Marcus Freeman’s stated goal for this Notre Dame season was for the Fighting Irish to “leave no doubt.”
In other words, don't leave your playoff fate in the hands of an unreliable selection committee.
Well, Notre Dame’s performance in a 28-24 loss at Brigham Young created some doubt.
Are the Irish a playoff team? That’s a fair question to ask after this loss that included some controversial and downright botched officiating.
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On this edition of “College Football Unfiltered,” a USA TODAY Sports podcast presented by Sports Seriously, host Blake Toppmeyer and his colleagues Paul Myerberg and Matt Hayes break down the chaos of Week 7, and they assess the shockwaves of Notre Dame’s loss in Provo, Utah.
Notre Dame is sitting fine for the playoff for now with just one loss, but the Irish host No. 1 Miami in November.
Listen to full College Football Unfiltered podcast episode below.
Is Notre Dame’s game vs Miami a must-win game for the Irish?
Hayes: What has Notre Dame done to deserve the benefit of the doubt from the committee? Who has Notre Dame beaten in either of the past two seasons? Yes, the Miami game should be considered a must-win game for Notre Dame. Otherwise, it could be sitting at 10-2, and who will it have beaten? Just look at the schedule. Notre Dame’s best win so far came against Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels. Is that supposed to impress me?
Myerberg: The Irish need to beat Miami. If they don't, then it’s not just plausible, it’s likely they won’t have the resume to get in the playoff. Notre Dame could be 10-2 with losses to the two best teams on its schedule, including a head-to-head loss to Miami. That sounds a lot like last year, when Notre Dame was the first-team-out of the playoff.
Toppmeyer: Remember, guys, the playoff rules changed before this season. Notre Dame would automatically get a bid if it’s ranked in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings on Selection Sunday. The Irish didn’t get a bid last year, even though they were ranked No. 11. The rules won’t allow that to happen again this year. Notre Dame would be vulnerable at 10-2, but I still think the Irish can finish in the top 12 and make the playoff with a competitive loss to Miami.
The Big 12 or the ACC becoming a two-bid league would complicate matters for Notre Dame, however. If the Irish lose to Miami, they need BYU to win the Big 12 and Miami to win the ACC. Then, Notre Dame could say its only losses are to a pair of Power Four champions.
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Which top-10 loss came as the biggest surprise last weekend?
Myerberg: It has to be No. 1 Georgia losing to unranked Auburn, right? On a day full of surprises, that came as the biggest.
Hayes: Correct, losses like that just don’t happen to Kirby Smart’s teams. Of all the wild losses last weekend, I think that was the weirdest of all, especially considering how the Bulldogs lost: They were outmuscled.
Toppmeyer: Georgia losing to Auburn for the first time since 2017 was indeed shocking, but I’d also consider Alabama losing at Tennessee as another possibility for most surprising loss by a top-10 team. Maybe, I shouldn’t have been surprised, because this is now three wins in a row for Tennessee against Alabama at Neyland Stadium. But, Alabama had earned so much credibility by dominating Mississippi State and going toe-to-toe with Georgia that I admit I didn’t expect Tennessee’s utter domination. So much for Keelon Russell’s Heisman campaign. Tennessee’s defense tore that idea asunder.
Where to listen to College Football Unfiltered
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' "College Football Unfiltered" podcast, hosted by columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream episodes on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts, Spotify or iHeart.Cohosts Matt Hayes, Paul Myerberg and John Brice cover college football for USA TODAY Sports.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do you trust Notre Dame football to make playoff? Depends who you ask