In college football rankings, Notre Dame Football gets a pass every year because of its “storied tradition” and that is not to make fun of the Notre Dame legacy, but to point out how well it serves the University.
Last ywar, Notre Dame posted an 8 and 5 record, and won its second bowl game in three years, and first under new Head Coach Brian Kelly.
Because of that, and a much-hyped recruiting class, The Fighting Irish opened the season ranked 16th in the country. And it faced an opening date with the University of South Florida and new Head Coach Skip Holtz, the son of Notre Dame’s legend and ESPN Commentator Lou Holtz. USF shocked Notre Dame, not only winning 23 to 20, but leading by as much as two touchdowns for the entire game.
And that was at Notre Dame.
Now, Notre Dame is in early season trouble. The Chicago newspapers are igniting a quarterback controversy. And it’s a sure bet Notre Dame will fall out of the top 20 in college football rankings.
But all of that masks the real problem: Notre Dame Football was not a top 20 team to start with, and certainly not 16th ranked.
How and why ND got there is a mystery to this blogger, and makes me wonder how much this is the stuff of marketing, and then makes me wonder if someone along this ranking determination chain is being paid something.
Notre Dame will fall out of the top 20. That is, if there’s any justice in the World.
Stay tuned.