College Football Analyst shares candid thoughts on Clemson vs Notre Dame matchup

The Clemson Tigers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are modern college football powerhouses. According to Yahoo Sports, both teams have agreed to a 12-year partnership. Starting in 2027, the programs will meet annually on the Gridiron.

The partnership news comes as music to the ears of CFB analyst, David Pollack, who said (via On3):

"First of all it’s a great thing for us. We win because there is more to talk about going into the college football season. It is another great game that you are going to be sitting on your coach and we are going to be lazy, eating, and it will be fantastic."

The veteran analyst continued:

"There are multiple sides to look at with this. I am excited about it. I want to see it. If I am the ACC and I am building my case as I continue to move forward, I think the more fixtures I have that are really cross-rivals that are good or against stellar competition."

The ACC is widely considered to be weaker than the SEC and Big Ten. However, getting the reigning champs to face off against the Fighting Irish consistently should help drive up ratings and competition.

Furthermore, the expanded college football playoffs ought to give parity for programs from so-called 'weaker conferences'. Building rivalries will not only strengthen the programs but also improve college football as an entity.

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How did Clemson and Notre Dame perform in 2024?

The Clemson Tigers had a decent but unspectacular 2024 regular season. They posted a 10-3 record, losing games against the Georgia Bulldogs, Louisville Cardinals, and South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Tigers' record earned them a spot in the expanded college football playoffs. However, they were defeated in the first round by a stacked Texas Longhorns team.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a fairytale season under head coach Marcus Freeman. The Fighting Irish cruised through the regular season with an 11-1 record. Their sole loss was a shock defeat to the Northern Illinois Huskies in their second game of the season.

Notre Dame did not lose another game until the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Fighting Irish put up a good fight against one of the best-assembled teams in modern CFB history. Notre Dame should be back and better in 2025.