Joel Klatt Sees Promising College Football Playoff Path for Notre Dame

Klatt compared Notre Dame to 2023 Washington and his CFP projection would allow for that to happen

Nick Shepkowski | Aug 23, 2024

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman warms up during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

A week or so ago Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt announced his preseason top 25 and had great things to say about Notre Dame.

Klatt went as far as to compare Notre Dame in 2024 to a team that played for a national championship just a season ago.

"Notre Dame is going to be really strong," Klatt said as he started discussing the Fighting Irish football program entering the 2024 season.

"I think it's an intriguing opening game because they've got to go to a difficult place to play in what will be hot weather at Texas A&M. Tough environment, tough fan base, desperate for a big win - they're going to be fired up under Mike Elko..."

Joel Klatt on Notre Dame's 2024 Football Schedule

"So what's that schedule look like?"

"Well they get (Texas) A&M in the opener, and then you start rolling through their games and you're like, 'win, win, win, win, win!', eyebrows go up, 'win, win' and you're like 'hold on a second, they're going to be 8-0 if they beat A&M they'll be 8-0 when they host Florida State at home. You think that's not going to be a raucous environment?"

"And then you start to look at it and because of some of their neutral site games, they only go to a true road game three times...their only three true road games: A&M to start the year, Purdue, and USC in the season finale so the middle of the year - they go on a true road game week one and end things with USC and in the middle of the year, they only go on a true road game once."

Joel Klatt Sees A Lot of Last Year's Washington Squad in Notre Dame

"Watch out for Notre Dame! I know people are going to roll their eyes, 'Oh, Notre Dame, they're always so hyped'. OK, I'm just saying they feel a lot like Washington from last year. They just do, they just do, and I had Washington at this time last year fifth and I should have had the courage to put Notre Dame fifth."

Joel Klatt's Favorable College Football Playoff Seeding for Notre Dame

Klatt went ahead and predicted the College Football Playoff field this week and certainly backed up his previous compliments about Notre Dame.

Klatt gave Notre Dame the No. 5 seed, something they'd certainly need to win at least 11, if not 12 games to accomplish. In it, he has Boise State earning the No. 12 seed and a date at Notre Dame Stadium.

What follows is an extremely favorable path for Notre Dame to make a serious run in the College Football Playoff. Check it out:

The full 12-Team Playoff bracket predictions from @joelklatt 🤩

Who's winning the National Championship in this seeding? pic.twitter.com/QDnukYlwTV
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) August 23, 2024

Notre Dame would be a decent size favorite against Boise State and although the Broncos are used to playing in the cold, Notre Dame Stadium would be an extremely tough venue for them to come into in mid December.

A date with Miami (FL) at a neutral site bowl game isn't a two foot putt but is about as favorable of matchup as one could ask for in round two.

Ohio State trying to beat Penn State a second or potentially third time in a season is no sinch and a possible date with Ole Miss and all the talent it has brought in recently would be a tough out for the Buckeyes.

Even if Ohio State wins, Notre Dame's matchup with them feels a lot more like last year's at Notre Dame Stadium than big postseason games Notre Dame has had against Alabama and Clemson in recent years.

This sets up incredibly well for Notre Dame to make the national semi-final and it's truly not absurd to think it could play with Ohio State and knock them off on the right day.

All I'm saying is that if this bracket were to come true, you'd have a hard time finding a team more excited for it than Notre Dame.

Published Aug 23, 2024

NICK SHEPKOWSKI