But I keep hearing about trying to avoid the schadenfreude that is the College Football Playoff. Of course everybody takes their knocks on ND and I guess until we break through, it's not going to end.

But each of those successive games you note from 2012 to 2018 to 2020, each one was better than the last. I walked out of Jerry World wondering if the game would have been different if not for Julian Love's injury and one of the most inexplicable fumble overturns I've ever seen. Fast forward to 2020 and Notre Dame gave Bama their most competitive game of the season (2nd in margin of victory and fewest points scored). That includes the vaunted Ohio St. I just don't understand why everyone seems to think that Alabama must have taken their foot off the gas, or conveniently forgets that OSU got boat raced in way more spectacular fashion.

We are going to need the stars to align in order to bring this mission to fruition. But it's really not that different from Holtz's time either. We were regularly in the conversation for the top 5 in the 80s/early 90s. But without a missed fumble call, Lou might not have ever got his MNC. And he got to face WVU to cap it off. How much different is the narrative if ND faced Kansas St. in 2012?

I know it's frustrating to have your tail in between your legs leaving the stadiums. But I'm glad we're in that position to do so. I have a buddy out here who was regularly spouting off how overrated ND was and how much better Michigan was than ND (pre MSU). My retort was simply, "you know, this is a down year for ND football and we lost to the #2 ranked team in the nation, in a game that was less than one score late in the 4th quarter. And I don't have high hopes for this team. Whereas you are thumping your chest for the Wolverine's 2nd 7-0 start since 2016 (and they lost 3 of their last 4 that season). Come find me when they do anything."

It's so crazy to me that we are so ho-hum with a program that has a good chance to finish in the top 5. Sure, it hasn't been dominant but I certainly prefer this to the alternative.