Irish’s playoff fate in hands of committee
NotreDame fanswent into Saturday’s ACC championship game against Clemson with the unspoken understanding a College Football Playoff berth alreadywas in the bag for the Fighting Irish.
With aNo. 2 ranking and an unbeaten regular season that included an epic, double-overtime win over the then-No. 1 Tigers onNov. 7 in South Bend, Ind., most believed the Irish
basicallywere playing for seeding purposes only.
While a 34-10 loss to thirdranked Clemson in the rematch Saturday in Charlotte, N.C., probably doesn’t change that perception, the blowout loss at least gives Texas A&Mthe opportunity to make a case it’s just asworthy asNotreDame of a final-four spot.
Coach BrianKelly said the Irish are “no doubt” deserving
of a playoff spot, pointing to the previous win over Clemson and another “top-15 win” over North Carolina.
“I don’t know that anybody has a resume as (strong as) those two wins,” he said. “And we played 11 games. I mean, that matters. Playing 11 games, testing your team week in and week out, that in my
d ts st esLtYiO on se the top four teams in the country.”
The vaunted Notre Dame defense allowed 541 yards Saturday while quarterback Ian Book and the running game looked out of sync. The Irish offense averaged 1.5 yards on 30 rushing attempts and finished 3-for-12 on third downs.
But as bad as Notre Dame looked Saturday, was it enough for one of college football’s most iconic programs to lose a pBlauycofk hrau ncb firrsu
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It’s often said anything can happen in 2020, but that seems as likely as Touchdown Jesus twerking on TikTok.
Still, you can’t blame Texas A&M coach Jumbo Fisher for lobbying the selection committee INDIANAPOLIS after the Aggies’ — Ohio handy State win running over back Tennessee Trey Sermon before got the the message ACC title Saturday. game kicked He’d off. heard coach Ryan Day preach about everything “No one-loss the Buckeyes SEC team overcame has ever missed to reach the this playoff. season’s … Big If we Ten can’t championship play in this league game. and He also be in heard the playoff, Day urging something’s players wrong,” to overcome Fisher more said, obstacles adding that in “some the second schools half. haven’t So Sermon even played delivered seven games.” — with a record-breaking That was an obvious performance. shot at No. 4 Ohio State, He which ran for likely 331 will yards get and in with scored a 6-0 two record second-half after touchdowns, holding off No. helping 14 Northwestern No. 3 Ohio State in rally a Big past Ten No. title 15 game Northwestern the Buckeyes 22-10 didn’t for its fourth qualify straight for until conference the conference crown and changed a likely spot its rule in the on College the mandatory Football number Playoff. of “I’m games aware played. of my ability and I know I’m more Both than Notre capable Dame and of playing Texas A&M my game, are one-loss which is teams making whose guys only miss defeat and playing came at at
the hands of another probable CFP team; the Aggies lost 52-24 to Alabama in Week 2 of the SEC season.
We’ll know Sunday whether the selection committee agrees with Fisher, but the odds seem to favor an Alabama-Notre Dame matchup in one of the semifinals, with Clemson and Ohio State in the other.
“Whatever (game) they put us in, we’ll be ready to play, whether it’s next weekend or (Jan. 1),” linebacker Jeremiah OwusuKoramoah said. “We’ll treat everything the same.”
Kelly acknowledged Saturday “wasn’t our best effort” but feels their “consistency” over the course of the season can’t be dismissed because of the loss to the Tigers.
Book said “we belong in it. … Tonight wasn’t the second our night, level,” but the Big everybody Ten championship who has played game MVP football said. before “When understands I’m in the there zone, I are feel bad like nights. the game That just was really tonight,” slows down and I can Notre see everything Dame’s first develop, season playing make the in right a conference reads and make in its the 132-year right cuts.” history was an unqualified Sermon used success, the though combination its first of ACC vision title and speed game was to average an unmitigated 11.4 yards disaster on 29 carries in spite against of a one promising of the nation’s start. top defenses, breaking Lawrence, Eddie who George’s missed single-game the first meeting school in record South and Bend the after Big Ten being championship forced to sit game because mark. of a positive COVID-19 test, showed The former why he’s Oklahoma still considered back did the it all top when quarterback the Buckeyes in (6-0) the nation, absolutely even needed if he might him not most. have played enough games to win the Heisman Quarterback Trophy. Justin He finished Fields said 25-for-36 he couldn’t passing throw the for ball 322 late yards in with the game two touchdowns because of a and sprained an interception right thumb. while running for another Starting score running and can back only Master hope Teague that consolation left in the first prize half isn’t with being an undisclosed drafted No. 1 injury, by the and New star receiver York Jets. Chris Olave was inactive and Clemson didn’t make back the Travis trip. Etienne was also virtually With Ohio unstoppable, State struggling rushing and for down 124 yards 10-6 and at halftime, a touchdown it had on a familiar 10 carries. feel to Day.
“This “It was game in the was small a microcosm things that of we what got this twisted up,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “New quarterback. Not much different scheme. Clemson doesn’t really have a difficult offense in itself. It was just the small things we didn’t do right. I don’t think it was a lot on their part that they did different.”
The Irish seemed to be in control early, driving downfield with a 3-0 lead after a Kyle Hamilton interception of Lawrence. But the drive stalled, and Irish kicker Jonathan Doerer botched a 27-yard field-goal attempt.
Lawrence, named the game’s most outstanding player, answered with a 67-yard touchdown pass to Amari Rodgers to take the lead for good near the end of the first quarter.
After Irish wideout Avery Davis dropped a fourth-down pass from Book to turn the ball over on downs on the next possession, Clemson marched 72 yards on six plays, grabbing a 14-3 lead on Lawrence’s 33-yard strike to E.J. Williams.
Another field goal added to the lead, and Clemson whole season began has to pour been,” it on Day with said. an “These 88yard guys, drive they’ve in the been final gritty, two minutes they’re of tough. the half, They’ve capped been by through a 44-yard so much Etienne and touchdown they just don’t flinch.” run with 21 seconds remaining.
For “We Northwestern let the second (6-2) quarter it was get agonizing. away from The us,” Wildcats Kelly said. led from “And the that moment was the Cam difference Porter scored in the on game.” a 9-yard with 4:03 left in the Lawrence first quarter was until 12-of-19 the for moment 199 yards Sermon in the answered first half, with as a the 9-yard Tigers run amassed to give the 344 Buckeyes total a yards, 13-10 dominating lead with 2:41 up left front. in the The third. Clemson In between, star went Northwestern untouched on settled a 34-yard for a touchdown field goal on run one with drive 3:43 and left blew in the another third to scoring turn it chance into a rout. when Peyton Ramsey was picked And off now in the the end world zone awaits to open the the word second from half. the CFP selection committee.
Ramsey Book said was there’s 24 of a 37 big with difference 224 yards “mentally, and ran effectively, physically” too. from But playing he threw 11 games two interceptions as opposed to and six. lost a fumble — all in the final two “Look, quarters. I’m not the committee, but it’s tough,” “I’m just Book hurting said. “I for don’t our even seniors,” remember coach who Pat Fitzgerald we played said. Week “We 6 it’s didn’t been come so long. down But here that’s to play part hard, of we the came game, down and we’re here to win, happy and not we to played get the 11 job games done and is bitterly were able disappointing.” to win 10 of them. I truly think it means a lot.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SELECTION SHOW 11 a.m. Sunday, ESPN