Former quarterback Johnny Manziel has reacted to the decision by Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame to withdraw from bowl consideration after missing out on the playoffs. The Fighting Irish were snubbed by the CFP selection committee on Sunday and excluded from the playoff bracket despite finishing the season on 10-2.
The program subsequently removed its name from bowl consideration, drawing reactions from different quarters in college football. The program wrote in a statement made available on social media:
Thanks for the submission!
“As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season. We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026.”
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Many have attributed the team’s exclusion from the playoffs to its independent status, urging that it join a conference.
Manziel has added his voice to this position via a comment on Instagram. The former Texas A&M quarterback said:
“SOFFTTTTTTTT. Drop your nuts and join a conference.”
The Marcus Freeman-led Irish started the season 0-2, losing their opening game to Miami, before going on a 10-game winning streak to end the season. They ranked in the top 10 of every CFP ranking before the final ranking came out, when it dropped one place to No. 11.
The Miami Hurricanes, who ranked below the Irish in every ranking before Sunday, jumped them to enter the top 10. This prompted the Notre Dame athletic director to declare in a chat with ESPN that all the rankings before the final one were a “farce and total waste of time.”
What next for Marcus Freeman and the Irish?
Marcus Freeman led the Fighting Irish to the national title game last season for the first time in 12 years, ultimately losing to Ohio State. Missing out on the playoff this season is a reality the coach must deal with in cooperation with school’s athletic management.
Notwithstanding the calls for the program to join a conference, the immediate way forward for the Irish is not in conference alignment. If the playoff snub does anything, it should be to inspire an anger in the Irish to start going all out for next season.
With the portal opening on Jan. 2, bolstering their roster is a good place to start. The team, under Freeman’s guidance, has shown it can compete. The management should give it the resources to stand toe to toe with the best from every conference.
Edited by Kayode Akinwumi
