Except like most things in life the fan base can react with their pocketbooks and checkbooks. Simply don't buy tickets to the games. No one is forcing anyone to attend a Notre Dame football team. No one is putting blinders over our eyes and making us think it's a good team when it really isnt. Matter of fact in this day and age of internet blogs, websites dedicated to recruiting, and 24/7 sports networks the college football consumer is better informed than ever on what a product may or may not look like on the field
So I disagree with your assertion that the university is duping us. They raise prices due to supply and demand. Stop buying the tickets and the prices will come down. For whatever reason there continue to be idiots out there that want to pay $1000's to see a 4-8 football team. Clearly there is a certain allure to the brand; make no doubt about it. Perhaps it's a blind loyalty to a once proud brand that more recently has lost much of its luster. We recruit fairly well, the kids can get a great education for free, and we tend to play by the rules though recently we have had our fair share of off-field incidents though they clearly pale in comparison to some other schools. But an elite athlete has his sights set on the NFL, and likely wants to focus more on football than academics.
It's a lot like what is occurring in the NBA now. A handful of teams have the money to load up all-star teams and be legitimate contenders for the NBA title. We are not going to compete with Ohio State, Clemson and Alabama on an annual basis. Their 2nd teams are better than our starters. We are getting 3- and 4-stars, and they are getting primarily 4- and 5-stars.