Notre Dame’s win over Miami did more than give the Irish a statement victory - it shoved them right into the thick of the College Football Playoff race.
After sitting at No. 11 last week, Notre Dame surged to No. 5 in the committee’s latest rankings. That six-spot climb came on the strength of the win over the Hurricanes, while Miami slid all the way to No.
- That drop is sure to irritate plenty of Hurricanes fans, especially after last season’s ranking releases repeatedly had Miami trailing Notre Dame despite the head-to-head result in 2025.
For Notre Dame, the path ahead is now pretty clear: keep winning, and the Irish are in. The bigger question is whether they can climb high enough to snag a first-round bye.
That’s still a long shot, but it’s not impossible. If Notre Dame handles SMU, then takes care of Boston College this weekend and Syracuse in the regular-season finale, there’s at least a chance the Irish can break into the Top 4 if a team like UCLA stumbles along the way.
Right now, UCLA appears to be holding the No. 4 spot thanks to its 9-0 record, but the schedule is far from gentle. Illinois, Michigan and USC are still ahead, and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Bruins finish 9-3. Even if UCLA somehow gets to 11-1 and Notre Dame does the same, the Irish would still have a real shot to move into that Top 4 and chase the bye.
In Other News...
Marcus Freeman's CFP Reaction Will Spark A Big Notre Dame Debate
Marcus Freeman wasted little time weighing in on the College Football Playoffs move to 24 teams starting in 2027, and his reaction was pretty easy to read from a Notre Dame perspective. Speaking after the official announcement, the Irish coach said the expanded format would benefit Notre Dame, a program that has long lived with the pressure of making its case for a postseason spot without the safety net of a conference championship game.
Freeman also made clear that the new setup wont feel like a win for everyone, but for Notre Dame it opens more doors and more chances to get in. That is exactly why his comments are likely to stir debate around the program, because the Irish have spent years navigating the tension between independence and access, and this change only sharpens the question of how the playoff should reward teams like Notre Dame. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Added Another Big Ten Test To Its Future Schedule
Notre Dame has filled another spot on its future calendar with a matchup that should carry plenty of weight when it arrives. The Irish have lined up a two-game home-and-home series with Washington for the 2031 and 2034 seasons, a swap that comes after a previously planned series with Florida was canceled. The first meeting will be in South Bend, with Notre Dame Stadium hosting the opener before the return game shifts to Seattle three years later.
For Notre Dame, the addition keeps the schedule lined up with the kind of high-profile nonconference tests the program has long valued. Washington brings real pedigree into the series as a current Big Ten member with a football history that includes multiple conference and national championships, which gives the matchup a little extra heft beyond the usual future scheduling announcement. The only question now is how much both programs will have changed by the time the first kickoff finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has The Edge But Boston College Brings A Real Trap
Notre Dame enters this matchup with the cleaner recruiting profile and the more obvious edge in several position groups, which is why the Irish are being viewed as the more complete team on paper. The numbers behind the roster construction point in their favor, and the matchup breakdowns suggest Notre Dame should have answers if it plays to its strengths.
Boston College, though, has enough veteran experience and transfer portal help to make this feel less comfortable than the rankings might suggest. It has the look of a classic trap game, the kind that can echo a past meeting from 1993, where the favored team still has to handle a physical, older opponent that knows how to make things awkward if the favorite is even a little off. [Read more 🡒]