There is no doubt that Notre Dame is one of the biggest brands in college football. But how much longer can you maintain this status? It’s a question worth asking as his last national championship gets further and further away.
Andy Staples from On3 revealed the programs he believes are the blue bloods of college football. Notre Dame was selected alongside Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC. With the possible exception of one or two, they all belong on the list.
However, when explaining why he chose the Irish, Staples did so with some mixed caution:
“The Fighting Irish have dominated the sport for generations, but they haven’t won a national title since 1988. So why are they still on this list? Because Brian Kelly made them nationally competitive again, leading them to a BCS national title game and two CFP appearances. In the era of the 12-team college football playoffs, Notre Dame will have to actually win some of these high-stakes postseason games to stay on the list.
Therefore, the future of the Irish as blue bloods is in the hands of Marcus Freeman and its team with the support of Pete Bevacqua. The fan base won’t be happy if he can’t sustain that tradition of excellence, and it could also mean a blow to the show’s reputation. Hopefully he won’t let that happen.
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