Notre Dame Football Facing Blowback For 'Embarrassing' Decision

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After missing the College Football Playoff, the Notre Dame football program opted to skip out on bowl season.

“As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” the statement from the team said. “We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026.”

Notre Dame, which went 10-2, abruptly ended its season following the College Football Playoff snub. But it's something the Fighting Irish are now proud of.

Notre Dame defended the move in a new video.

"You don't have much time, after the announcement, to make a decision on a bowl game," Freeman said in the video. "The captains had already gotten together, talked with the majority of the leaders on the team with each other. And by the time we had a conversation, they had already knew that this question was gonna come up."

"But as long as y'all felt convicted and made it for the right reason, that's why I agree with you," he continued. "That's why I agree. If I didn't, I thought you guys just were mad and just, ‘no Coach, we’re not gonna do it because we're mad.' I wouldn't have let you do it. But it was well-thought-out and I wanted you to know how proud I am of you guys."

Marcus Freeman was proud of Notre Dame’s captains for deciding it wouldn’t be right for the Irish to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, via @ND_HCTI. pic.twitter.com/OfsuwmPHlY

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) January 12, 2026

Notre Dame ripped for the video

A Notre Dame player, Drayk Bowen, defended the move, too.

"We kind of just got the rug pulled out from under us," Bowen said. "And that was one of the biggest things that we talked about. We're not necessarily gonna be playing with our full team. We didn't feel like we were gonna represent our football team, Notre Dame, and ourselves very well."

But fans are ripping them.

"The whole team quit. They documented it. Then put it on tv," one fan wrote.

"It was a terrible look. You didn't get what you wanted, so you took your ball and went home," one fan added.

"So the adult in the room had a chance to teach these kids a lesson about life and finishing what you start, and left it in hands of the kids to quit because their feelings were hurt? Life will humble you regardless 😂," one fan added.

What do you make of Notre Dame's decision to publicize the video?

This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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