The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are headed to the College Football Playoff semifinals after a commanding 23-10 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.
As they prepare to face Penn State in the Orange Bowl, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark is ready to remind his colleague Cam Newton of the Irish’s triumph.
Clark’s personal connection to the team makes this victory especially sweet. His son, Jordan Clark, is a defensive back for Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, Cam Newton, the former NFL MVP and Clark’s fellow ESPN analyst, had been vocal in his doubts about Notre Dame’s place in the CFP.
On the December 6 episode of First Take, Newton dismissed Notre Dame’s chances, stating, “Nobody wants to see them.”
“Do they have a legacy organization and program? Absolutely. Rudy! Rudy! Yeah, that’s about the last time – like, we see these types of teams; there’s no such thing as a Cinderella story in college football. Every time you try to root for the underdog, they get smashed. Come on, now,” Newton harshly added.
Of course, Newton’s comments have blown up in his face as Marcus Freeman’s team continues their dominant march through the playoffs.
Despite dismantling the Indiana Hoosiers in the first-round, most analysts predicted the Irish would fall to the mighty Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinals.
In fairness, Notre Dame closed as a 1-point favorite against Kirby Smart’s team. However, doubts remained from the Cam Newton’s of the world.
Sure enough, Notre Dame proved to be the better and more physical team as Riley Leonard and company capped off the impressive 23-10 victory.
Ryan Clark didn’t miss the opportunity to poke fun at Newton for his prior disrespect of the Irish.
“Yo!! @CameronNewton you working tomorrow? Believe we have to have a conversation about the 12 team playoff no one wanted to see @NDFootball in! I’ll see you on @FirstTake!!” Clark posted on X.
The upcoming Orange Bowl pits Notre Dame against Penn State, which secured its semifinal berth with a win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Neither team has reached the national championship game in the College Football Playoff era, adding an extra layer of intensity to their matchup.
Based on style of play, it’s sure to be an old-school, hard-nosed clash. The winner will advance to face either Texas or Ohio State in the national championship game.
What are your thoughts on the Irish and their title chances?
Just how foolish does Cam Newton look now???
