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Just The Truth
Look, I know Notre Dame fans are crazy. I have been one my whole life. As I have gotten older, I have learned how to think more rationally.
This season needs to be appreciated. Some fans will say it is a failure if they do not win a championship this year. That is fine to think that, but everyone needs to know a few things about how good Notre Dame football has been during Brian Kelly’s tenure.
How about two facts that will give you some perspective.
Fact #1
Notre Dame has gone undefeated in the regular season, 12-0, twice during Brian Kelly’s nine seasons. That may not seem like a lot to some people, but here is a list of other college football teams (power 5 schools only) who have gone undefeated twice during this time span.
- Alabama Crimson Tide (2016, 2018)
- Clemson Tigers (2015, 2018)
- Florida State Seminoles (2013, 2014)
- Notre Dame (2012, 2018)
End of list.
Since Brian Kelly took over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, four power 5 schools have had two undefeated regular seasons. Notre Dame is one of them. The Irish are in an elite group.
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Fact #2
This year is the 5th year of the college football playoff. Every year four teams make it, so that means a total of 20 teams have qualified. Here is a list of the schools who have qualified for the college football playoff over the last five years.
- Alabama Crimson Tide (5)
- Clemson Tigers (4)
- Oklahoma Sooners (3)
- Ohio State Buckeyes (2)
- Washington Huskies (1)
- Michigan State Spartans (1)
- Oregon Ducks (1)
- Florida State Seminoles (1)
- Georgia Bulldogs (1)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1)
End of list.
Notre Dame is one of 10 schools to make it to the college football playoff over the last five years. Again, the Irish are in an elite group.
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This is why we need to have perspective. Notre Dame football is in a great place.
Notre Dame is not dominant like Alabama, but Nick Saban is so good he has made it impossible for anyone to be dominant like Alabama.
Take this time to appreciate the Notre Dame football team. It is hard to make the college football playoff. It does not happen often and it does not happen for many teams. It is a hard thing to do and cannot be a thing you expect (unless of course you are an Alabama fan) to happen every season.
What a season so far, let’s hope it’s far from over.