After a drama-filled week that saw the CFP committee leave the Fighting Irish out of the playoff field this winter, Notre Dame is taking their ball and going... bowling.
The Fighting Irish were excluded from the College Football Playoff despite being ranked above Miami—who did squeak in—on the CFP weekly rankings show. Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua has since viciously ripped the committee for their decision, and the school almost immediately announced they were opting out of a bowl game.
With their season effectively over, what do the Fighting Irish have in store in December? Not a bowl game, per se, but a bowling game. In a snarky post shared on their social media, Notre Dame announced the football team was competing in a bowling event for charity.
“This holiday season we will compete in a bowling event to raise money for local South Bend organizations,” the post read. “In the notes, you can designate a specific player to help that position group’s fundraising efforts.”
Taking our ball and going bowling ☘️
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 10, 2025
This holiday season we will compete in a bowling event to raise money for local South Bend organizations.
In the notes, you can designate a specific player to help that position group’s fundraising efforts.
DONATE: https://t.co/UzEMdkNUwj… pic.twitter.com/4OAsCHqG4C
Well played, Notre Dame. Well played.
Part of Notre Dame's reason for opting out could have been to keep ESPN from earning a penny from their name, as their Pop-Tarts Bowl game against BYU would have been televised on ESPN's sister network ABC. Rather than go down that route, the football program seems very happy to take part in a competition—albeit in a different sport—to raise money for local charities.
Fans thought the trolling post was just too funny:
ok I laughed https://t.co/RqGO2JDaVT
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) December 10, 2025
This is a fun troll. I love everything about this. https://t.co/CE2f673GLH
— Mike Singer (@MikeTSinger) December 10, 2025
Well, this is one way for the Irish to go to “a bowl” https://t.co/RCzhvsAnrc
— Chuck Freeby Sports (@ChuckFreeby) December 10, 2025
In a wild turn of events, Notre Dame will, in fact, be going bowling. https://t.co/JuP61CYk5L
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) December 10, 2025
I love all the pettiness coming out of notre dame right now, because it shows the university and the athletic department are completely aligned with the messaging, and that is awesome to see https://t.co/ZfnvD6dmvG
— Taryn Nichols (@TarynNichols) December 10, 2025
Turns out Notre Dame Football is going bowling after all! But for a great cause supporting local South Bend organizations and not a money grab for corporate networks and sponsors in a meaningless game! Bowl Szn ☘️ https://t.co/cecjjtWIEE
— Bruce Straughan (@bruce_straughan) December 10, 2025
Putting money in the pockets of ESPN and the Poptart Bowl = ❌
— J5 Sports (@J5_Sports1) December 10, 2025
Raising money for the local South Bend community = ✅ https://t.co/kOFaWuDTAS
Notre Dame faced heavy scrutiny following their decision to opt out of a bowl game, with Fox analyst Joel Klatt calling it a “big mistake” and a cruel ending for the team's seniors and to-be-draftees who unknowingly played their last snap of college football. It looks like those players will just have to settle for strikes and spares, instead.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Notre Dame’s Seemingly Petty ‘Bowling’ Post Going Viral After CFP Snub.
