Notre Dame Faces Must-Win Stretch After CFP Committee Ranking
The College Football Playoff committee placed Notre Dame 11th in its initial rankings on November 3, putting pressure on the 7–1 team ahead of its game against top-ranked Miami in South Bend.
Notre Dame entered the first College Football Playoff rankings at No. 11 on November 3, well below its standing in the major polls. The Fighting Irish were fourth in the Associated Press poll and sixth in the coaches’ poll. Under this season’s selection rules, a top-12 ranking would currently put the independent program in the playoff field, but the committee’s assessment leaves little room for another loss.
Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said Notre Dame’s record was strong, but its victories lacked the quality of wins held by teams ranked above it. He pointed to the Irish’s loss at BYU as their only game so far against a team in the committee’s top 25. Notre Dame has beaten only one opponent with a .500-or-better record.
Some of the Irish’s wins have also lost weight as their opponents struggled. Wisconsin was shut out by Iowa, North Carolina suffered a second straight defeat, and SMU lost to Syracuse. The committee could ultimately rank only teams Notre Dame lost to, the report said.
Notre Dame now faces No. 1 Miami in South Bend, followed by Boston College, SMU and Syracuse. The team is expected to need victories in all four games to stay in contention; a 10–2 finish could leave it outside the playoff. The Irish missed the field last season after losing head-to-head games against Miami and Texas A&M, making this season’s committee evaluation especially consequential.