On Selection Eve, Notre Dame football's Marcus Freeman states case
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SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman followed Miami counterpart Mario Cristobal as remote guests Saturday evening on Fox Sports’ Big Ten Championship pregame show.
Before delivering his pointed rebuttal, Freeman smiled and said, “I feel like we’re in a political debate.”
In this case, the only voters Freeman was trying to sway were the 12 members of this year’s College Football Playoff selection committee. Saturday’s developments in various swing states seemed to be helping 10th-ranked Notre Dame’s playoff case ahead of the Sunday afternoon bracket reveal.
Texas Tech, ranked fourth, drilled No. 11 Brigham Young 34-7 in the Big 12 title game, eliminating the Cougars (11-2) from playoff consideration.
In the Southeastern Conference title game, No. 3 Georgia (12-1) avenged its regular-season home loss to Alabama with a 28-7 blowout of the ninth-ranked Crimson Tide (10-3).
“The ultimate question is who’s the best team now?” Freeman said. “That’s what the playoff committee wants, and I’m sure that’s what college football fans want. I think anytime you look at one single data point, it’s going to sway you, one way or another.
“The committee made it clear on Tuesday that the debate and focus has been on Notre Dame and Alabama. I might not agree with their decision to flip us, but it shows that the debate isn’t Notre Dame-BYU-Miami. It’s Notre Dame and Alabama.”
Earlier Saturday, ESPN analyst Nick Saban, the former Alabama coaching legend, gave Miami the clear nod in a head-to-head comparison with Notre Dame based on the Week 1 result in favor of the 12th-ranked Hurricanes (10-2).
“Look at the game,” Saban said on College GameDay. “Miami was the more physical team in the game. Jeremiyah Love gained 33 yards in the game. (Miami) won on the line of scrimmage. They kicked Notre Dame’s a– in the game.”
In reality, Miami needed a game-winning field goal from 47 yards out with 1:04 remaining after Notre Dame rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final quarter.
What’s more, the Hurricanes outgained the Irish in total yardage by just 25 (339-314) in the season opener for both teams.
Even Love’s night was a bit misleading. Add in his four receptions, and the Heisman Trophy candidate finished with 59 yards on 14 touches, still modest numbers but not far off from the scrimmage output of Miami’s top two running backs: Marty Brown (17 for 86) and Mark Fletcher Jr. (16 for 74).
“I do agree that Notre Dame is playing very well right now,” Saban added. “So, it’s hard to not think that both of those teams should be in. … None of this stuff is really fair.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman stumps for CFP inclusion
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