Notre Dame’s Home CFP Game Brings Plenty of “What Ifs”

Notre Dame’s first-ever home College Football Playoff game sparks intriguing “what if” scenarios for the Fighting Irish.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Who will Notre Dame face in round one and who else is in their bracket?

While we know for sure that Notre Dame is in the CFP field with a hosting seed, we don't yet know what seed the Irish will be, who their first opponent will be, or who else will line up in their bracket should they advance. These are a lot of unknowns to ponder while South Bend prepares for history to be made the weekend of December 20-21.

Notre Dame would have a pure athletic roster advantage should it draw a team like Arizona State, Boise State, or SMU in the first round. But what if a team like Alabama, even with its multiple losses, or Georgia with another defeat in the SEC title game, lines up with Notre Dame?

This is a much different level of physical challenge for an early-round game compared to many other potential matchups.

Right now, nobody knows how these brackets will ultimately turn out, but it's comforting for Irish fans to know they'll be included and hosting.

Dress warm. It’s going to be cold in South Bend the weekend of the 20-21st #NotreDame ☘️👀 pic.twitter.com/C71XN9nxch

— Always Irish ☘️ (@AlwaysIrishINC) December 1, 2024

The weather could be a huge home field advantage for Notre Dame, or maybe not

Theoretically, Notre Dame would have a round one CFP advantage over any team from a part of the country that is not used to and comfortable playing games in cold weather that must come to town for a holiday season bowl game. This isn't a guarantee though. How could this potential advantage be neutralized?

There is no guarantee of frigid temperatures for this ballgame in late December. Should the weather turn mild, it could be a fairly comfortable day by Indiana winter standards. But if the winds of winter whip off the lakefront with the bitterness of a 30-year major bowl drought, South Bend could be vicious.

Another consideration is if the weather is indeed cold and inhospitable, but the Irish draw a team from a geographical region that is used to similar conditions. This would neutralize any weather advantage the Irish may have.

These what-ifs will soon come with answers that will set up the latest chapter of football history in South Bend.

For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.

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