The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are off to a dominant 4-0 start, currently sitting at No. 3 in the nation. They are certainly looking the part of a College Football Playoff contender, but the biggest question lingering over South Bend is still staring everyone in the face: how good are they, really?
Dominance With an Asterisk
Everyone knew going into this year that Notre Dame had one of the weakest schedules in the country. It is a total double-edged sword for them. On one hand, their path to the College Football Playoff looks clear. But flip that coin, and any losses against their few top-ranked opponents could seriously cost them in the rankings, with almost no chance to make up ground with the playoff committee voters. Through four games, though, the Irish have absolutely understood the assignment. They’ve not only won all four, but they’ve done it in dominant, convincing fashion. No doubt about it, they are crushing it. But who have they been crushing?
What’s the Signal in Crushing Nobodies?
So, what have we actually learned about this team? Bud Elliott, from the Cover 3 Podcast, pointed out that there is definitely a signal to be found even when a team is beating up on lesser, but still Power Four, competition. You could say Notre Dame hasn’t played anybody, and he doesn’t totally disagree. But, as he put it, “there is still signal in killing a bunch of nobodies. It’s a really good football team and they’re showing it.” Elliott noted that while they’ve played “bad Power Four rosters,” these are still teams spending over $10 million on their rosters, way better than G6 or FCS games. He said, “And they’re killing them. That doesn’t tell you exactly what they are, but there is definitely a signal there that if you go out and kill every Power Four team you play. I think Notre Dame deserves some measure of credit.”
We’ve seen enough to be confident that this is a high-floor team. They handle their business every time they step on the field, which speaks to good coaching and a roster that’s completely bought in. It’s so easy for college kids to sleepwalk through games against weaker opponents, but the Irish have totally avoided that trap. The message from South Bend is loud and clear in that locker room: leave no doubt for the playoff committee after being left out in 2025. And dominating the teams you’re supposed to is the first step. They’re doing that in all three phases of the game. But the open question still remains: how will they look against a true playoff-caliber team? They’ve played three Big Ten teams, so they’re not totally untested, but when will we *really* find out what these Irish are made of? That’s what we’re all looking forward to seeing next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply