The Notre Dame Fighting Irish almost never were - with a much more boring nickname being given to the famous football team at first.

The 12-team College Football Playoff has been fun to watch. It was fun listening to people try to work themselves into a lather over the teams that finished 13th and 14th. There have been a few blowouts, but also a few classic games that have left an indelible impact on the first hours of 2025. Here’s what I’m happiest about:

In this CFP, the Irish are winning over some people. Or maybe they're just benefitting from the distaste many feel for their opponents.