Paul Finebaum dismisses Notre Dame's College Football Playoff chances after Ohio State loss

In the four-team College Football Playoff model, Notre Dame has proven that it has a path to the Playoff despite not being in a conference and therefore not playing in a conference championship game. However, the Irish have never done that without going unbeaten.

Now, with a loss to Ohio State, analyst Paul Finebaum believes Notre Dame has been eliminated from Playoff discussion, and during an appearance on the Matt Barrie Show, Finebaum dismissed Notre Dame moving forward.

“He’s [Marcus Freeman] such a good coach and he’s come so close,” Paul Finebaum said. “And I’m not making excuses before I go in for the kill because it was a colossal error.”

The major mistake Finebaum is referencing is that Notre Dame only had 10 men on the field for its final two defensive plays, coming out of a timeout, as Ohio State scored the winning touchdown. It’s because of that mistake and Notre Dame’s schedule that Finebaum says the Irish are done this season.

“And Notre Dame fans can say — one tweeted at me today and said, ‘We still have Duke.’ Well, that’s great. Congratulations. Go down to Durham and revel in GameDay, but don’t spit Duke to me. Please. I think Clemson’s on the schedule,” Finebaum said.

“Notre Dame’s not getting back in this thing. You can’t lose a home game, and you also can’t be Notre Dame and have the arrogance of that institution and say, ‘We don’t need a conference.’ Well, how nice would a conference be right now if you were in the ACC and you would have a shot at perhaps Florida State at the end of the year to get you back in.”

Notre Dame did compete in a conference one season, the 2020 season that was impacted by the pandemic. That year, the Irish were in the ACC and won a game and lost another to Clemson. Despite the loss, that season the Irish made the Playoff.

Of course, in the future, the expanded Playoff is going to make this a moot point. For now, though, the Irish likely need to have been perfect.

“It won’t matter next year, but it will matter this year,” Finebaum said. “And Notre Dame, start looking to Tempe or somewhere else for a nice bowl trip, and you’ll get it and you deserve it, but you’re not going to the Playoff.”

The Irish currently sit at 4-1 and have seven games remaining. That includes two opponents who are currently ranked, against rival USC and next week’s opponent, Duke. Clemson is also on the schedule, though the Tigers aren’t ranked as of now.

Andy Staples says the CFP isn’t out of reach for Notre Dame

Not everyone agrees with Paul Finebaum. One person who doesn’t agree is On3’s Andy Staples, who thinks that an upset win over USC could put the Irish back in the College Football Playoff picture.

“If I’m Notre Dame, I’m sick over what happened. There was a dropped interception on the last drive that would’ve won them the game. Obviously, they gave up a third-and-19. They should’ve been able to close that game out and they didn’t. They had 10 men on the field in the last play. No excuses for that,” Staples said.

“But if you are Notre Dame, you probably didn’t immediately go watch USC-Arizona State, but you might’ve caught some highlights. If you’re Notre Dame and you saw USC and Arizona State, you’re looking at that and going ‘We can beat them.’ If Notre Dame can beat USC, the Playoff’s not out of reach.”