Notre Dame Football Bowl Projections: Playoff Hopes Heat Up for Fighting Irish

Notre Dame's path to the College Football Playoff continues to look more realistic by each passing week

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Notre Dame has been on a roll, making it five-straight victories after a 31-13 defeat of Georgia Tech last week in Atlanta.

With just five games left to go in 2024, Notre Dame is still very much alive in the College Football Playoff, something few people thought possible after the early-September loss at home to Northern Illinois.

To me where Notre Dame ends up comes down to what the Fighting Irish do the rest of the way.

Run the table and an 11-1 Notre Dame squad will be in the College Football Playoff. My only question with that would be if Notre Dame's first round game is at home or if it is on the road.

Slip up at any point and Notre Dame will be spending the holiday season instead getting ready for the Pop-Tarts Bowl or something similiar.

So how do the national college football forecasters see Notre Dame's College Football Playoff hopes entering Week 9 of the season?

Below are where nine others and my latest projections have the Irish headed this December.

College Football Bowl Projections: College Football News

Nov 19, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Heavy snow falls in the third quarter of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Boston College Eagles at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 7 seed vs. 10 Tennessee
Location: Notre Dame, Ind.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: Sports Illustrated

Jan 1, 2021; Arlington, TX, USA; Notre Dame s Marist Liufau, center/left, works with teammate Rylie Mills (99) to bring down Alabama s Xavier Williams (3) during the 2021 College Football Playoff Rose Bowl game on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Alabama won 31-14. / Robert Franklin-Imagn Images

Bowl: ReliaQuest Bowl
Matchup: Notre Dame vs. Alabama
Location: Tampa, Fla.
Date: January 2, 2025

College Football Bowl Projections: USA TODAY Sports

Penn State and Iowa take the field at the same time to to play in a White Out football game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 10 seed at 7. Penn State
Location: State College, Penn.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: CBS Sports

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Matchup: vs. Texas Tech
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Date: December 28, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: 247Sports

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 9 seed at No. 8 Penn State
Location: State College, Penn.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: ESPN (Bonagura)

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 12 seed at No. 5 Penn State
Location: State College, Penn.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: ESPN (Schlabach)

Dec 28, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; the Pop-Tarts bowl mascot Strawberry emerges for fans before the start of a game between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and Kansas State Wildcats at Camping World Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Matchup: vs. Texas Tech
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Date: December 28, 2024

College Football Bowl Projections: Action Sports Network

Bowl: Pop-Tarts Bowl
Matchup: vs. TCU
Location: Orlando, Fla.
December 28, 2024

College Football Playoff Projections: Bud Elliot, Cover 3 Podcast

Nov 19, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Heavy snow falls in the third quarter of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Boston College Eagles at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 7 seed vs. No. 10 Boise State
Location: Notre Dame, Ind.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

College Football Playoff Projections: Nick Shepkowski of Notre Dame on SI

Sep 4, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Josh Adams (33) catches a pass for a touchdown as Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Wheeler (45) defends in the fourth quarter at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas won 50-47 in double overtime. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Bowl: College Football Playoff
Matchup: 9 seed vs. No. 8 Texas
Location: Austin, Tex.
Date: December 20/21, 2024

Related Stories from Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

Why Notre Dame Feels Indebted to Navy, Plays Midshipmen Every Year in Football

Notre Dame Updates Depth Chart Ahead of Navy Showdown

Former Major Notre Dame Coaching Target Steps Down from Big 12 Post