Despite closing out the regular season with a dominant 29-point win at Stanford, Notre Dame finds itself sliding one spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, landing at No. 10 as of Tuesday, Dec. 2.
That drop might raise some eyebrows in South Bend. After all, the Irish did exactly what they were supposed to do in Palo Alto-handled business on the road, looked sharp on both sides of the ball, and closed the season with momentum. But in the world of CFP rankings, style points and timing can sometimes matter just as much as the final score.
Alabama, fresh off a narrow road win over a 5-7 Auburn team, leapfrogged Notre Dame to take the No. 9 spot. That move says a lot about how the committee is viewing strength of schedule, rivalry week intensity, and perhaps the SEC brand as a whole. Alabama didn’t dominate, but they survived-and in the Iron Bowl, that’s often enough to impress.
For Notre Dame, sitting at No. 10 means they’re still very much in the mix for a playoff spot, but the margin for error is razor-thin. The top 10 are in prime position, but that 11th seed is likely reserved for the ACC champion, and the 12th for the highest-ranked Group of Five team. Translation: the Irish can’t afford any more slippage, and they’ll need some help from above.
If the season ended today, Notre Dame would be headed to College Station for a rematch with Texas A&M-a team that edged them 41-40 in a thrilling Week 3 showdown in South Bend. That game was a shootout from start to finish, and a potential rematch would be one of the most intriguing matchups of the postseason.
The Aggies, now 11-1, took a tumble themselves this week, dropping four spots to No. 7 after a loss to Texas, who now sits at No. 13.
At the top of the rankings, there’s no movement-Ohio State remains No. 1, with Indiana holding firm at No. 2, and Georgia steady at No. 3.
But all three face major tests this weekend. Ohio State and Indiana are set to clash in the Big Ten Championship, while Georgia takes on Alabama for the SEC crown.
Those games will carry massive implications for the final CFP seeding.
Texas Tech rounds out the current top four, holding the final playoff spot at No. 4, with Oregon and Ole Miss lurking just behind at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. The committee will have plenty to think about after the dust settles on championship weekend.
The full playoff field will be locked in this Sunday, Dec. 7. Until then, it’s scoreboard-watching season for Notre Dame-and every other team on the bubble.
College Football Playoff Rankings - December 2, 2025
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Georgia
- Texas Tech
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Miami (FL)
- Texas
- Vanderbilt
- Utah
- USC
- Virginia
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Tulane
- Houston
- Georgia Tech
- Iowa
- North Texas
- James Madison
With one weekend left to make a statement, Notre Dame’s postseason fate is far from sealed. But with a top-10 finish and a potential shot at redemption against Texas A&M, there’s still plenty on the table for the Irish.