Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football: 5 Most Likely Bowl Scenarios After the Loss to Northern Illinois

Now what for the Fighting Irish when it comes to bowl projections and where they might go?

Pete Fiutak

Notre Dame corner back Benjamin Morrison (20) walks with his team during warm ups before a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame corner back Benjamin Morrison (20) walks with his team during warm ups before a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Northern Illinois at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Notre Dame Bowl Projections and Most Likely Scenarios

Well NOW what?

Last week at this exact time everyone was starting work on their statues of Marcus Freeman, the 5 seed in the expanded College Football Playoff was a lock, and all was right with the Notre Dame world.

The Northern Illinois game was nothing more than a polite celebration of all things Irish, it was going to be a fun day for all, and ...

Notre Dame paid the Huskies $1.4 million to pretty much ruin the 2024 college football season.

But here's the good news - as I've been saying on various wellness checks of Irish-loving friends and family - the fundamentals are still strong. All the CFP dreams are right there for the taking, and this could and should be a fabulous season despite the unfortunate blip.

So after all of that, what are the five most likely bowl game scenarios for Notre Dame? We start with ...

5. Notre Dame Bowl Scenario: The Irish win fewer than nine games

It's not going to happen.

Even if this season is a disaster, Notre Dame will go to a bowl game, there will be a 13th chance to watch the team play, and to be brutally honest, it might be more fun than the reality that's coming to breakfast against a Georgia or Ohio State or Texas in the CFP.

Notre Dame will win at least nine games, but let's just say it wins somewhere between six and eight. Yes, every bowl game with ACC affiliations will want the Irish.

Remember how this friends with benefits thing works with the ACC. Notre Dame is eligible for any of the ACC's bowl slots, but - more implied handshake than stick-to-contract real - it needs to be within one game one way or another of the ACC standings.

Take out the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl because Notre Dame played in that last year, whacking around a depleted Oregon State 40-8. Six wins would probably mean the Pop-Tarts Bowl vs the Big 12 or maybe the Pinstripe Bowl vs the Big Ten, but let's me more realistic and go with a seven or eight win season.

Eight wins puts the Holiday Bowl in play, but ... no. Losing three more games against this schedule means Notre Dame isn't very good at college football this season, but the brand name still probably means ...

Notre Dame Bowl Projection at 7-5 or 8-4: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs UCF

NEXT: No. 4 Notre Dame Bowl Projection at 9-3

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Pete Fiutak

PETE FIUTAK

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