Notre Dame football stands on the brink of its first national championship since 1988 and nothing seems right in the world, except everything makes sense

Speaking at media day Saturday in advance of the national title game, Pete Bevacqua, in his first year guiding the Notre Dame athletic department, called the premiere of the 12-team playoff “a wonderful success, but look at who you’re talking to.”

Thomas Hammock led Northern Illinois to a stunning victory in South Bend in September, and the legend has only grown as the Fighting Irish advanced toward Monday’s national championship game.