After being ranked ahead of Miami for weeks, and in front of Alabama before their lackluster win over (5–7) Auburn (followed up by a 21-point loss to Georgia), the CFP Committee decided to put both teams ahead of the Irish. This was after the AP Poll, Coaches Poll, ESPN FPI, and even Vegas oddsmakers had the Fighting Irish in the playoffs. The Disney machine (ESPN and ACC) matched “war time” propaganda levels. Ultimately, the Atlantic Coast Conference severely hurt a relationship with one of their top business partners.
First of all, this is America. The Atlantic Coast Conference had it within their right to publicly deter the committee from picking the Irish and “re-play” whatever games they saw fit.