In an effort to solidify its College Football Playoff case -- and continue to dominate the increasingly important game-control metric -- ninth-ranked Notre Dame left little doubt in Saturday's record-setting 70–7 rout of Syracuse .

It's precisely why, for three straight weeks, the selection committee has beat the drum for the Fighting Irish (9–2) as one of the nation's most complete at-large hopefuls.

The Irish scored 21 points before taking its first offensive snap and has now won 19 straight regular-season games when facing elimination from the playoff discussion -- many in blowout fashion. If there were lingering questions about why the committee ranked Notre Dame as the second-highest two-loss team this week, those were answered in South Bend.

This looked like a Bowl Champions

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