Texas Tech coach throws shade at Notre Dame over independence

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The CFP committee made one of the more controversial decisions in its history this year when it chose to bounce Notre Dame from the 12-team field in favor of Miami.

The Fighting Irish had ranked ahead of the Hurricanes for most of the year amid their 10-game winning streak to end the season, but Miami held the head-to-head victory from Week 1. Ultimately, the committee chose to weigh that result over recent success.

The on-field loss to the 'Canes hasn't stopped Notre Dame from being vocally critical of the committee's decision, but when it comes to at least one of the CFP coaches, it's apparently not very convincing.

Joey McGuire, whose Texas Tech team draws No. 5-seeded Oregon in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal on Jan. 1, criticized Notre Dame for its continued independence. As an independent, the Irish are not eligible to receive an automatic bid to the playoff as a conference champion.

“It’s really tough, because you hate to eliminate anybody, but I do think that when you have a criteria of where you’re going to select a team, everybody should be in that same criteria,” McGuire said. “So, and I don’t wanna make Notre Dame mad, but be in a conference, and you’re in the playoffs. If they’re in the ACC, they’re in the playoffs.”

Unfortunately for McGuire and those who agree with him, it seems Notre Dame will not be pressured into joining a league any time soon. According to a signed memorandum of understanding, the Fighting Irish will be guaranteed a spot in the field if they finish ranked in the top 12 starting next season.

McGuire isn't the only one calling for Notre Dame to join a conference, which it is not incentivized to do thanks to their lucrative television rights deal with NBC, and it's been a common refrain since the Irish's perceived playoff snub. Still, it doesn't seem like Notre Dame is going to be jumping to the ACC or Big Ten any time soon.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire says Notre Dame should join a conference

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