The College Football Playoff unanimously approved a new format that places the five highest-ranked conference champions as the No. 1 to 5 seeds. Under this new process, the independent Notre Dame has no shot of earning a first-round bye awarded to the top four seeds in an expanded 12-team field starting next postseason.
Paul Finebaum didn’t offer any condolences.
Discussing the situation on Wednesday’s First Take, the ESPN pundit claimed the top-ranked Fighting Irish losing out on a bye is a far-fetched scenario.
“What if Notre Dame was No. 1? Well, first of all, that’s not going to happen,” Finebaum declared. “Marcus Freeman is a good coach, but they’re not going to be No. 1. But if they were, it’s their own fault. Notre Dame remains an independent. For what reason, I don’t know.”
Finebaum blasted Notre Dame for believing they were “too good” for the ACC. The school is an ACC member in all sports besides football and hockey, and the football team played its 2020 schedule within the conference.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s much better than it was,” Finebaum said of the new CFP format. “And as far as Notre Dame, cry me a river.”
Chris Russo concurred, saying he has “no sympathy” for Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith asked why the Fighting Irish are “even relevant” despite last winning a national championship in 1988.
While Fighting Irish won’t have an easy road to snapping that title drought, the new CFP model gives them a chance to earn one of seven at-large bids.