24 vs. 16 teams) have created a stalemate.
  • Default Remains 12 Teams: If no consensus is reached by the deadline, the playoff will automatically stay at 12 teams for the 2026-27 season.
The Core Conflict:
  • Big Ten: Wants to move towards a 24-team format, which would reduce reliance on conference championship games.
  • SEC: Favors a 16-team playoff (5 automatic bids + 11 at-large) but is hesitant about committing to a future 24-team model without more assurances on media rights and championship games.
 
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tirishman505

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I've seen it asserted on B1G and SEC forums, that the real fight here is between FOX and ESPN. That ESPN's contract with the CFP is only good as long as the playoff is no bigger than 16 teams. So going to 24 would be to reopen the media rights negotiations, allowing Fox to jump in. Anyone know if that is true?
 
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slick7410

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tirishman505 said:
I've seen it asserted on B1G and SEC forums, that the real fight here is between FOX and ESPN. That ESPN's contract with the CFP is only good as long as the playoff is no bigger than 16 teams. So going to 24 would be to reopen the media rights negotiations, allowing Fox to jump in. Anyone know if that is true?
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I heard this as well, that the contact would nullify. Which is why the Big Ten (FOX) was the only proponent of it.
 
Blazers46

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tirishman505 said:
I've seen it asserted on B1G and SEC forums, that the real fight here is between FOX and ESPN. That ESPN's contract with the CFP is only good as long as the playoff is no bigger than 16 teams. So going to 24 would be to reopen the media rights negotiations, allowing Fox to jump in. Anyone know if that is true?
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I’ve never wanted that many teams, but if it means ESPN does not have all the media rights I am all for 100 teams.
 
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Wild Bill

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tirishman505 said:
I've seen it asserted on B1G and SEC forums, that the real fight here is between FOX and ESPN. That ESPN's contract with the CFP is only good as long as the playoff is no bigger than 16 teams. So going to 24 would be to reopen the media rights negotiations, allowing Fox to jump in. Anyone know if that is true?
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I heard the same. I think someone on ND beat mentioned this as something they heard from another media figure (maybe Klatt). No idea whether it’s actually true, but it would explain the SEC's objection to expansion - they're protecting their partner.
 
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irishjim

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Big 12, MAC, AAC, ACC have a deal with ESPN- connect the dots

Big 10 is only conference that does not have a deal with ESPN.
 
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tirishman505

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irishjim said:
Big 12, MAC, AAC, ACC have a deal with ESPN- connect the dots

Big 10 is only conference that does not have a deal with ESPN.
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While your point is valid, all of the conferences + ND ceded power to the B1G and the SEC in the now so famous MOU. So there are literally only 2 conferences that matter in this particular debate. The interesting subplot is that if it goes to 16, that MOU is null and void so then it would be B1G vs everyone. A small, but interesting, point of leverage.
 
jerseyborn1971

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The painting of IU as these scrappy underdogs who have overcome everything and worked together to develop 3 stars over the years into a national champion is pathetic. They were the first to figure out how to most effectively utilize one of the highest NIL budgets in the country. The irony is they get the benefit of the doubt because of the name on the jersey. If Florida did it, the story would be how UF bought their way back to the national title.
 
IrishLax

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tirishman505 said:
I've seen it asserted on B1G and SEC forums, that the real fight here is between FOX and ESPN. That ESPN's contract with the CFP is only good as long as the playoff is no bigger than 16 teams. So going to 24 would be to reopen the media rights negotiations, allowing Fox to jump in. Anyone know if that is true?
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It's true that the current agreement is only up to 14 or 16 teams, I forget which. I hadn't considered this angle.
 
Terry Jillery

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I really hope we’re on the verge of winning at least one, if not two. Being surrounded by the last three national champions and still standing on the outside looking in is difficult to reconcile.

Talk of the regular season, the playoffs, or playoff wins rings hollow. I find myself with little interest now in the regular season at all, only waiting for our championship game to begin.

Marcus Freeman having no words is understandable. What happened was an indefensible farce. Only domination and championships can answer 2026.
 
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burmafrd1944

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jerseyborn1971 said:
The painting of IU as these scrappy underdogs who have overcome everything and worked together to develop 3 stars over the years into a national champion is pathetic. They were the first to figure out how to most effectively utilize one of the highest NIL budgets in the country. The irony is they get the benefit of the doubt because of the name on the jersey. If Florida did it, the story would be how UF bought their way back to the national title.
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The out thought everyone else and carefully planned what they did
so they deserved the prize
take your sour grapes and choke on them
 
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irish4ever

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Dale said:
Talent
Talent
Talent
Talent
Talent
Talent
Talent
Talent
Old cheaters
Old cheaters
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I would change that to Mark Cuban purchased. What's funny is that a team like ND knows the vast majority of their returning players vying for 1st and 2nd string for next year. Teams like IU, it's like mom went shopping today and we'll see what she brought home after window shopping. They are not the only ones, but WTF ... recruit and develop. It's becoming NFL Light (without a salary cap)!
 
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NDWarrior said:
So this is where the CFP committee is at this point with a hard deadline of this Friday (1/23) before the 2026 CFP defaults to the same current 12-team field format (and I assume with the same requirement to include the top 5 ranked conference champions that would include a G5 CC):

The CFP committee has not finalized any changes for the 2026 season this weekend; they delayed the decision, making it increasingly likely the format will remain at 12 teams unless the Big Ten and SEC commissioners can reach a last-minute agreement by the Jan. 23 deadline. The ongoing disagreement between the Big Ten (pushing for 24 teams) and the SEC (preferring 16 teams) over future expansion models has stalled progress, leaving the current 12-team structure as the default for 2026.

Key Points from the Weekend Meetings (Jan 18, 2026):
  • No Decision Made: Leaders met in Miami but did not agree on expanding the playoff field for the 2026 season.
  • Deadline Looms: A hard deadline of Friday, January 23, exists for any format changes to take effect for 2026.
  • Stalemate Continues: Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey hold the ultimate power, but their differing visions (24 vs. 16 teams) have created a stalemate.
  • Default Remains 12 Teams: If no consensus is reached by the deadline, the playoff will automatically stay at 12 teams for the 2026-27 season.
The Core Conflict:
  • Big Ten: Wants to move towards a 24-team format, which would reduce reliance on conference championship games.
  • SEC: Favors a 16-team playoff (5 automatic bids + 11 at-large) but is hesitant about committing to a future 24-team model without more assurances on media rights and championship games.
Click to expand...
The Core Conflict:
  • Big Ten: Wants to move towards a 24-team format, which would reduce reliance on conference championship games.
  • SEC: Favors a 16-team playoff (5 automatic bids + 11 at-large) but is hesitant about committing to a future 24-team model without more assurances on media rights and championship games.
Big Ten's version, they get away from ESPN/SEC connection and FOX controls.
SEC's version, they stay with ESPN and the SEC dictates who gets in.

Fuck ESPN, the Game Day pricks, the SEC, meatchickens, Miami and now the fuckin' LOOSIERS (football as I have always hated their b-ball team)!
 
Irish2155

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Had to remove myself from a group text. All of a sudden I have a bunch of IU fans as friends and I’m just gonna need to step away from that for a few days.

Congrats to our buddy Kuntz though. I’ll post a pic of his natty ring once he has it.
 
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tirishman505

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IrishLax said:
It's true that the current agreement is only up to 14 or 16 teams, I forget which. I hadn't considered this angle.
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It's 14. Ross Dellenger made that point a couple of times on his podcast during the MOU outrage when it was looking like there was consensus to move to 16.
 
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