Because of course you are correct and making the playoff is better. What a cool recruiting pitch to say "Look, we've been in the playoff three of the last four years and we're so so close and we just need you and your two most talented friends to join up and get us over the hump." I'm sure the people saying "ND getting in and losing by a lot would be bad for future prospects!" were also saying that last year and if the Irish were to get in again that would clearly not be the case.

I actually don't think ND needs much in the way of style points. They have to look good, but nothing too fancy. The path is pretty clear:

* UGA takes care of Bama in semi-comfortable fashion. It would also depend if Bama looks like Bama against Arkansas and Bo Nix or shitty like they have against questionable Florida and LSU teams.
* Cincy loses a game. (Committee will drop them like a rock and say "Well the Irish team that played them hadn't figured out their offense yet but we're just so impressed with how ND has played since the bye..." blah blah blah)
* Oregon loses one more.

You also still have the possibility of two-loss champs in the B12 or B10 to open it up further. Please win out and make this fun, Irish.