As the decade wraps up we’ll have more and more discussion as to the best this, that and the other in regards to college football.
Here on Fighting Irish Wire I’m working with contributor Jeff Feyerer on a ton of lists in regards to the last day decade that we’re excited to soon share and discuss with everyone of our loyal readers.
In the meantime, I stumbled into this list tonight – the top 25 programs of the decade.
I was curious how Notre Dame would rank and I think Berry Werner at Touchdown Wire did a pretty fine job.
No. 16 Notre Dame (91-37)
There are a lot of wins but the losses feel like they always come in the tougher games on the schedule, which has a load of soft spots. Brian Kelly has done a nice job getting the team to bounce back from off-years.
I have trouble arguing much with the ranking. For those curious Werner put the Irish one spot ahead of Michigan and one spot behind Michigan State.
For those curious Alabama was one while Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma all checked in just behind.
Oklahoma State was a little curiously ranked ahead of Notre Dame at 13 but it’s easy to forget how good their start of the decade was. It’s also hard to get to upset about a team who has won 10+ games six times in the window being ranked above, especially since they haven’t missed a bowl game since 2005 but for those interested, they have won just one more Big XII Championship in that time than Notre Dame.
Notre Dame has played for one national championship (and gotten destroyed) and made one College Football Playoff in that time, which alone gets them easily in the top-25.
From a national perspective however, what is the biggest win Notre Dame had the last ten seasons?
At Oklahoma in 2012?
Taking Florida State to the wire in 2014 or Clemson to the gun in 2015? Heartbreaking thrillers sure, but still losses.
They’ve had a seat at the table but until they knock off one of these top-five or so teams the perception will remain.
The good news however is that if you were to simply do this same top 25 over the last three seasons how many teams would come ahead of Notre Dame?
Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma and who else?
It’s the looks of a very good program on the cusp of joining the elites but until that top-five or so matchup is won, you won’t see many chirping for the Irish to be seen in quite the same class.