Notre Dame Bowl Projections Are Starting To Get Interesting

Notre Dame Bowl Projections Starting To Get Interesting

Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports

After beating Virginia Tech this weekend the Notre Dame Fighting Irish continue to push for a major bowl opportunity. The latest projections are mixed, but at least one major network sees the Irish ending up in a New Year’s Six game.

Bill Bender of Sporting News projects Notre Dame to take on Memphis in the Cotton Bowl, with the Irish receiving an at-large bid, where it will take on the top Group of 6 team. Memphis improved to 8-1 after beating previously unbeaten SMU by a 54-48 score Saturday night.

Notre Dame and Memphis have never played, but Tiger head coach Mike Norvell was the offensive coordinator at Arizona State when the Irish and Sun Devils squared off in 2013 and 2014. Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long was Norvell’s play-caller in 2016.

Notre Dame and Memphis have never played in football.

ESPN, CBS Sports and College Football News all have Notre Dame headed to the Camping World Bowl, but the opponents vary.

Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach from ESPN both have the Irish taking on Kansas State, which is the same matchup they had last week. CBS Sports and College Football News have Notre Dame taking on Texas.

Notre Dame has never played Kansas State, but the Irish hold a 9-3 all-time record against the Longhorns. Texas beat Notre Dame 50-47 in Austin to kick off the 2016 season, which was the last meeting between the two schools. The year prior the Irish blasted the Longhorns by a 38-3 score in Notre Dame Stadium to start the 2015 campaign.

Notre Dame and Texas have played three times in the postseason, with all three matchups coming in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame beat Texas in 1971 (24-11) and 1978 (38-10), and the Longhorns beat the Irish in 1970 (21-17).

While playing Memphis in the Cotton Bowl would provide Notre Dame with a chance to win a major bowl for the first time since 1994, beating the Tigers doesn't provide the Irish with the "marquee" opponent that would add to the significance of that win.

Texas would provide a much-better opponent in regards to brand, although the Longhorns are scuffling a bit at 5-3. Texas has dropped two of its last three games.

Kansas State is 6-2 after beating Kansas (38-10), avoiding any letdown after its huge 48-41 upset victory over Oklahoma the previous week. Texas and Kansas State square off this weekend in Austin.

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