The Projection Pretense: Notre Dame Slights in Latest CFP Forecasts
Analysts are leaning on models that ignore the reality of the Irish's dominance, as seen in the latest projections from On3.
Let's get one straight: the analysts are playing a dangerous game of pretend. When you look at the current state of college football, you see a Notre Dame squad operating with a level of real-world dominance that should make them untouchable. Yet, the projection models continue to operate in a vacuum, favoring theoretical math over actual performance.
**Opinion:** In my view, these models aren't just slightly off—they are fundamentally ignoring the form of the Fighting Irish. We are seeing a team that is playing at a championship level, but the 'experts' are too wedded to their spreadsheets to acknowledge the eye test.
As Yahoo Sports first reported, the latest College Football Playoff projections from On3 have placed Notre Dame outside of the top five. This assessment, as detailed by Kevin L. Smith of Fighting Irish Wire, suggests a disconnect between the team's actual standing and the perceived trajectory used by the projection services.
While On3 may be crunching numbers to justify a lower ranking, the reality on the field tells a different story. The insistence on placing the Irish outside the top five is a testament to a system that values projection over production.