Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame’s Ideal Path in the College Football Playoff: Insights from the Third Rankings Release

What Notre Dame football wants to happen in terms of the College Football Playoff the final three weeks of the year

Nick Shepkowski

Notre Dame safety Rod Heard II (2) and linebacker Jack Kiser (24) celebrate getting a stop during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame safety Rod Heard II (2) and linebacker Jack Kiser (24) celebrate getting a stop during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In this story:

The latest College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday night, the third edition the CFP Committee has put out.

As a result of BYU and Tennessee both losing this past weekend, Notre Dame moved up from eighth to sixth and with that, currently projects by the committee to host a home playoff game. With how the bracket currently projects based on the rankings, Notre Dame would play host to Alabama in the First Round before taking on Oregon in the Rose Bowl, assuming it got by the Crimson Tide.

This is as wide open of year as I can remember in college football in an extremely long time, but could Notre Dame possibly find a more friendly path for a deeper College Football Playoff run?

It certainly could, and requires the Big Ten to lend a helping hand.

Here's what Notre Dame fans should be rooting for if they're looking for help in the bracket in terms of getting the Irish the best chance at a deep run.

Indiana to Lose Competitively to Ohio State

One of the biggest games in the Big Ten occurs Saturday as unbeaten, No. 5 Indiana travels to Columbus to take on No. 2 Ohio State.

Much has been made about Indiana's schedule and those claims are right, but listen, you don't get to 10-0 and dish out the blowouts the Hoosiers have without being a really good team. Still, Notre Dame would absolutely love its chances if it got a home game against Indiana as opposed to a home game with Alabama, as is currently projected.

With that in mind the best thing that can happen here is Indiana plays Ohio State competitively but not get blown out. That way Indiana slides in the rankings but doesn't fall out of the 12-team playoff. Indiana falls and winds up at No. 11 after it gets its turn to rout Purdue in the regular season finale.

Minnesota to Flashback to 1999 and Upset Unbeaten Penn State

Before you laugh off the idea of Minnesota upsetting No. 4 Penn State this weekend, take a trip back to 1999. 5-3 and unranked Minnesota walked into Beaver Stadium and upset unbeaten, No. 2 Penn State in early November and crushed the Nittany Lions national title hopes.

Penn State is a 12.5-point favorite in this one but is playing for the fifth week in a row, is on the road for a second-straight week, and for the third time since the last weekend of October. The Gophers are fresh off an off week.

If Minnesota pulls this off, Penn State drops significantly as the Nittany Lions currently sit with one win over a currently ranked team, a 21-7 victory over Illinois back in late-September.

The Indiana and Penn State Significance for Notre Dame

Notre Dame moves up to No. 4 in this scenario and with four conference champions, the Irish would get the six-seed and the home game that comes with it.

The hope would be that brings a date with one of the two Big Ten teams mentioned above, in Notre Dame Stadium, in the First Round of the CFP.

The second round date would then be on a neutral field against most likely the ACC champion that will be one of Miami, SMU, or Clemson. That's not a free pass by any means to the national semi-finals but it's as good of path as you could ask for if you're Notre Dame.

And heck, once you get that far there is a world where the same Texas A&M team that Notre Dame already beat in College Station to open the year could be waiting for them with a trip to the national championship game on the line.

More From Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

Notre Dame Announces Depth Chart for Showdown vs. Unbeaten Army

Notre Dame Star Defender's Status Uncertain for Army Matchup

Watch Marcus Freeman's Huge Hit in Classic No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Michigan Game

Published
Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Home/Football