College football: 5 most overrated programs in history
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
They don’t have their own TV network, but they do have their contract with NBC and of course the film “Rudy.” The Fighting Irish are the college football elite and believe their successes from the 1940’s through the 1970’s guarantees them preferential treatment. The BCS even concurred with a special arrangement if they finished in the top 10 they would trump other programs for a bid into the big four games.
The College Football Playoff hasn’t shown that same treatment — but hasn’t had the need to. Under Brian Kelly the Irish did play for the BCS National Championship Game in 2013 (for the 2012 season) but those wins were erased by the NCAA and their time at the top was erased by Nick Saban’s Alabama defense.
The Irish fight song bellows, “Rally sons of Notre Dame: Sing her glory and sound her fame.” It’s even called “Notre Dame Victory March” but it hasn’t been literal in terms of victory. After Dan Devine left at the end of the 1980 season the Irish have had a losing season under every head coach since.
Lou Holtz guided the Fighting Irish to the national title in 1988, but he too had a losing season in 1986 while Gerry Faust before him had plenty of losses piled up. Bob Davie had two losing seasons, while Ty Willingham, Charlie Weiss and Brian Kelly have all had each.
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The Irish embody overrated as they begin every season with Heisman Trophy hopefuls, a ton of hype, and the expectation that they’ll finish in the top 10 while that’s only been true once since 1993.