Cam Newton does not believe Notre Dame 'earned the right' to be in College Football Playoff

Notre Dame had an impressive showing in its opening game of the College Football Playoff, beating Indiana 27-17 to advance to the quarterfinals and set up a matchup with Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Despite its strong showing against the Hoosiers, ESPN First Take analyst Cam Newton does not believe the Irish should be in the College Football Playoff, he said Friday morning on First Take.

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“Notre Dame… because respectfully, this is not basketball. This is not March Madness where we see upsets left and right,” Cam Newton said. “This is football where you will find out sooner rather than later whether you belong or not. And I’m just saying, I don’t think Notre Dame belongs.”

Newton pointed to Notre Dame’s strength of schedule and the fact that the Irish are not in a conference to explain his reasoning. He added that several other teams don’t belong in the CFP, either.

“When I see teams like Boise, when I see teams like Clemson, when I see teams like Indiana, Arizona State. Bro, it’s not that I’m a hater. I just know what it’s like playing in a conference where every week you have to bring it,” Cam Newton said. “You’re playing South Carolina, you’re playing a dangerous Ole Miss and Kentucky, respectively. These teams are playing the absolute best.

“And I can’t say the same thing about Boise State. I can’t say the same thing about Arizona State, because they have some walk in the park games.”

Fellow ESPN First Take analyst Ryan Clark, who played in the SEC at LSU, defended Notre Dame and its spot in the CFP. Clark’s son Jordan Clark is currently a safety for the Irish.

Ryan Clark believes Notre Dame absolutely earned its spot in the playoff and is one of the best teams in the country.

“You don’t think Notre Dame belongs in the top eight teams left playing football?  So tell me who does? Alabama that’s a three-loss team that lost to Vanderbilt? That’s the team you want to play?” Ryan Clark said. “Or how about Ole Miss that lost to Florida. Tennessee got in, because you’re talking big SEC, and they got mud stomped. And that was the team better than the other teams from the SEC that didn’t get in.

“If you’re going to tell me out of the top eight teams that Notre Dame shouldn’t be playing, then you’re out of your mind.”