College Football Playoff format appeared to be the most popular talking point coming out of this year’s first round. Specifically with the Group of Five after Ole Miss and Oregon took care of business vs. Tulane and James Madison, respectively. Many out there believe the G5 should be completely left out, usually met by major pushback from others.
Texas Tech‘s Joey McGuire was asked about the topic ahead of his team’s trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl. His goal is to make sure everybody is playing through the same criteria, even those who are considered independent. McGuire steered his primary part of his answer away from the G5 and to Notre Dame.
“I think when you have a criteria where you’re going to select a team, everybody should be in that same criteria,” McGuire said. “So, and I’m going to make Notre Dame mad — be in a conference and you’re in the playoffs. They’re in the ACC, they’re in the playoffs. That’s nothing against — Marcus Freeman, I think he’s an absolute rockstar. I would want my son to play for Marcus Freeman, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about let’s make it, across the board, that everybody is measured the same.”
Notre Dame remains consistent about its stance on joining a conference. They do not appear interested in doing so, wanting to keep independence. While there is a scheduling agreement with the ACC, they are far from considered a member in football.
Ironically, it was an ACC team that got in over them on Selection Sunday. Miami jumped Notre Dame due to a head-to-head matchup in Week 1 despite the Hurricanes not making the ACC Championship, and spending every previous CFP ranking behind the Irish.
Eventually, McGuire did get into his thoughts about what could be coming for the Group of Five. He seems to enjoy the idea of them having their own playoff, separate from the power conferences, and presumably Notre Dame.
“When you do that, if you’re going to put a G6 in, I think that their scheduling has to change some if they’re going to get in,” McGuire said. “Or, at some point, I could see it, and I don’t know when that is, where you have the FCS, you have the G6 playoffs. I think it would be great if they did the same thing that they do in the FCS where they have home games. I think it would be great for TV and then you have the power four playoffs.”