The latest College Football Playoff rankings have stirred the pot in a big way - and Notre Dame finds itself right in the middle of the storm. The Fighting Irish dropped to No. 10 in the penultimate rankings, sliding one spot from where they stood the previous three weeks.
On the surface, it’s just a one-spot dip. But in the context of the playoff picture, it could be a major red flag.
Here’s why: Notre Dame doesn’t play during championship weekend. Neither does Miami, who now sits just two spots behind them at No.
- And yet, the door is still open - at least according to CFP selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek - for the Hurricanes to leapfrog the Irish in the final rankings.
That possibility has Notre Dame fans holding their breath.
Notre Dame's Resume vs. Miami's: A Tale of Two Losses
Let’s break it down. Yes, Miami beat Notre Dame in their head-to-head matchup.
That’s a big checkmark in the Hurricanes’ column. But when you zoom out and look at the full picture, things get a little murkier.
Notre Dame’s two losses came against ranked opponents - teams currently sitting at No. 7 and No. 12 in the CFP rankings. That’s not just losing to good teams; that’s losing to elite teams.
Meanwhile, Miami’s two losses came against teams that didn’t even crack the Top 25. That’s the kind of blemish the committee has historically penalized.
The head-to-head result matters, no question. But the committee has also emphasized quality of losses and overall strength of schedule throughout the playoff era. If that standard holds, Notre Dame’s profile still carries weight - even with the Miami loss on the books.
Yurachek’s Comments Keep Things Unsettled
Speaking with ESPN’s Rece Davis on Tuesday night, Yurachek didn’t exactly calm the waters. When asked directly about the Notre Dame-Miami debate, he made it clear that nothing is set in stone.
“Rece, following the championship games, we will re-rank the Top 25 teams, and we will see where they fall,” Yurachek said.
That’s not a firm yes or no - but it’s enough to suggest the committee is still keeping its options open. Davis interpreted that as a sign that Miami still has a shot to jump Notre Dame, and it’s hard to argue with that read.
What’s at Stake This Weekend
Championship weekend is usually all about the teams still playing. But this year, it’s also about the ones sitting at home - and how the chaos on the field could impact them.
If certain results shake up the top of the rankings, the committee will have to reshuffle the deck. That’s where things could get dicey for Notre Dame.
The Irish have been a focal point in recent committee discussions, especially in comparison to Alabama and Miami. This week, the Tide moved ahead of Notre Dame. Could the Hurricanes be next?
With no game left to make a final statement, Notre Dame’s fate is now in the hands of the committee - and in the results of teams still fighting for a spot. If the right (or wrong) dominoes fall, the Irish could find themselves on the outside looking in.
The playoff picture is far from settled. And for Notre Dame, the wait just got a whole lot more nerve-wracking.