Marcus Freeman makes Notre Dame's case for College Football Playoff after regular season

Marcus Freeman didn’t hesitate when asked whether Notre Dame has done enough to earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Fresh off a 10th straight victory to end their regular season, the Irish head coach made a clear and direct pitch to the selection committee.

He wants the decision-makers to judge his team on who they are right now, not who they were in September. Freeman further elaborated.

“You talk about a team that is probably playing as well as anyone right now,” Freeman said after Week 14. “We’ve won 10 straight games in a row. I think all of them by double-digit points, maybe. And you want the 12 best teams. 

“Now I know you have the conference champions and the Group of Five highest-ranked team, but you talk about who are the best teams now. Not Week 1. Now. It’s hard to argue we aren’t one of those teams.”

Notre Dame enters this championship weekend at No. 10 in the CFP rankings, but its position is anything but secure. The Irish must survive multiple moving pieces around them, including a potentially disruptive BYU upset in the Big 12 Championship Game, the ACC title game fallout and the race for the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. 

Perhaps most concerning is Miami. The Hurricanes are ranked behind Notre Dame, but they’ll finish with the same 10-2 record and own the head-to-head victory over the Irish. That tiebreak looms large as you evaluate both teams more closely in the coming days.

Notre Dame’s résumé isn’t perfect, but it’s tough to deny its worthiness

Regardless, Freeman is betting on the eye test, and the recent product speaks loudly. Notre Dame hasn’t lost since early September and has looked increasingly dominant behind an impressive offense and one of the nation’s most physical defenses. 

The Irish’s résumé may not be perfect, but their momentum is undeniable. Freeman believes that is what should ultimately matter.

He has a point, as the Irish have been one of college football’s hottest teams, dismantling opponents throughout their 10-game surge. Whether that proves enough in a crowded, chaotic playoff field remains to be seen. 

But as the committee sorts through conference champions, head-to-head results and résumé comparisons, Freeman made sure Notre Dame’s case was unmistakable. He believes the Irish are one of the 12 best teams right now.

Whether the committee agrees will determine if Notre Dame’s late-season surge earns it a postseason lifeline or leaves their 10-game winning streak on the wrong side of the playoff cut. Time will tell, but there’ll be a lot of upset fans in South Bend if they choose the latter.