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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1. Notre Dame Bowl Projection at 11-1

At 11-1, Notre Dame is in the College Football Playoff.

At that point, there's no worry about the Northern Illinois loss, the strength of schedule doesn't matter, and all the drama and concern right now would be totally forgotten.

The committee doesn't mess around, and it likes things clean and easy. If a Power 4-caliber program has an 11-1 record, it'll be ranked ahead of the 10-2 team. (The Florida State situation of last year was a totally different scenario - Alabama had to be in because it beat Georgia, Texas had to be in because it beat Bama, and ... but I digress.)

Assume a monster from the SEC or Big Ten that didn't win its conference championship will get the 5 seed. If Notre Dame goes 11-1 it'll at least get the 6, maybe the 5, but ...

It'll almost certainly be the 6 seed. That will mean it'll probably miss the token Group of Five champion, but as Northern Illinois proved, teams from outside of the Power 4 can be dangerous, too.

Notre Dame Bowl Projection at 11-1: 6th seed in the College Football Playoff and a first round home game vs Penn State

NEXT: No. 5: Notre Dame wins fewer than nine games

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Pete Fiutak
PETE FIUTAK

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