Losing, not media bias, kept them out in 2016. Oklahoma, despite not playing in a conference championship game, got in. The point of media bias is irrelevant anyway: if it's no longer there for Notre Dame then joining a conference doesn't change that particular factoid.

You keep arguing there is a 'clear path' for P5 champs, when of course there is not. What if all 5 are undefeated? There is a very clear path to exclusion for one of those. If Notre Dame had finished undefeated THAT would have been a clear path.

And who are these coaches pitching a path to the playoff? I've never seen a recruit say 'I picked school X over the Irish because they have a clear path to the championship game'. I do see schools in the Rivals top ten that haven't been to a championship game in decades, so it would be tough to sell that nugget. The Irish, FWIW are doing fine in the top ten.

All of your speculation is contingent on Notre Dame being omitted due to a conference championship game being a tipping point in favor of another school. I guess it's possible but seriously, if the Irish play a far superior schedule and compare favorable to a conference winner they will get in. It's such a remote chance I can't imagine the smart people in South Bend banking on that. You don't build a business model around the exception to the rule.

The smart folks in South Bend also know that their scheduling flexibility is a significant ADVANTAGE over conference members. Take a close look at the content and timing of their schedule - it's brilliant. They are never stuck with odd scheduling quirks as is VT, for example. Also, I guess it's convenient to ignore the fact that playing that wide-ranging national schedule is a huge recruiting boon, not a detriment. Slogging into Winston-Salem on an ACC dictate might not have the same pop.

The Irish will join when the requirement to be a conference champion becomes a rule. (That will require the SEC to give up on their two entrant scenario too.) This 'clear path' business sounds farfetched at best, and the Irish path is as clear as their ability to win.




[Post edited by lawhokie at 06/10/2016 11:09AM]