Welcome to special edition two of Irish Illustrated Insider, the college football playoff rankings

released again last night, and it was not as punitive on Notre Dame as we thought it might be.

I think we probably would have agreed that 10 was going to be the spot.

It could be SEC, two lost teams jumping them already, and that may still happen.

But for now, Notre Dame is still well respected in the committee's eyes I'm Tim O'Malley joined by

Tim Priester of Irish Illustrated John Bryce of the football scoop and John I want to start with

you biggest surprise for you and if it is Notre Dame that give me two of your

biggest surprises then no I had some folks on campus yesterday afternoon asked me

kind of where I thought the Irish

would be and I said right around that nine eight spot. And so I can't say that I'm overly surprised by

that. I continue to be surprised by Penn State's placement. I just I just cannot see it whatsoever.

And I know there's a pretty strong argument to say,

what are you seeing out of Texas as well?

And I'm sure we'll get into that.

But I just think the term I keep using is hollow.

And Penn State, I believe, is a very hollow team.

And I think Penn State is 11 and 1.

They will be one of the more hollow teams.

And when you look at a Penn State resume next to a Washington State resume, if it's blind, I'm not sure how much difference you see in those.

And Washington State has no path to the playoff whatsoever.

And the Cougars are almost certainly going to finish 11 and 1.

And I'm not saying either team is elite. I'm just saying I don't understand Penn State being

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