FOX Sports personality Colin Cowherd critical of Notre Dame’s inclusion in top 10

The “Notre Dame is back” take was a popular one after the Fighting Irish dismantled the USC Trojans on Saturday night. But FOX Sports personality Colin Cowherd strongly disagreed with that reasoning.

Cowherd argued on his FOX Sports 1 show Monday that No. 9 Notre Dame didn’t prove it belongs to be ranked in the top 10.

“Ohio State would beat Notre Dame. Alabama would crush them. Penn State would beat them. Wisconsin would beat them. Clemson would beat them,” Cowherd said.

"Saturday's win doesn't prove Notre Dame belongs… They have topped out." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/3pmE44zOge

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) October 23, 2017

Cowherd’s main argument for why the Irish would lose to those teams was because Notre Dame is one-dimensional on offense. Cowherd admitted that the Fighting Irish run the ball very well behind their senior offensive line, but against a top team that could stop the run, such as Georgia, Notre Dame will struggle.

While that was the case back in Week 2 versus the Bulldogs, there’s flaws in Cowherd’s argument. Lots of teams would lose to the programs he reeled off in his rant. If the Irish would lose, too, that doesn’t necessarily mean Notre Dame isn’t a top-10 team.

And although the Fighting Irish have proven to be a bit one-dimensional, stopping their rushing attack is easier said than done. It took No. 4 Georgia’s run defense to slow down Notre Dame’s run game, and still the Bulldogs won by only 1 point.

The Irish get another chance to prove they belong in the top 10 when they play No. 14 North Carolina State on Saturday.