Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua still mad over CFP snub, says team was denied despite 'one of the most dominant 10-game runs'
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Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua continues to express anger and frustration over the team being snubbed from the College Football Playoff. A day after Bevacqua called out the ACC, the AD continued to lament Notre Dame's snub, saying the team went on "one of the most dominant 10-game runs in the history of college football" leading up to the selection committee's final decision.
Bevacqua made those comments during a season-end press conference. He echoed many of the same sentiments he's shared in recent days, calling the snub a "gut punch" and continuing to attack the ACC over its decision to go to bat for Miami.
Calling Notre Dame's 10-game run "one of the most dominant" ever, though, was a new talking point for the AD.
Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua: "We were shocked, mystified what happened Sunday. We had one of the most dominate 10-game runs in the history of college football"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 9, 2025
After falling to Miami and Texas A&M to kick off the season, the Fighting Irish rallied to win their final 10 games, putting them in position to make the CFP bracket. The team beat two top-25 opponents during its streak, taking down both USC and Pitt down the stretch. Both teams ranked in the 20s at the time Notre Dame beat them.
In between those wins, Notre Dame beat up on a lot of teams that ultimately posted poor records.
"One of the most dominate 10-game runs in history of college football"
Purdue (2-10)
at Arkansas (2-10)
Boise State G5
NC State (7-5)
USC (9-3)
at Boston College (2-10)
Navy G5
at Pitt (8-4)
Syracuse (3-9)
at Stanford (4-8) https://t.co/9GlVcHDD4N— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 9, 2025
In Bevacqua's defense, the Fighting Irish seemed poised to get into the CFP bracket despite that. Though the team lost to Miami earlier in the season, Notre Dame was ranked higher in the weekly CFP polls. It appeared the selection committee thought Notre Dame was the better team despite the early loss.
But that changed at the absolute last moment. Miami leaped Notre Dame in the bracket, earning a spot in the CFP over the Fighting Irish. That decision, along with the selection committee's unwillingness to punish Alabama for a blowout loss to Georgia in the SEC title game, resulted in Notre Dame getting axed from the bracket.
Following that snub, Notre Dame opted to take itself out of bowl consideration this season. On Monday, Bevacqua said that was a decision made by the team's captains.
Following the initial snub, Notre Dame appeared to have public sentiment on its side. Many criticized the selection committee's decision and process, justifying Notre Dame's anger. Bevacqua continued to stoke those fires with his repeated attacks in the ensuing days.
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