It is that simple every single year. Period. I don't know why people spend even one second trying to convince themselves otherwise.
We play a half assed schedule every year. We are perceived to play one less game -- an optical illusion since we only play top tier teams and the others play high school teams 1 or 2 games.
In the Holtz era, ND could get in with 1 loss because we played 4 or 5 top 10-20 level teams every year.
Swardick improved our situation from Kevin Worthless, but we still are dependent on Sanford to somehow sustain being legitimate to even have the HOPE of playing a 3rd real team any season.
At best the ACC is going to have either Clemson, FSU or Miami as its only legitimate team in any year -- forever. The three of them have never been elite in the same year and it's been a long time since even two of them have. It's moot anyway, because by design ND never plays Clemson and FSU in the same season.