ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball in the first half against J.D. Davis #33 of the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Would No. 4 Notre Dame beating top-ranked Clemson this weekend be a good thing for college football? Tony Kornheiser of ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption thinks so.
College football will never lose its passionate fan base, barring any major changes to the sport. But some fans are getting tired of seeing the same three teams win every season.
Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State are seemingly head-and-shoulders above the rest of college football. The three college football powerhouses don’t have any challengers in their respective conferences.
Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish have a unique opportunity this weekend to actually challenge one of those three powerhouses, though. Top-ranked Clemson will be without superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence, meaning freshman DJ Uiagalelei will be making his second-straight start.
If Notre Dame can’t beat the Uiagalelei-led Tigers this weekend, all hope will be lost for the rest of college football. Kornheiser believes the Fighting Irish pulling off the upset would be a great thing for the sport.
“If Clemson beats Notre Dame without Trevor Lawrence, Notre Dame is done,” Kornheiser said on Thursday, via 247Sports. “They’re toast. It’s goodbye to Notre Dame. They don’t mean anything. But, if Clemson loses this game and keeps Notre Dame in play and validates Notre Dame, that’s a good thing for college football. Notre Dame has its own network. Notre Dame is a big deal.
College football, traditionally known for its regular-season chaos, has lacked parity these past few seasons.
Notre Dame has an opportunity to bring that parity back to the sport this weekend.
If the Fighting Irish can beat the Clemson Tigers on Saturday, the national championship race will be as open as it’s been in years.
