Bowl games have been a unique year-end tradition in college football for decades. Teams travel to new destinations to take on different opponents, giving fans a chance to travel to a new city during the holidays. The games also provide players with a final chance to add a win to their record to close the year.
Some bowl games are more prestigious than others, with games like the Rose and Sugar Bowls having long, storied histories that mirror the prestige of the teams that compete in them.
The changing landscape of college football has changed the way bowls are considered by players and teams, and one of the sport’s most prominent teams has made a decision that could change the way bowl games are seen forever.
Notre Dame’s Big Bowl Game Decision
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished their season with a 10-2 record, but they’ll opt out of appearing in a bowl game after being left out of the College Football Playoff. The Irish will not compete at all after being denied the chance to play for a national title.
“As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” the Fighting Irish said in a statement after the final CFP bracket was released.
“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.”
Notre Dame was ranked No. 11 in advance of the 12-team playoff field being revealed. In the end, the selection committee chose Miami – who defeated Notre Dame in Week 1 – in the final at-large spot.
Why Did Notre Dame Opt Out This Season?
Since Notre Dame doesn’t belong to a conference in football, the team did not have the benefit of a conference championship win for an automatic bid into the playoff.
Notre Dame stands to lose out on the $4 million that all teams receive for making the College Football Playoff – money that it would not be forced to split with a conference like the Big Ten or the SEC.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said that the team was in disbelief after being left out of the playoff field. Bevacqua also told ESPN’s Jen Lada that the Irish believed they were safe for the playoff based on where they were ranked before the final selections were announced, and called the preliminary rankings a “farce and total waste of time.”
Players have opted out of bowl games in larger numbers over the last few years, especially those outside of the College Football Playoff. Some players are preparing for the NFL Draft and would rather not risk injury, while others transfer to new programs in hopes of furthering their careers.
As teams and players re-evaluate what’s best for their programs and future endeavors, we’ll see if any other teams decide to skip out on bowl season.
