CFB Final Preview: The Haters Have Arrived Meme Realized
And the FBS College Football Playoff Worked
If you take a poll of the most hated programs in college football, almost every single poll will have Ohio State and Notre Dame in the top 10 at minimum, but more often than not they are probably in the top 5. There’s a real “hate us cause they ain’t us” about these two programs specifically. And to be fair some of that arrogance is earned.
There’s a reason I have Notre Dame at #6 and Ohio State at #2 on my list for the most influential college football programs of all time.
Let’s look at them separately really quickly. Ohio State is one of, if not the most consistently excellent college football program in the country. As a result, their fanbase has some obnoxiously high standards. People say Alabama fans will raze Tuscaloosa to the ground if they have two 9 win seasons in a row. There will still be those few Ohio State fans who think Ryan Day should just go away even if they win the National Championship, but failed once again to beat Michigan. It is a small group, but that sentiment does not come from nothing.
Ohio State is a program that should make others jealous. Their stadium looks like a cathedral. They have an exceptional band. And obviously, success between the lines has been well documented. So, yeah. Their fans are a little off their rocker. In fact, I am almost positive that plenty of them would take offense about the fact that they are only number 2 on my list of most influential programs. But it’s an earned arrogance. It just happens to get on other people’s nerves.
Then we have Notre Dame. During the time of black and white TV, Notre Dame was certainly one of, if not the most consistent program in the country. Their national brand was boosted by their (obviously) strong ties to Catholicism. As a result, they could tap into people’s fandoms in ways that went beyond sports. Hell, one of my grandmothers, a woman I never heard talk about sports, kept up with Notre Dame football because she is Catholic.
As of late, the disdain for Notre Dame stems from the fact that their importance to the college football landscape seemed to be propped up from accomplishments from a bygone era. Also, as other schools found their ways into conferences, Notre Dame has retained the ability to be an Independent. This is something their fans are quite proud of, and will let you know about it. Furthermore, sometimes it is a little hard to tell whether or not they actually know the difference between Notre Dame football fiction, and fact. (Knute Rockne did not invent the forward pass). But much like Ohio State, Notre Dame’s arrogance is mostly earned. They aren’t as consistent as Ohio State, but they have undoubtedly influenced college football in ways that are undeniable.
So, we have two storied programs with two fan bases that no one really has any “neutral” feelings about. I don’t hate either school personally. I reserve that word and those emotions for only one school. But, I also certainly do not go out of my way to root for either of these schools. So, I guess I could fall into the demographic of “hate watching” this college football final.
Let’s consider how we got to this final though, and how it shows that after all the bellyaching from loudmouths at ESPN and other networks, this new FBS playoff did its job.
Under the old 4 team format, neither of these teams would have been let into the playoff if the committee voted the way they did. Could their opinions have been changed under different circumstances? Maybe, but we would like to think that they voted for what they actually thought the rankings were.
As a result, we have a FBS college football final between a 7 and 8 seed. I think most CFB pundits would agree that based on talent neither of these teams are the 7th or 8th best teams in the country. And of course due to conference champions getting first round byes, this also pushed the Fighting Irish and Buckeyes further down the totem pole. Because of these requirements, and bad losses from each of these teams during the year, it forced Notre Dame and Ohio State to truly earn their way into this championship game.
Ohio State had to beat 2 of the 3 best SEC teams, and avenge their regular season loss to Oregon. I think one could say they did it all rather convincingly, even if the Texas game was a little closer than the other two.
Notre Dame had to squash an in-state foe they seemingly actively ignore in Indiana, beat the SEC champion Georgia, and the Big Ten runner up in Penn State. With the exception of that Indiana game, The Fighting Irish really did have to fight their way to get to where they are now.
Even the most ardent haters couldn’t say that neither of these teams earned their spot in the national championship. They absolutely did. And isn’t that what we want? Isn’t sport all about earning your way instead of it being bought or gifted to you? Isn’t America (in theory) about allowing you to achieve what you are capable of because of what YOU bring to the table?
Sure, ESPN is probably falling over itself because these two brands landed in their first edition of a 12 team playoff for FBS. But rather than talking heads talking these teams into contention because of brand or perceived conference superiority, they earned it. And that is proof of the FBS college football format working. Maybe next time the hot take machine will decide to wait before telling us the new format sucks after only one round.
Newsflash talking heads. First round blowouts happen all the time in playoff formats. Look at the FCS, Division 2, etc. if you don’t believe me.
So, by the time we roll into January 21st 2025, either Notre Dame will have won their first national championship in my lifetime, or Ohio State will continue to drone on with their excellence of 10 plus win seasons throwing in a national championship every 12 years or so. I can’t say I have a “rooting” interest. I like Marcus Freeman. But I have my own reasons for having no love for Notre Dame. I also have no love for Ohio State. I have my personal reasons for not caring for either school that much. A couple of them are pretty funny, and slightly petty.
However, while others are hate watching, I’ll just enjoy the game. I will endure the fact that it will keep me up past my bedtime. I will enjoy the fact that we are seeing two exceptionally talented teams at the end of the college football season that truly earned their way here. That’s the way it should be.
The ratings will be massive. The hot takes will flow during and after the game like the spice mélange flows on Arrakis. But at the end of it all, if you’re a college football fan, you could not ask for a better end to the season, other than perhaps your own team playing in the final game. I know I can’t wait to watch, even if it’s two teams I wouldn’t mind never winning another national championship. Maybe this healthy perspective comes with age. Or, maybe I’m not as much of a hater as I thought I was.
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