ESPN's Heather Dinich Projects Notre Dame to Host Old Rival in College Football Playoff

Notre Dame to host a team it was originally supposed to in 2024?

Oct 29, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya (15) is pressured by Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jerry Tillery (99) in the third quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 30-27. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame and Miami (FL) were supposed to play each other in 2024, but someone in the Hurricanes athletic department seemingly forgot how to count and that game had to be rescheduled.

No, seriously, that's what actually happened according to the Miami folks.

Regardless, Miami could end up making a trip to South Bend in 2024 after all, at least according to one ESPN analyst.

Heather Dinich, who recently called Notre Dame a realistic national championship contender, predicts Notre Dame to host Miami in the No. 7 vs. No. 10 matchup in the College Football Playoff.

After a few highly rated recruiting classes and now an incredibly talented group entering via the transfer portal, many have high expectations for Miami in head coach Mario Cristobal's third season in charge.

Miami is coming off a 7-6 season in 2023.

2023 Miami Reminded Me of 2011 Notre Dame

2011 Notre Dame entered Brian Kelly's second season with significant hype after winning out from November through the end of the season. That coupled with a strong recruiting class set 2011 up as a year that Notre Dame was supposed to make a run at something special.

Instead, two weeks into the year Notre Dame found ways to lose in embarrassing and heartbreaking fashion to South Florida and Michigan in consecutive weeks. Notre Dame would finish the year 8-5 after falling to Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Miami entered Mario Cristobal's second season with less hype, but started the year with a bang. After routing Texas A&M in week two and starting 4-0, Miami climbed to No. 17 in the AP Poll.

Miami lost the following week though, when instead of taking a knee and running the clock out, it fumbled a late run and set up a miracle, game-winning touchdown for Georgia Tech.

Miami would lose a week later at North Carolina when it gave up 41 points. It would rebound with wins over Clemson and Virginia to move to 6-2, but go just 1-4 the rest of the way, only beating Boston College in the regular season finale.

Miami found ways to lose games it shouldn't have in 2023, just like Notre Dame did in 2011. Despite that I still see Miami being a real threat to win the ACC and make noise nationally in 2024, just like Notre Dame did in 2012, one year after losing games in extremely creative ways.

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