A number of college football teams declared they’ll opt out of a bowl game this year.
The Big 12 fined Kansas State (6–6) and Iowa State (8–4), both of whom are losing their head coaches, $500,000 apiece for their decision. “While the Conference acknowledges the difficult timing around coaching changes, the Big 12 is responsible for fulfilling its contractual obligations to its bowl partners,” the conference said. At least seven 5–7 teams have declined invitations to face Georgia Southern in the Birmingham Bowl. Teams normally need to win six or more games to be bowl eligible.
However, one rejector stands above the rest.
Notre Dame removed its name from bowl consideration shortly after it was left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish won 10 straight games after two close losses early in the season and ended the season ranked No. 11 by the selection committee, but were the first team out after Alabama (10–3) and Miami (10–2) jumped them in the rankings.
How exactly did Notre Dame get left out?
For starters, the rules dictate that the five highest-ranked conference champions get an automatic bid. Two Group of 6 conference champions, Tulane (11–2) and James Madison (12–1), finished the season higher than the ACC title game champion, unranked Duke (8–5). That took away a spot that could’ve gone to an at-large team, plus Miami—the ACC’s best team, which didn’t get a spot in the conference championship on a technicality—was still a threat to Notre Dame’s chances.
Everything came down to the Nos. 9 and 10 spots, with Alabama, Notre Dame, and Miami all in the running. Notre Dame and Miami had the same record and very similar strength of schedules, but the Hurricanes beat the Fighting Irish 27–24 in a head-to-head meeting to open the season. Georgia (12–1) crushed Alabama in the SEC title game, but the Crimson Tide somehow still landed over both in the No. 9 spot. Miami, which moved up a spot after BYU’s loss, had the tiebreaker over Notre Dame and took the last opening.
Notre Dame was out, and BYU (11–2) was the second team out.
“Our heads were spinning,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said Monday morning on The Dan Patrick Show. “Like, where’s the logic? Where’s the rationale? Why are we being kind of punished and the only ones that seem to be moving in the wrong direction, and yet winning and having an unbelievably dominant end to the season?”
Bevacqua has been making the media rounds ever since the announcement. He spoke with Yahoo Sports, Wake Up Barstool, and Patrick, and will hold a press conference Tuesday.
Bevacqua’s main talking points have been:
- Notre Dame was “led to believe” it would have a spot because the team was ranked higher than Alabama and Miami throughout the weekly CFP rankings. (The shows are part of ESPN’s $7.8 billion deal with the College Football Playoff, for which it also broadcasts all games. Notre Dame has an independent deal with NBC Sports.)
- Notre Dame wasn’t told why Alabama jumped ahead of it in the rankings last week, only hearing rumors that the Crimson Tide “went for it on fourth down.” CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek has publicly said Notre Dame’s win that week against Stanford was “strong,” but Alabama “looked really good” in a rivalry game against Auburn, especially in the first half.
- Notre Dame is upset with the selection committee and the ACC, not other schools.
- Notre Dame was “mystified by the actions of the conference to attack” the university, which has a five-game annual football deal and is an ACC member school for more than two dozen other sports. Bevacqua said it seemed that the ACC took shots at Notre Dame and caused “permanent damage” to their relationship, but said that harm is not irreparable.
- Worth noting: CFP officials signed a memorandum of understanding that says if Notre Dame finishes in the top 12 beginning in 2026, the Fighting Irish will earn an automatic playoff berth.
- Notre Dame didn’t want to play a bowl game without its top players, who would’ve sat out.
The ACC Network played Miami’s win over Notre Dame 13 times last week, and the conference’s football account on X compared Miami’s resume to Notre Dame, Alabama, and BYU.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement Monday that the league never suggested Notre Dame “was not a worthy candidate for inclusion in the field,” noting that the Fighting Irish program is “incredibly valued,” and stressed the conference had to advocate for its 17 football-playing members.
Notre Dame won’t get a return trip to the College Football Championship. The team reportedly declined an invitation from the Pop-Tarts Bowl, which will feature BYU and Georgia Tech. Bevacqua insisted the decision didn’t have anything to do with Pop-Tarts, which he said he loves, particularly the brown sugar flavor.
“This is absolutely the right move,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox posted in response to Notre Dame’s opt-out. “Getting embarrassed in a bowl game against BYU would be really hard on the program. Much smarter to avoid playing tough teams so you can keep your brand intact.”
